Please educate me on the 12.9 iPad pro

[KevinRightWing]

my wife is amazing with building furniture, crafts that she sells for $40 a pop, and all around general woodworking. She sells her stuff on Facebook.

I am thinking of getting her an iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. I think it would be good for her designs, I am just ignorant of what software apps would be available that she could use for designing.

In a perfect world, she could draft/sketch would some of her furniture/wood working would look like and then email to a customer before an order is placed.

Could someone point in the direction of an app she could use? Thanks!

 

[apple_iBoy]

I love Procreate for sketching.

 

[Mr_Killjoy]

Another recommendation for Procreate.

And for the 12.9" Pro, for that matter. As someone who has had both pro sizes, the 12.9" is leaps and bounds better for drawing. The difference is huge, and the 4GB of RAM shines with large canvases, multiple layers, and extensive projects.

As a designer, my 12.9" iPad Pro handles 95% of my work. And that's the reality from someone who went into the iPad Pro as a total skeptic, thinking it wouldn't put a dent in my Mac usage.

 

[bensisko]

There are a lot of variables in the question, but here are some possible answers:

• Procreate is a highly recommended app - I haven't used it enough myself, but I know it's a go-to app for a lot of iPP folks.
• Sketchbook - This is (one of) the app I use most for drawing. I like it because it's available on multiple platforms (iOS, Windows 10, Android, and Mac) and it has a User Interface that can quickly get out of my way when I want it to.
• Paper by 53 - An incredibly fun app that is best when quick sketching ideas. Probably the closest feeling to a 'sketchbook' that I've come across.
• Adobe's Apps (Sketch & Line) - Sketch is hand drawing, Line is meant more for drafting (vector based and has the ability to use a virtual straight edge).
• OneNote - great for collecting photos, images, colors, and taking notes. You can annotate drawings and change the background of a page to a grid system if you wanted to mimic graph paper.

There are also apps that let you draw in 3D (not sure how useful that would be in this case, but neat none-the-less).

 

[KevinRightWing]

First of all, I want to say thanks to this group for the answers so far.

Secondly, I know that the 12.9 iPad Pro has been out for a while. Is now a bad time to buy or is a refresh imminent? Thanks again.

 

[gobikerider]

Wait till the next Apple event at least. They may or may not refresh the Pro model. Wait till Christmas to get her it. Then surprise her with the latest model.

 

[bensisko]

First of all, I want to say thanks to this group for the answers so far.

Secondly, I know that the 12.9 iPad Pro has been out for a while. Is now a bad time to buy or is a refresh imminent? Thanks again.

March next year. I wouldn't expect huge updates - not until 2018. How much use will she get in 6 months - if it works for her now, get it now. If you're getting it as a Christmas present, I guess I would go with an IOU for March (probably late March, maybe April before you can buy one).

 

[gobikerider]

I feel like they will keep the iPads in Fall release. They will probably update both models soon with A10X processors. The design is basically perfected at this point. iPads are becoming Macs in the sense that each year will only bring updated processors.

 

[bensisko]

Maybe, but all the rumors are pointing to March - and as much as I really hate to admit it, the rumors have been pretty accurate.

As far as the design, I'd agree. If they came out with an Apple Pencil with the W1 Chip, I'd buy it today!
The three new sizes sound interesting. If they keep the same screen sizes and go with a bezel less screen (meaning a smaller device footprint) that would be amazing! Other than a bezeless screen, I probably won't be upgrading until 2018.

 

[Mr_Killjoy]

Current rumors point to a spring update for iPads. Whether that's true or not, who knows. There haven't been part leaks or whispers of what the update will entail, other than the assumption that the 12.9" will get updated cameras and True Tone for the display. Personally I bought my 256GB 12.9" a few weeks back, thanks to the price drop on storage that came with the iPhone event.

If your wife needs it now, go for it. There's always something shiny and new around the corner, and you're looking at 6 months or so before what will most likely be an incremental update.

Another suggestion though, check out Swappa. See if you can get a deal on a lightly used one!

 

[spesifikbrush]

If they came out with an Apple Pencil with the W1 Chip, I'd buy it today!

I am sure that is coming this year. I have no complains about my current Pencil, it is so lovely and battery lasts really long, but I'd like to have a pencil with at least a button so I won't need to plug it in to connect everytime.

 

[Brammy]

I'd also recommend Graphic. It's a handy little vector drawing app that's similar to Illustrator.

In terms of a refresh, I'd be surprised if they refresh them this fall, but since the rumored fall event is within a couple of weeks it makes sense to wait.

I also recommend the 12.9 for drawing. I feel the extra screen size is better and reduces a lot of panning and zooming. One word of caution though, getting used to drawing digitally can be a tough barrier if she is used to traditional tools. My girlfriend has a hard time with the iPad Pro and drawing because she is used to pen and paper and splattering ink when she paints.
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As far as the design, I'd agree. If they came out with an Apple Pencil with the W1 Chip, I'd buy it today!

From what I heard the Apple Pencil was the driver for the W1, so some version of that is already in the Pencil/

 

[bensisko]

From what I heard the Apple Pencil was the driver for the W1, so some version of that is already in the Pencil/

Not in the current Pencil - I still have pair via Lightning plug in each time to use on different Pros (all with my Apple ID).

I certainly hope it's in the next gen Pencil. In fact, it makes sense in many of Apple's Bluetooth accessories - why not have the keyboard able to enter text in whatever device currently has text entry (be it an iPad, AppleTV or Mac)?