iPad Pro How can the M4 Tandem iPad Pro be Improved ?

[DaniTheFox]

Given that the 13-inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is priced similarly to the entry-level MacBook Pro 14-inch, I believe it should offer feature parity with the upcoming M5 MacBook Pro 14-inch entry-level model. Since we are not yet aware of all the features of this next generation, I would wish that all iPad Pro models have 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD, as the MacBook Pro entry-level model already includes these features.
I would also like to see the Nano option available on all models and, if possible, a RAM option. If the base M5 has TB5, I would hope that the iPad Pro would also have TB5. Additionally, I would like to see two external monitors support, but I do not see two USB-C ports. There will be also no additional power input (wireless) other than over the Magic Keyboard. If the maximum SSD on the MacBook Pro base is 2TB, then the iPad Pro would also have a 2TB SSD as maximum.
But it would have OLED over the MacBook Pro for the next two years.

 

[Digitalguy]

Agree with everything! No one has mentioned camera improvements on the back... Apple actually removed a camera with the last model having a ultra wide lens.

I could see Apple adding a 48mp lens that's in the base model iPhones (and I'm well aware iPad-photo taking is frown upon, nevertheless it would be an upgrade to show off).

I have a feeling the M4 to M5 will be sort of a 2018 to 2020 iPad pro.
The design of the 2018 was so perfect that it didn't need any change (and other than the screen it's still the same now).
Also it was plently fast. The only real drawback that nobody noticed back in 2018 was... RAM.
It was the same as the 3 years earlier 2015 pro (except the 1TB model, which I got, and which had the right amount of RAM...).
And that RAM, with iPadOS updates (especially starting with 14, then 15 et 16) caused more and more reloads.
I had both sizes, the 12.9 with 4GB and the 11" with 6. And the 2 started decoupling more and more. The 6GB held tabs in RAM while the 4GB was costantly reloading even with a couple of tabs open (granted, RAM hungry tabs like desktop youtube and desktop gmail), to the point I decided to sell it. That additional RAM made all the difference a few years after launch.
I have a feeling it will be the same with the M4. For now 8GB (which is the same as the 4 year old M1) seem enough (although, even now, when I try to use it as a full laptop, with multiple apps open, several tabs in Safari plus a couple more in Brave reloads start kicking in pretty fast).
In a few years the M4 will be just as fast but with a lot of reloads, which can disrupt some workflows
And no, memory swap does not help and does not work like on Macs. The only thing it does, I have come to realize, is what Apple created it for: to allow some Apple who specifically request more RAM, to use up to 16GB of RAM (on any M series iPad with at least 128GB storage), not to prevent reloads due to multiple apps open.

(And yeah the camera upgrade was one of the few upgrades of the 2020 pro, beside RAM)

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

No pwm

afaik the only alternative to PWM on oled is DC dimming, and I don't see apple using sad, to my great despair (because it affects color moslty) . I would love an option like xiaomi does, where you can toggle dc dimming on and off, but knowing apple it'll never happen.

it could be great though. enable it when reading , disable it when working on photos and videos . eh

 

[Ludatyk]

I have a feeling the M4 to M5 will be sort of a 2018 to 2020 iPad pro.
The design of the 2018 was so perfect that it didn't need any change (and other than the screen it's still the same now).
Also it was plently fast. The only real drawback that nobody noticed back in 2018 was... RAM.

And I didn't upgrade to the 2020 models.. skipped that and went to the 2021 iPad Pro (then to the 2024 model). Most likely I will skip the M5 Pro model and go for the following model.

My guess Apple skip on creating M6 iPad Pro models and use the M7 chip instead... similar to the jump from M2 to M4.

For now 8GB (which is the same as the 4 year old M1) seem enough (although, even now, when I try to use it as a full laptop, with multiple apps open, several tabs in Safari plus a couple more in Brave reloads start kicking in pretty fast).

Yeah, I'm not a heavy tab user... I keep my usage under 8-10 tabs (and I rarely get to that point), if I need to reference something... I'll add to my notes are something. But I don't keep a lot tabs open.

 

[Digitalguy]

And I didn't upgrade to the 2020 models.. skipped that and went to the 2021 iPad Pro (then to the 2024 model). Most likely I will skip the M5 Pro model and go for the following model.

My guess Apple skip on creating M6 iPad Pro models and use the M7 chip instead... similar to the jump from M2 to M4.


Yeah, I'm not a heavy tab user... I keep my usage under 8-10 tabs (and I rarely get to that point), if I need to reference something... I'll add to my notes are something. But I don't keep a lot tabs open.

Well I did exactly the same thing (while in the past I had moved from 9.7 pro, to 10.5 pro, to 11 pro), but... I got the 6GB RAM model....(which I found on sale) so essentially that was closer to the A12Z than to the regular A12X... For the larger model (I like having both sizes...) I went with the 512GB (again, I found a good sale)
But then moved to the M1 for the 12.9 because I couldn't stand the 4GB RAM.
Honestly I don't use many tabs, currently I have 7 on safari and 1 on Brave (for youtube). But they are RAM hungry. How do I know? Desktop Chrome tells me how much RAM each page takes by just hovering over it. And some pages are more RAM hungry than others. Macrumors does not use too much RAM (between 100 and 200 MB), but gmail uses between 250 and 500 and I have 4 accounts open (different businesses plus personal email). Also Reddit can take quite a lot. And then I have other apps like outlook, Word, dropbox, whatsapp, jump desktop, files and more all running at the same time... especially when I use my iPad as a laptop replacement. And I have regular reloads of tabs...
I got a M1 also for the 11" (the 16GB RAM model) because I found an excellent deal (new at $800) but I am still using my 2018 a lot.
And I got the M4 for the lighter weight (and kept the M1 as a backup, now running the beta), but the entry model, cause I could not justify almost $2000.
But I am using the iPad more and more and my next iPad will have 16GB RAM... Will it be M5, M7 or even a M4? It depends... If I find a cellular 13" under $1200 (or 11" under $1000) new at some point it could even be the M4....

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

afaik the only alternative to PWM on oled is DC dimming, and I don't see apple using sad, to my great despair (because it affects color moslty) . I would love an option like xiaomi does, where you can toggle dc dimming on and off, but knowing apple it'll never happen.

it could be great though. enable it when reading , disable it when working on photos and videos . eh

I understand but very few, if any, OLED televisions utilize PWM so whatever tech they’re using should be researched. Additionally, microLED is the next evolution in displays so I would be curious if PWM is utilized for those.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

I understand but very few, if any, OLED televisions utilize PWM so whatever tech they’re using should be researched. Additionally, microLED is the next evolution in displays so I would be curious if PWM is utilized for those.

microLED isn't coming anytime soon i'm afraid

I think oled TVs use DC dimming...

 

[xxFoxtail]

Maybe a better Smart Connector so I can use the Magic Keyboard's USB-C port for data.

 

[grammatica]

I know this comes up all the time, but is now a good time to buy the iPad Pro?

 

[brilliantthings]

Battery bypass means the iPP using direct electricity from the ac wall outlet, and not using battery power. This reduces pressure on the battery, and provides more stable power especially when connected to a monitor with extended display. Hope this makes sense.

I can’t find documentation that says any MacBooks or iPads actually do this. They manage the battery wisely but I don’t think any of them can bypass the battery altogether.

 

[snipr125]

I can’t find documentation that says any MacBooks or iPads actually do this. They manage the battery wisely but I don’t think any of them can bypass the battery altogether.

Yes there is hardly any documentation from Apple on this, but Macbooks have smart charging. Basically when plugged into ac outlet the battery will stop overcharging and use AC power directly.
Currently the iPad does not have this feature, it is powered purely by the battery.

Is Keeping Your MacBook Plugged in All the Time Bad for the Battery? - SimplyMac

It's generally safe to keep your MacBook Pro plugged in all the time, as it is not necessarily harmful to the battery. This conclusion is based on years of

www.simplymac.com

 

[Abazigal]

I know this comes up all the time, but is now a good time to buy the iPad Pro?

Nobody can really say when the M5 iPad Pro will be released. Could be later this year (marking a 1.5 year gap), could be April next year (making it 2 years), or longer. What’s your current iPad model again?

 

[Digitalguy]

Yes there is hardly any documentation from Apple on this, but Macbooks have smart charging. Basically when plugged into ac outlet the battery will stop overcharging and use AC power directly.
Currently the iPad does not have this feature, it is powered purely by the battery.

Is Keeping Your MacBook Plugged in All the Time Bad for the Battery? - SimplyMac

It's generally safe to keep your MacBook Pro plugged in all the time, as it is not necessarily harmful to the battery. This conclusion is based on years of

www.simplymac.com

these are 2 different things, stop charging at a certain threashold does not equal use AC directly. iPads don't do that, they don't work without a battery, but they can still stop charging. And overcharging is an even different thing, which hopefully these days does not happen anymore with any decently built device, since the BMS will always prevent overcharging.

The fact that the laptop gets power from the battery or not is generally a big deal for the battery, as long as the battery charging is capped.
There are 3 things that wear a battery quickly: voltage, heat and stress.
The battery wears very little if the voltage is not too far from the nominal voltage (which is around 50% charge), regardless of whether it's in use or not. That's why capping is important (only works with 2024 iPads and later)
When it comes to heat, if the device heats up, this will impact the battery negatively, but this will happen even if the battery is not in use...
Stress is when you ask a lot from a battery, like doing very intensive stuff, so that's the only thing that would benefit from getting power directly from the charger.
But if someone does not heavy stuff (like exporting or gaming) frequently on the iPad, there is little stress for the battery, so it kind of doesn't matter if it can power from AC directly or not.
People associate battery wear with cycling, but "good cycling" has very little impact on the battery. An iPad for instance can have 600 cycles and still be at 95% (because the battery was babied or was capped, and it was not left dead for long periods etc, that's the situation in which one of my iPads is), while another iPad can have 20 cycles and be at 85% because it stays dead or plugged in for weeks or months...

 

[svish]

I would like to see better cameras for the iPad, at least bring back the ultra wide lens. Hope for wireless charging. RAM increase to 16 for the base models. Increase in storage capacity to 512GB great but that will happen only after all Macs get the increase and that will be many years away.

Besides the specs, would really love Apple to provide colours for the Pro models. Don't see any reason why colours should be restricted to Air models. Think many would be happy to have colour choices. Disappointing that for every Pro device colours are non existent.

Think for the M5 version, there will be only be a chip change to M5 and RAM increase for the 256 and 512GB variants to 16. Everything else might be exactly like the M4 Pro.

 

[Abazigal]

I sometimes wonder if it would be a good idea to thin out the bezels on the iPad (similar to the iPhone) and try to squeeze the front camera into a small cutout. I would have been fine with the cutout being in portrait mode (similar to the iPhone), but now that the camera orientation has shifted to landscape mode, I am not so sure anymore. You also get a smaller device, but maybe that means less space for battery as well.

Ah well...