Apple Discusses M1 iPad Pro in New Interview, Including Lack of XDR Display on 11-Inch Model

[JPack]

What I heard was that they don’t plan to add it to the 11, ever. The 12.9 inch may be in the same space as the iPhone Max now where SOME of these things may be seen on lower end phones, but there are some that may only appear on the iPhone Max (or in this case, 12.9) in a generation.

Does anyone know if liquidmetal weighs less per cubic centimeter than aluminum? Because if they lower the weight of everything else, then they could put it in and still be very close to 1 pound

Kuo's notes suggests Apple wants to bring mini LED to the entire lineup of iPad and MacBook.

Perhaps one differentiation would be number of zones and peak brightness.

mini LED (2,500) > mini LED (1,500) > OLED > LCD

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Correction: Apple says iPad is “better” than a computer or a tablet. That’s why no macOS.

Open to interpretation of their commercials. To me, they're saying the iPad is better and that you don't need a computer (as the kid says "What's a computer?, as if the iPad does everything he needs). A mixed message for sure, but certainly taken by many to mean the iPad is a computer replacement.

 

[kiranmk2]

This is not happening. Not now. Not ever. Apple has said so before, and repeated it again this month. Just stop.

Just like they said a phone didn't need a screen over 3.5" and then that the 4" screen was perfect because it was based on the thumb...
Apple always say they won't change - until they do!

 

[Madmic23]

This is painfully boring to watch. They are so constrained in how they speak.

One of the worst examples of this is when they were asked about the battery around 24:36 in the video.

Q: "Is the battery the same? Do we know that?"
A: "We haven't specified that particularly. What's incredible is that it still offers a long 10 hour battery life..."

It was a yes or no question. Is the battery bigger? Yes? Cool. No? Ok, how'd you keep the battery life so great? And then go into the PR speak about incredible integration and blah blah blah.

Brian asked a lot of really good questions, I just wish he was talking to someone who was allowed to actually answer them.

 

[skoor101]

Anyone besides me count the number of times the marketing guy kept said incredible, amazing, game changer and love. Probably in his performance job goals/bonus plan. LOL Just wish he had let the engineer talk. Interview kinda of waste of time.

At my very large computer company, every time someone went switched from engineering to marketing, we said the average IQ of both groups went up. Think about it.

 

[edk99]

I don't care to have MacOS on my iPad. I would be thrilled if iPadOS would have multiple profiles.

 

[Wags]

Yowza, their comment about the XDR display is some top quality spin! I wonder what they’ll say when they add it to the 11-in iPP in the next update.

Because, Apple knows what we need/want and they will deliver it when it’s time.

 

[Serban55]

I don't care to have MacOS on my iPad. I would be thrilled if iPadOS would have multiple profiles.

yes, at this point, ipadOS is ok...if apple give us profiles, and their pro apps like final cut, logic pro, soon full photoshop and xcode...then, i dont care about macOS or ipadOS being in a ipad

 

[iDento]

I will buy the iPad 11' with XDR next year. Maybe M2 that I am not sure I need since my 2018 iPad Pro works like a charm still. I enjoy using the iPad way more than any Mac I have.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Check out that smile after the hand-off at 4:45 to 4:51.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Kuo's notes suggests Apple wants to bring mini LED to the entire lineup of iPad and MacBook.

Perhaps one differentiation would be number of zones and peak brightness.

mini LED (2,500) > mini LED (1,500) > OLED > LCD

If they can continue to increase efficiency, they could also have a smaller battery, same runtime same weight. However, even though folks like the 11 for its small size and light weight, over the next year, they’ll likely start to prioritize screen over both. Meaning, Apple could just make it heavier and folks that don’t like the weight can get the Air… wait, how much does the Air weigh? 14 pounds per square inch?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

One of the worst examples of this is when they were asked about the battery around 24:36 in the video.

Q: "Is the battery the same? Do we know that?"
A: "We haven't specified that particularly. What's incredible is that it still offers a long 10 hour battery life..."

It was a yes or no question. Is the battery bigger? Yes? Cool. No? Ok, how'd you keep the battery life so great? And then go into the PR speak about incredible integration and blah blah blah.

Brian asked a lot of really good questions, I just wish he was talking to someone who was allowed to actually answer them.

Were they good questions though? I wouldn’t consider “Is it the same battery?” all that good of a question. Many would say that any question you ask that has the answer of “yes” or “no” is not a good or interesting question. SO, they had to turn his not so good question into a good answer for him. LOL

And you make a good point. He could have just gone with “How do you keep the battery life so great?”

 

[JPack]

If they can continue to increase efficiency, they could also have a smaller battery, same runtime same weight. However, even though folks like the 11 for its small size and light weight, over the next year, they’ll likely start to prioritize screen over both. Meaning, Apple could just make it heavier and folks that don’t like the weight can get the Air… wait, how much does the Air weigh? 14 pounds per square inch?

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has 10% higher battery capacity compared to last year. Yet, the actual battery itself weighs the same according to Apple.

It seems like Apple didn't bother to really refresh the 11-inch iPad Pro due to lack of mini LED supply. If they applied the same enhancements as the 12.9-inch model, the 11-inch would only weigh 30g (1oz) more.

 

[GuruZac]

Wow, Scott did a great job of not answering any questions…which I understand with WWDC around the corner. It begs the question we all want to know, what does Apple have in store for iPadOS 15 and developers at WWDC, because without a major overhaul to iPadOS and serious development of professional apps, what’s the point? I think Apple have something big in store for the iPad Pro. I won’t replace my 2018 this year, but the direction the iPad Pro has gone ensure it will be my only device after school.

 

[Madmic23]

Were they good questions though? I wouldn’t consider “Is it the same battery?” all that good of a question. Many would say that any question you ask that has the answer of “yes” or “no” is not a good or interesting question. SO, they had to turn his not so good question into a good answer for him. LOL

And you make a good point. He could have just gone with “How do you keep the battery life so great?”

Well, the question actually began by talking about the increased thickness, talking about the display, and then ended with "Is the battery bigger?" and then we got the non-answer.

Around 20 minutes he also asks if they've experimented with running Mac OS on the M1 iPad, and then we got the standard answer of "they're two different products." It's true, they are, and most of us accept that. But you would think that they must have experimented with it at some point in time. It would just be nice if they could talk to someone who could actually talk about that. But because all communications are so tightly controlled, they're just not able to say that.

 

[Razorpit]

This is not happening. Not now. Not ever. Apple has said so before, and repeated it again this month. Just stop.

Not will they release an iPod that plays video, or a stylus/pen for a touch device, and a myriad of other “broken promises” that I can’t think of at the moment.

And even though the two OS’ are converging on each other with each release, I’m sure you’ll respond as to how those are different issues and we’re still all wrong. 🙄

 

[Razorpit]

Just like they said a phone didn't need a screen over 3.5" and then that the 4" screen was perfect because it was based on the thumb...
Apple always say they won't change - until they do!

Big one I forgot. (Pun intended.)

 

[jhwalker]

Apple marketing employee Scott Broderick and display engineer Vincent Gu recently spoke with Apple Bitz XL podcast host Brian Tong about the new iPad Pro, including the M1 chip and the Liquid Retina XDR display.

While the Apple employees dodged many of the questions asked in the interview, they did reveal that the new 11-inch iPad Pro's lack of a Liquid Retina XDR display is at least partly due to weight considerations. The latest 11-inch model weighs 1.03 pounds, while the 12.9-inch model weighs 1.5 pounds, in part due to the heavier XDR display.

"What we know about the 11-inch user is that they just love bringing a super powerful iPad with them in a portable one-pound design," said Broderick. "They just love the form factor of that. Whereas the user who is embracing the 12.9-inch display, they were looking for the largest canvas to do their most creative work on that product, and that made sense to bring that XDR technology to the 12.9-inch display for the iPad Pro."

The interview also discusses the capabilities of the iPad Pro's newly added Thunderbolt support, the new Center Stage front camera feature that automatically keeps users perfectly framed during video calls, and more.

Article Link: Apple Discusses M1 iPad Pro in New Interview, Including Lack of XDR Display on 11-Inch Model

I'd have been happy for it to weigh 1.04 pounds if I got the mini-LED display 🤷‍♂️

 

[Lemon Olive]

Not will they release an iPod that plays video, or a stylus/pen for a touch device, and a myriad of other “broken promises” that I can’t think of at the moment.

And even though the two OS’ are converging on each other with each release, I’m sure you’ll respond as to how those are different issues and we’re still all wrong. 🙄

The fact that you simply don’t understand what you’re talking about isn’t a position for an argument.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

But you would think that they must have experimented with it at some point in time. It would just be nice if they could talk to someone who could actually talk about that. But because all communications are so tightly controlled, they're just not able to say that.

Yah that’s ANOTHER thing having to do with the interviewer. If you know you’re not going to get an answer to a question, then… don’t ask it? I mean, maybe it’s so the interviewer can show “I ASK THE HARD HITTING QUESTIONS!!” but asking the question wasn’t going to (and didn’t) yield any amazing revelations. BUT again, his not so good “yes/no” question was turned into a better answer so good on them? I don’t even know if there’s an interesting way to ask this one. Maybe not focusing on macOS on iPad and, instead something like, “In five years, do you see more and more using choosing iPad over macOS, macOS over iPad, or just the same.” You’re still going to get a non-answer, but at least they don’t have to turn a “no” into something more entertaining… easier on the interviewer, maybe?

I mean, these are always going to be softball interviews, so have some fun with it so that your interviewees can have fun with it to. Who knows, when they think about introducing something in the future, maybe they’ll get you a tap on the shoulder. LOL I’ve no idea how this works, of course

 

[98winds]

If Apple in-house developers don't use the full blown capacity of the M1 in iPadOS 15, it will be a flop... not a disappointment.

 

[MallardDuck]

Just got mine.

Two thoughts.

1) damn it's fast

2) dammit need a new case because of the camera bump

 

[vikky2426]

The new Xdr display has massive shadow issues I would not get it, I’m returning mine, also m1 will always be over kill, this interview was kinda pointless they never answer any questions

This was also highlighted by the Verge review but I don't think Apple has made any comment on it yet - not sure if it will be resolved.

 

[vikky2426]

It truly is amazing spin. Only reason I didn't order the new Pro is because I don't want the giant one, but I did want new screen tech. But hinting that they might never include it on the 11" model makes me reconsider my choice to wait another year.

First I've heard of this. And it also has me reconsidering my choice to wait a year on new screen tech in the 11". Maybe this year's model really is the time to upgrade from my 2017 pro.

check this:

 

[GuruZac]

This was also highlighted by the Verge review but I don't think Apple has made any comment on it yet - not sure if it will be resolved.

Interesting. I’m wondering if the inclusion of the M1 and RAM this year as well as accessories like the Magic Keyboard indicate Apple has acknowledged many 12.9 users especially use the iPad Pro like a laptop and will eventually move the cameras to the side, or at the very least, add a dedicated camera to the side?