Video calls are going to look very different for those people using the new Apple iPad Pro, with a feature called “Centre Stage” set to make it look like you’ve got your very own camera operator no matter where you’re calling from.
The idea is that the iPad’s smarts analyse the video and essentially zoom and pan around the wider fixed image to give the impression of movement from a device that is sitting still.
This might not mean much, but for people doing any form of demonstration or hosting video calls while doing other things, it’s a winner. It’s the key software feature of the iPad Pro for 2021.
However, it’s far from the only new feature. 5G connectivity comes to the iPad Pro after launching in Apple’s lineup with the iPhone 12 late last year. Frankly, that alone could have warranted a model upgrade, but instead it’s one of many new features.
The USB-C port is now Thunderbolt-enabled. That allowed me to do a fast data transfer of video files, which then sat comfortably on the massive 2TB storage (an option if you’re prepared to pay for it). Though with Thunderbolt connectivity, you could edit files and video off an external drive without needing the storage on-device.
The design is the same, though the Magic Keyboard accessory now comes in white, which looks amazing — but ask me again in a few months and we’ll see how clean it is.
A stunning screen, which Apple is calling a Liquid Retina XDR display, is the standout visual feature. This mini-LED backlit screen is producing a 1000-nit full brightness, peaking at 1600, and has an outstanding million-to-one contrast ratio. The blacks are black, the colours are bright. It’s exceptional.
In some ways, it’s too much for the average set of eyes to appreciate.
The processor is much the same. The utterly bonkers decision by Apple to put their M1 processor into the iPad makes this one of, if not the most powerful tablet you can buy.
That’s laptop performance. It’s the same processor powering the MacBook Pro. Not unprecedented — Microsoft puts Intel Core processors in its Surface Laptops and Surface Pro Tablet — but this is a big deal for Apple.
Apps launch in an instant, performance is snappy and when you lay down 4K video in an edit timeline it’s like being on a desktop or pro laptop.
However, imagine if it ran MacOS, or a touch-enabled version of the same. Imagine if iPadOS wasn’t an enhanced version of iOS but a tablet-enabled version of MacOS. Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems utterly logical.
The 2021 Apple iPad Pro goes on sale on Friday, starting at $1199 for the 11-inch model with WiFi only and 128GB of storage.
Add in all the beans and you can pay $3549 for the 12.9-inch with 2TB of storage and 5G connectivity. Worth it, if you’re a creative pro working in design, videography or photography for sure.
Otherwise, the bog-standard iPad is still a pretty amazing device that does most of what most people need for just $499. Remember that before you go crazy with your cash.
This content first appear on 9news