The new Apple iPad Pro is available for pre-order now and goes on sale on November 7. But there was a lot of information to pick up in Apple’s keynote. Here are some of the coolest details, which you might have missed…
‘Things Nobody Told You...' is my occasional column touching on tangential, but interesting, details that have been lost or under-reported in the news. Sometimes they are ground-breakers, sometimes pieces of trivia that will enliven a dinner party conversation…
1 The Apple Pencil has a battery-saving feature
This is cool. The new, cute, Apple Pencil has sensors inside it - including motion sensors - so it knows when you pick it up and start using it. But when you put it down and it’s just lying on the table, say, it gets the message that you have no need of it right now, so it sulks. No, of course it doesn’t, it helpfully goes into a power-saving mode, ready and waiting for your next use.
Some creative Pencil users have previously said that the accessory didn’t last long enough between charges, so they will be glad if the stylus has better battery life.
2 The wireless charging coil is the smallest one Apple makes
Built into the right side of the iPad Pro is a curious-looking, darker-colored panel. This was one of the mysteries that arose when various leaks suggested it was there. What was it, a new Smart Connector? No, it turns out it’s a charging coil. It’s the smallest one on any Apple device and it’s one of the things that makes the Pencil so cool.
When you hold the Apple Pencil with the flat side towards the iPad Pro, it almost jumps from your hand to stick magnetically in just the right place. As soon as it’s found its home, it pairs with the iPad Pro and begins charging wirelessly. When you do this, it feels intimate, satisfying and even slightly magical.
3 The Pencil can be engraved
Here’s a neat gift idea: like the iPod used to be, the new Pencil can be engraved for that special someone. The engraving is free, when you buy the Pencil online from Apple and it means nobody else can pick up your Apple Pencil and claim it’s theirs.
4 USB-C is there for a reason
So, there’s no longer a Lightning connector on the iPad Pro (and no headphone jack either, though that wasn’t mentioned during the keynote). Instead, there’s a USB-C socket. Now, if you have plenty of Lightning cables knocking around, you may not be best pleased with this. But Apple is clear that there was no choice. For the new iPad Pro to be able to do all the things it does, it needs USB-C. Benefits include being able to link the iPad Pro to an external monitor in the way that Lightning couldn’t manage.
That’s why the entry-level iPad is sticking with Lightning because it can meet the demands of the tablet. And, therefore, it’s not wise to assume the next iPhone will follow suit. Apple doesn’t change these things lightly or until it’s absolutely warranted.
5 It has a new, more compact charging plug
The bundled charging plug comes in a smaller shape and makes the connection to USB-C a reality. It’s also a powerful adapter, clocking in at 18W where previous bundled adapters were 12W. So faster charging comes as standard.
6 The Pencil is not octagonal
Despite what you may have heard, the new Apple Pencil is not eight-sided. It is, however, beautiful, and fits the hand very comfortably. It’s circular but for one flat side. Tap it on the side and you evoke an extra function. That’s an element which we can expect to see come into its own as app developers get to grips with it.
7 The iPad Pro can charge other gadgets
The iPad has a big battery, way bigger than any mobile phone. So, if your iPhone is running low on juice, you can plug it in to the iPad and, for the first time, the iPad Pro can put out a charge to resuscitate your phone. Note that you need a USB-C to Lightning cable to make this happen.
But if you can do that, well, can you charge other gadgets, too, perhaps?
8 The new Pencil is shorter but the same weight
This is important, because when a creative switches from a regular, lead-based pencil to a stylus, there’s a period of adjustment. Switch from one stylus to another and you ideally want to keep the experience as seamless as possible. So matching the weight is seriously important. So, the fact that the new Pencil is the identical weight to the old one, 20.7g, since you ask, is a real benefit.
And it’s shorter, 166mm where the first-generation Pencil was 175.77mm.
The new iPad Pro is a handsome, powerful gadget. It's an exciting development and arguably the best tablet yet released. I'll be reviewing it in due course so please check back to find out if it lives up to its potential.
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