Apple announces new 10.5-inch iPad Pro

As rumored, Apple today announced a new 10.5-inch version of its iPad Pro. It features a larger display, in a body that’s essentially the same size of the 9.7-inch iPad. You can see in the above image that this is possible thanks to slimmer bezels—Apple says they’ve been reduced by 40% in size.

The tablet weighs 1 pound and is extremely powerful. It features a new ProMotion Retina display that can refresh at a rate of 120Hz. That’s double the refresh rate of previous iPads, making things smoother, crisper and more responsive. This is powered by an A10X Fusion chip processor, which has a 6-core CPU and 12-core GPU.

Other features include a 12MP iSight camera with optical image stabilization (same as iPhone 7) and a 7MP FaceTime camera. It has the same 10-hour battery life, supports USB3 fast-charging, and entry-level storage now starts at 64GB. The new iPad Pro starts shipping next week, with prices starting at $649.

Here’s a note from Apple’s press release on the new tablets:

“These are by far the most powerful iPads we’ve ever created with the world’s most advanced displays featuring ProMotion, the powerful new A10X Fusion chip and the advanced camera system of iPhone 7,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “Together with iOS 11 these new iPad Pro models will radically change what users can do with iPad.”

One last thing: a new full-sized Smart Keyboard has been custom designed for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, offering a thin yet durable keyboard that never needs to be charged or paired over Bluetooth and is easily foldable into a protective Smart Cover.

What do you think of the new iPad Pro? Will you be picking one up?