Skip to main content

Apple’s latest iPad Pro ad touts it as a full-fledged computer

Apple rolled out a new ad on Monday touting the iPad Pro as a full-fledged computer.

The 30-second slot suggests you might want to ditch your laptop and go with the company’s most powerful tablet instead. Why? Because, according to the ad’s narrator:

Recommended Videos

Just when you think you know what a computer is, you see a keyboard that can just get out of the way. And a screen you can touch, and even write on. When you see a computer that can do all that, it might just make you wonder, hey, what else can it do?

Of course, your current computing habits may mean you have no need to scrawl on the screen with the iPad Pro’s Pencil, though casting aside the Smart Keyboard for some tasks is likely to appeal to users keen on mobility and weight savings.

There is, however, a myriad of other issues to consider when it comes to the idea of ditching your computer for a tablet like the Pro. Indeed, DT’s Gabe Carey took a close look at whether such a move was feasible. Despite the Pro’s undoubted power, he decided that limitations with both iOS and multi-tasking, as well as other factors, meant it’s not yet ready to replace his main machine. Carey admits, though, that he demands a lot from his computer, so for some lighter users the transition could certainly work out.

The smaller 9.7-inch Pro, launched by the tech giant in March 2016,  starts at $599 for the Wi-Fi-only 32GB configuration, while the 12.9-inch Wi-Fi only model kicks off at $799 with the same amount of storage.

Data released Monday showed global tablet sales on the decline for the seventh straight quarter. However, while Apple saw a decrease in tablet sales for the second quarter of 2016, it actually experienced an increase in tablet-related revenue thanks to the higher cost of its two Pro tablets.

Apple’s entire range of iPads, which besides the Pro devices also include the Air 2 and Mini models, scored it $4.9 billion in revenue for its latest quarter, up from $4.5 billion a year earlier.

The company is currently the biggest seller of tablets with 25.8 percent of the market. Samsung sits second with a 15.6 percent share.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
What’s the best iPad screen size: should you go 11-inch or 13-inch?
13-inch iPad Air (2025) with iPad Air 4 and iPad Mini 7 in the background.

The Apple iPad lineup is bigger than ever. Previously, when choosing an iPad Air, you just needed to consider storage capacity and cellular capabilities. Now, like the iPad Pro, you also get to choose between two screen sizes. I’ve received emails from readers confused about whether the 13-inch model is a better pick for watching movies. The short answer? No. A bigger iPad doesn’t necessarily mean a better screen for video consumption.

I recently switched to the 13-inch iPad Air (2025) from my 11-inch iPad Air (2020), and it made me realize that both tablets are made for different use cases. If you're confused about which screen size is right for your next iPad Air or iPad Pro, here’s a breakdown based on my experience.
Look at the aspect ratio, not the display size
13-inch iPad Air (2025) display Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Read more
iPad is the best secondary screen I’ve used with a MacBook
You can extend your MacBook's screen by using an iPad as a secondary monitor.

I spend an unhealthy amount of time lurking in communities where people share aesthetic desktop setups. One of my friends recently set the group chat on fire with a triple monitor setup that had two vertical screens and an ultrawide curved panel at the center. An impulse swipe later, I achieved a similar makeover for my desk at home.

Here’s the problem, though. My $600 workstation overhaul did bring me visual joy, but not much utility. For reporting assignments, I spend the majority of the year away from home, working from deserted cafes or unnaturally uncomfortable bunk beds. I do miss the convenience of large secondary screens. Interestingly, that yearning is addressed by a rather unconventional device —the humble iPad. 

Read more
iPad Pro with next-gen M5 silicon could arrive later this year
Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro.

It seems tablets are increasingly becoming the unofficial launch testbed for Apple’s next-gen silicon. The 2024 iPad Pro marked the debut of Apple’s M4 chip, ahead of its appearance inside the Mac hardware.
Carrying forward the torch, the next iPad Pro refresh could be “one of the first devices” to get a M5 series processor. According to Bloomberg, the next-gen iPad Pro has progressed into the advanced stages of internal testing. Moreover, it is expected to hit the shelves later this year, likely in the Fall season.
Apple gave the M4 series refresh to the Mac lineup, including the MacBook Air, Pro, and Studio models, earlier this year. The M4 Pro and M4 Max processors were only introduced late last year, so it seems increasingly plausible that the baseline M5 would arrive later this year, followed by its Pro, Max, or Ultra variants.
Given the “freshness” status of the current Mac hardware, the upcoming iPad Pro seems like the first candidate to get a taste of the next-gen M5 processor. “The new versions of that model, code-named J817, J818, J820 and J821, are in late testing within Apple and on track for production in the second half of this year,” adds the report.
What to expect from M5 iPad Pro?

Starting with the design , Apple is not expected to make any notable changes, given the company’s history. The iPad Pro got a major design overhaul in 2024, embracing a super-sleek look, one fewer camera, and a new keyboard accessory to go with it.
As far as the silicon goes, the M5 series will reportedly be based on the 3nm process and built atop ARM’s next-gen CPU architecture. In addition to the 2025 iPad Pro, Apple is also expected to launch new MacBook Pro models later this year, armed with an M5-tier processor.

Read more