After the events of Let Loose 2024 that was held on May 7th, the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple released a Keynote with all the revelations along with the new OLED iPad Pro, the iPad Air, the M4 Chip, and the software improvements in Logic Pro and release of Final Cut Pro for the iPad. Here is all the information regarding the Keynote press release that was on May 7th, 2024.
OLED iPad Pro with the powerful M4 Chip
Apple announced a major update to its iPad Pro lineup, a highly awaited iPad Pro featuring a new design, a next-generation chip, and an OLED display. The new iPad Pro is Apple’s thinnest ever, measuring just 5.3mm for the 11-inch model and a remarkable 5.1mm for the 13-inch model. Despite this incredible thinness, the iPad Pro remains remarkably strong and comes in two gorgeous finishes: silver and space black. Both models are available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations.
The star of the show is the all-new Ultra Retina XDR display, featuring state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology. This innovative technology delivers phenomenal brightness, incredible contrast, and vibrant colors. An optional nano-texture glass finish minimizes glare for professionals working in demanding lighting conditions. The new iPad Pro takes full advantage of iPadOS 17, with features like Stage Manager for multitasking, Reference Mode for color-critical workflows, and full external display support up to 6K resolution.
The new iPad Pro is powered by the M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon. M4 boasts a redesigned display engine to fully leverage the Ultra Retina XDR display’s capabilities. It also features a faster CPU, a next-generation GPU, and the most powerful Neural Engine ever in an iPad. This combination translates to blazing-fast performance for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and complex design workflows.
The M4 chip’s Neural Engine unlocks a new level of AI performance on iPad. Users can perform AI-powered tasks significantly faster, like isolating objects in video with just a tap. This makes the new iPad Pro ideal for tasks that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence. Apple Pencil Pro gets a refresh with new features like a squeeze sensor for quick tool switching and a custom haptic engine for a more natural writing experience. It also supports Find My for easier device location. The new Magic Keyboard is thinner and lighter than ever before, featuring a function row for convenient access to essential controls.
The updated camera system offers even more versatility for capturing high-quality photos and videos. The TrueDepth camera system has moved to the landscape orientation for a better video conferencing experience. For connectivity, the iPad Pro boasts a high-performance USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support and Wi-Fi 6E for super-fast wireless connections. Cellular models allow users to stay connected on the go.
Pricing and Availability
The new iPad Pro is available to order starting today, with in-store availability beginning May 15th. Pricing starts at Rs. 99,900 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi model and Rs. 1,29,900 for the 13-inch Wi-Fi model.
11 and 13 inch iPad Air
Apple unveils a powerful new iPad Air lineup featuring two sizes – a redesigned 11-inch model and an all-new 13-inch option. Both are powered by the M2 chip, delivering a significant performance boost for tasks like editing photos and videos, creating presentations, and even using demanding creative apps. This marks the first time users can choose between a super-portable 11-inch option or a larger 13-inch display for a more immersive experience.
The M2 chip at the heart of the new iPad Air brings a faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. This translates to smoother multitasking, quicker app loading times, and enhanced capabilities for AI-powered features. Video calls get an upgrade too, with a new 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage that automatically keeps you in frame during calls. Faster Wi-Fi and optional 5G connectivity keep you connected on the go.
Pricing and Availability
Starting at $599 (Rs. 49,997) for the 11-inch model and $799 (Rs. 66,691) for the 13-inch, the new iPad Air offers great value. It retains its all-day battery life, stunning Liquid Retina display, and support for Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, making it a versatile tool for work, creativity, and entertainment. New stylish blue and purple finishes complement the existing starlight and space gray options.
Orders are open now, with availability starting May 15th. iPadOS 17 further enhances the experience with new personalization and versatility features. The new iPad Air is also designed with sustainability in mind, using recycled materials and meeting Apple’s high energy efficiency standards.
Apple M4 Chip
Another major highlight of the event was the the M4 chip, a powerhouse driving the latest iPad Pro. Built with a super-efficient 3-nanometer process, M4 delivers a massive performance leap while maintaining the iPad Pro’s thin design. It features a brand new display engine that unlocks the stunning visuals of the new Ultra Retina XDR display.
The M4 CPU boasts up to 10 cores, offering 1.5x faster performance than the M2 CPU. The 10-core GPU brings groundbreaking features to the iPad Pro: Dynamic Caching for smoother performance, hardware-accelerated ray tracing for realistic graphics, and mesh shading for complex scenes. These advancements make M4 up to four times faster for pro rendering tasks compared to M2.
M4 integrates Apple’s most powerful Neural Engine ever, capable of a mind-blowing 38 trillion operations per second – 60x faster than the first Neural Engine. This unlocks incredible AI features on the iPad Pro, like real-time video captions and object identification in photos and videos. M4 surpasses even the most powerful neural processing units in AI PCs.
The M4 chip also boasts an advanced Media Engine with hardware acceleration for AV1 video encoding, making video streaming more power-efficient. M4’s focus on efficiency translates to all-day battery life for the iPad Pro and contributes to a smaller environmental impact.
Final Cut Pro, now on the iPad
Apple’s popular video editing software that rivals against Adobe’s Premiere Pro finally made its way to the iPad after much requests from iPad users. Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 transforms iPads into powerful production studios with Live Multicam. This lets users capture up to four angles simultaneously, streamlining the shooting process. A new video capture app, Final Cut Camera, comes to iPhone and iPad to support Live Multicam. It allows wireless connection and remote control of each camera angle with professional settings. Final Cut Camera can also function as a standalone professional video capture app.
For more storage flexibility, Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 now supports external projects. This allows creating or opening projects directly on an external drive, leveraging the fast Thunderbolt connection of iPad Pro. Editors can seamlessly move between iPad and Mac versions, import high-resolution files, and utilize professional codecs like ProRes and Log.
The update offers even more customization options. Editors can choose from new color grading presets, text titles, soundtracks, and dynamic backgrounds. The new Apple Pencil Pro unlocks even greater precision with Live Drawing now supporting barrel roll for tool control and squeeze for quick access to brushes and settings.
Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 benefits from the power of Apple silicon’s Neural Engine. New AI features include Enhance Light and Colour, which improves color, balance, contrast, and brightness in a single step, and Smooth Slo-Mo, which intelligently generates frames for high-quality slow-motion effects. Workflow improvements include custom names for color corrections and video effects for better organization, the ability to drag effects to other clips, and timeline search based on missing media or specific details.
Pricing and Availability
Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 is Available later this spring as a free update for existing users, or on the App Store for Rs. 499 per month or Rs. 4,999 per year with a one-month free trial for new users. The Final Cut Camera however is available for free later this spring as a standalone app. Apart from this, Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 is available as a free update for existing users, or for Rs. 29,900 for new users on the Mac App Store. All new users can download a free 90-day trial of Final Cut Pro.
Logic Pro now has AI features
Apple’s music production suite called Logic Pro has now recieved significant updates that features a horde of new AI features to work with. Logic Pro gets a major upgrade with AI-powered studio assistants that enhance music creation. These include Session Players, a personalized backing band with a new Bass Player and Keyboard Player that respond to your input. Stem Splitter lets you isolate instruments from a recording, perfect for recovering hidden gems from old demos or live shows. ChromaGlow uses AI to instantly add warmth to tracks.
Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11 will be available starting May 13th. Session Players offer a new level of collaboration, letting you build a virtual band that plays along with your music. The Bass Player, trained with real musicians, offers a variety of styles and responds to your direction. The Keyboard Player can play anything from simple chords to complex voicings, following your chord progressions seamlessly.
Stem Splitter, powered by AI and Apple silicon, can separate a mixed audio file into drums, bass, vocals, and other instruments. This lets you easily edit or add new parts to an old recording. ChromaGlow uses AI to model the warmth and character of classic studio hardware, letting you add richness to any track with a variety of styles.
Logic Pro for iPad takes full advantage of the iPad’s touchscreen and portability, making it a complete mobile recording studio. Projects can be seamlessly transferred between iPad and Mac versions, allowing you to work on your music wherever you are.
Pricing and Availability
Logic Pro for Mac 11 provides free update for existing users, Rs. 19,900 for new users on the Mac App Store (requires macOS Ventura 13.5 or later). Logic Pro for iPad 2 provides free update for existing users, starting from Rs. 499 per month or Rs. 4999 per year with a one-month free trial for new users on the App Store (requires iPadOS 17.4 or later).
