Developer | Apple Inc. |
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Manufacturer | Foxconn (on contract) |
Product family | iPad |
Type | Tablet computer |
Release date | November 11, 2015 (12.9-inch) March 31, 2016 (9.7-inch) |
Discontinued | June 5, 2017 |
Operating system | Original: iOS 9.1 (for 12.9-inch); iOS 9.3 (for 9.7-inch) Current: iPadOS 16.7.10, released August 7, 2024 [1] |
System on a chip | Apple A9X and Apple M9 motion coprocessor |
CPU | 2.26 GHz dual-core 64-bit ARMv8-A [2] |
Memory | 12.9-inch: 4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM [2] 9.7-inch: 2 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM |
Storage | 32, 128, 256 GB [3] flash memory |
Display | 12.9-inch: 2732×2048 px (264 PPI) (IPS panel) (5.5 megapixels), 12.9 in (327.8 mm) diagonal, 4:3 [3] ContentsPPI) (IPS panel) (3.1 megapixels), 9.7 in (246.3 mm) diagonal, 4:3 [3] |
Graphics | 12-core PowerVR Series 7XT [4] |
Sound | Four speaker audio |
Input | Multi-touch screen, headset controls and ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, digital compass, five microphones, Bosch Sensortec BMP280 barometer |
Camera | |
Connectivity | |
Power | Built-in lithium-ion battery |
Online services | App Store, Apple Music, iTunes Store, iBookstore, iCloud, Game Center |
Dimensions | 12.9-inch:
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Mass |
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Predecessor | iPad Air 2 |
Successor | iPad Pro (2nd generation) |
Related | Apple Pencil, Apple A9X |
Website | www.apple.com/ipad-pro/ at the Wayback Machine (archived April 6, 2016) |
This article is part of a series on the |
iPad |
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List of iPad models |
The first generation of iPad Pro is a line of iPad, a tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple. The iPad Pro was released in 2015 alongside the Apple Pencil, and was the first iPad to use the Pencil as an input device.
The iPad Pro was first sold in November 2015 at a screen size of 12.9 inches, larger than all previous iPad models. [7] [8] A smaller 9.7 inch model, based on the form factor of the iPad Air 2, was released in March 2016. [9] The 12.9 inch model was the first iPad to feature LPDDR4 RAM. [2]
The 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro was announced during an Apple Special Event on September 9, 2015. [7] It was released on November 11, 2015, with silver, gold, and space gray color options. [8] Prices ranged from US$799 to $1,229, based on storage size and cellular connectivity.
On March 21, 2016, the 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro was announced at an Apple keynote with an additional rose gold color option. The 9.7-inch version also introduced the ability to choose the base 32 GB model [10] with a Cellular + WiFi option. Previously, Cellular + WiFi option was only available on 128 GB iPad Pro models. The 9.7-inch model is priced from $599 to $1,129 depending on the configuration. It was released on March 31, 2016.
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a faster CPU and a better camera than the iPad Air 2. It is the first iPad to feature True Tone Flash and Retina Flash, and its 256 GB storage option was the highest for an iPad at the time. Its True Tone display allows the LCD to adapt its color and intensity to ambient lighting. [9]
Both iPad Pro models include the A9X chip and the Apple M9 motion co-processor. The 9.7-inch model, however, has a slightly underclocked CPU (2.16 GHz compared to 2.26 GHz on the 12.9-inch model) and only 2 GB of RAM. [11] Several features are carried over from the standard iPad, such as Touch ID and the Retina Display. New features include a smart connector for a keyboard and four stereo speakers located in pairs on top and bottom of the device. The 12.9-inch model has a 2732-by-2048 display and the 9.7-inch model has a 2048-by-1536 display. Both displays have a resolution of 264 pixels per inch and feature a variable refresh rate, a first for Apple. The 12.9-inch version is also the first iOS device to include more than 2 GB of RAM. [12]
A customized 12.9 inch iPad Pro was also designed by Jony Ive and submitted to Phillips's Time for Design auction. The special edition iPad Pro has an "Edition 1 of 1" label engraved on its back and comes with a custom yellow-gold anodized finish, a blue leather Smart Cover and an orange leather Apple Pencil case cover, all of which are not sold by Apple elsewhere. The special edition sold for £50,000. [13] [14]
Both iPad Pro (1st generation) models supported iOS 9, 10, 11, 12, iPadOS 13, 14, 15, 16, and do not support iPadOS 17 due to hardware limitations.
Scott Stein from CNET praised the faster processor and new accessories available. However, he criticized the cost of both the unit and its accessories, while noting its slightly slower processor with less RAM of the 9.7-inch model compared to the larger 12.9-inch model. [15] Matt Swider from TechRadar complimented the easy handling, large 256 GB configuration and True Tone display, but was upset about the high starting price. [16] Gareth Beavis gave a positive review, commending the expansive screen and audio quality but stated that the battery life could be made longer. [17]
Timeline of iPad models |
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Apple silicon refers to a series of system on a chip (SoC) and system in a package (SiP) processors designed by Apple Inc., mainly using the ARM architecture. They are the basis of Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods, AirTag, HomePod, and Apple Vision Pro devices.
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The iPad Mini 2 is a tablet computer designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It has a nearly identical design to its predecessor, the first-generation iPad Mini, but features internal revisions such as the use of an A7 system-on-a-chip and a 2,048 x 1,536 resolution Retina Display. Internally, the second-generation iPad Mini has nearly the same hardware as its sibling device, the iPad Air. Apple released the second-generation iPad Mini in space gray and silver colors on November 12, 2013.
The iPad Mini, known retrospectively as the iPad Mini 1, is the first generation of the mini tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 23, 2012, as the fourth major product in the iPad line and the first of the iPad Mini line. It features a reduced screen size of 7.9 inches (20 cm), compared to the 9.7-inch (25 cm) display on standard iPads at that time. Its internal specifications resemble that of the iPad 2, including its display resolution.
The iPad Air 2 is the second-generation iPad Air tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 16, 2014, alongside the iPad Mini 3, both of which were released on October 22, 2014. The iPad Air 2 is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessor, the first-generation iPad Air, and features Touch ID with the height, width and screen size the same as the iPad Air.
The iPad Pro is a series of tablet computers, positioned as a premium model line of Apple's iPad brand. It runs iPadOS, a tablet-optimized fork of the iOS operating system.
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The Apple A9X is a 64-bit ARM architecture-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It first appeared in the iPad Pro, which was announced on September 9, 2015 and was released on November 11, 2015. The A9X has the M9 motion coprocessor embedded in it, something not seen in previous chip generations. It is a variant of the A9 and Apple claims that it has 80% more CPU performance and twice the GPU performance of its predecessor, the A8X.
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The second generation of iPad Pro is a line of iPad tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPads, with 12.9 inch and 10.5 inch screens, were both announced on June 5, 2017. Both models are compatible with the first generation of Apple Pencil. Like the first generation, a larger size and stylus compatibility were a point of difference from the rest of Apple's available iPads.
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