7 Things That Surprised Us From Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ Event
Apple's Let Loose event is over, and we finally know everything Apple had in store for us.
As we already expected, this event was all about the iPad lineup. While there was a small update about how the Apple Vision Pro has been the greatest virtual reality headset ever (at least according to Apple) the event focused completely on the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and its accessories.
Even though we had a pretty good idea of what was coming, there were still a few things we didn't expect.
From small design changes to a completely new processor, read on for everything that surprised us at Apple's latest event.
The 10th-Gen iPad Is Now Cheaper
Something that probably none of us expected was Apple announcing that the tenth-generation iPad is now cheaper than ever.
Instead of launching a brand new model, Apple lowered the price of the current model by $100. This basic iPad now starts at $349 instead of the $449 it initially launched at in 2022.
Granted, this isn't that big of a surprise, but it's definitely great news for those looking to buy a nice and powerful new iPad.
A New Apple Pencil Pro
Granted, we were all expecting a brand-new Apple Pencil. It was literally in the invitation.
However, it still brought a few things we weren't expecting. Thanks to some code found on iPadOS 17.5, we already saw hints that there was going to be a "squeeze" feature, but Apple confirmed that the new Apple Pencil will also have a haptic response to let you know that your squeeze was registered.
What's particularly new is the gyroscope feature. It lets you do a specific action when you rotate the Pencil between your fingers. For instance, you can rotate a brush and get a new style without stopping what you're doing. There were reports years ago that Apple could implement a "rolling gesture," but we'd heard nothing about it more recently.
The Apple Pencil Pro is also now harder to "let loose" because of its new Find My support. While Apple didn't go into too much detail, it did mention that you'll be able to find it with the Find My app on your iPad.
The iPad Pro Is the Thinnest It's Ever Been
While we were all expecting the iPad Pro models to get a new processor and a better display, we certainly weren't expecting them to become so much thinner.
Now, the 11-inch iPad Pro is just 5.3mm thick, and the larger 13-inch model is only 5.1mm, which is even thinner than the smaller model.
With a thinner body, you should also expect the weight to decrease as well. The smaller 11-inch iPad Pro is less than a pound now, while the bigger 13-inch iPad Pro is a quarter pound lighter than the previous mode.
Both iPad Pro models were already pretty light, but it was still tiring to hold them for too long. That should be less of a problem moving forward.
Apple Unveiled the Most Expensive iPad Yet
Of course, not all the news today was good news. Just like almost everything else, the price of the iPad is also rising.
The next-generation iPad Pro models both received a $200 price increase. The 11-inch iPad Pro — previously priced at $799 — now starts at $999, whereas the 13-inch iPad Pro — which used to be $1,099— now costs $1,299. Take either of those up to 1TB of storage and you'll be hitting the $2,000 mark and beyond.
Although we expected a price increase from the rumors — OLED panels are more expensive, after all — most believed they'd only be $100 more.
A New Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro
Alongside the new iPad models, there's also a new Magic Keyboard. While at first glance it might look the same, this new keyboard features a brand new design that makes the iPad feel more like using a laptop than ever.
The biggest change on the new Magic Keyboard is the addition of a function row. Just like a Mac, you'll have function keys at the top to perform quick actions like lowering or increasing the screen brightness and volume. It also comes with a larger trackpad to make it easier to control your iPad. This trackpad will also give you haptic responses when using it.
The new Magic Keyboard is only compatible with the new 2024 iPad Pro models, and it sells for $299 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $349 for the 13-inch model.
A Bigger iPad Air
There were already plenty of rumors that Apple would release two iPad Air models this year, but it was still surprising to see it happen, especially because this isn't the first time we've heard that rumor.
Nevertheless, the 13-inch iPad Air is finally here for those who want a large screen without paying for an iPad Pro.
In addition to size and price, the larger iPad Air offers pretty much the same features as the 11-inch mode. That means you'll get to enjoy new AI features. However, with "30% more screen real estate," you'll have more room to work or watch movies on the go.
However, the larger iPad Air also comes with a better sound system with more bass, and both models feature the more powerful M2 chip.
Unfortunately, Apple didn't use the M3 processor. However, the M2 chip still offers enough power to help you with your most demanding tasks. In fact, according to Apple, the new iPad Air models are up to 50% faster than their predecessor.
The iPad Air now also comes with more storage options. It now starts at 128GB of storage, and you can upgrade it to 256GB, 512GB, or even 1TB. The 11-inch iPad Air keeps the same price as the previous model, and it starts at $599, whereas the bigger, 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799.
A New And More Powerful M4 Chip
The biggest surprise of the event lies inside the iPad Pro. Apple said that the only way to make the new iPad Pro models possible was by using a brand-new processor.
So, instead of taking the logical next step and going with the M3 chip, which is the most powerful Apple silicon chip before now, Apple introduced the M4 chip on the iPad — before it even came to the Mac.
As you can expect, this new chip is a performance beast. According to Apple, the M4 chip features up to 50% faster CPU performance when compared to the M2 chip in the previous iPad Pro.
Further, there are actually two different M4 chips available. The first chip features a 9-core CPU with three performance cores and six efficiency cores. This chip will be featured in the iPad Pro models with 256GB and 512GB.
On the other hand, there's a slightly more powerful M4 chip that has a 10-core CPU with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, which will be exclusive to the iPad Pro models with 1TB or 2TB of storage. As with the lower-specced chips on Apple's MacBooks, this is undoubtedly a case of chip binning rather than a deliberate decision to handicap the lower-capacity models.
If you don't care about the specs, just know that this new M4 chip will make the new iPad Pro models faster, more powerful, and energy-efficient.