When Apple first released a Pro model of iPad 10 years ago, the main aim was to provide a laptop-like experience in a tablet form. It wasn't necessarily a success on that front, but it proved popular regardless and gave the world's most popular tablet a premium tier.

The latest model, the M5 iPad Pro, is so good and intuitive that it could feasibly be a laptop replacement (depending on your job, of course). It features a new chip, an improved interface, and long battery life – something Apple seems to have mastered of late. It's for creators, it's for tablet-lovers, and yes, it is also for business uses.

Apple M5 iPad Pro review: Design

The design, like with all the MacBooks, hasn't seen much change. So, outwardly, the M5 iPad Pro is no different from the M4 (and older) models. The question is, would you want it any other way? The look of an Apple device is part of the appeal, and they're always easily distinguishable from Android tablets. In short, it's an iconic design, and it still, after all these years, looks great.

It only comes in either Silver or Space Black, which gives it a more professional (and slightly bland) look. And you can choose either a 13in or an 11in model. ITPro has the latter, which weighs just 444g. The tablet is very thin at just 5.3mm thick, though not as thin as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (5.1mm). And despite that, it does still feel sturdy in the hand with its robust aluminum chassis.

Around the device, it has the usual curved edges, a minimal bezel encasing the display, buttons for power, volume up and down, and a Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 port at the bottom (if you hold it in portrait mode). You also have a 12MP webcam at the top of the screen (in landscape mode), which gives it that laptop feel. But that is mainly for iPad's Measure app and scanning capabilities.

Apple M5 iPad Pro review: Display

The iPad is all about the screen, and that is certainly the case with the iPad Pro. It features an 11-inch Ultra Retina Tandem OLED panel with impressive specs: 2420 x 1668 resolution, 264 ppi, and up to 120Hz of buttery smooth screen refresh. The whole thing is bright, vivid, and silky. What's more, you can pay a little more for the Nano Texture glass and do away with unsightly glare.

With our colorimeter, the Pro produced some impressive results, perhaps not as high as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, but still of a high standard. For sRGB color gamut coverage, the Pro scored 97.3% and 100.2% for volume (99.7% for the Ultra).

The Pro is quite nice to use in low-light settings with its automatic controls for dark mode and nighttime settings. Writing up documents with the yellow-tinted 'night shift' setting certainly helps the eyes. But this, unmistakably a tablet for the more fun things in life; drawing, streaming, scrolling social media – all of which it excels at.

Apple M5 iPad Pro review: Keyboard and pen

One of the best additions to the iPad in recent years is the magnetic keyboard with its sturdy stand. We can't tell you how many tablets fall in this area – Huawei and OnePlus, we're looking at you – but Apple gets it spot on. The magnetic connection is easy to adjust and strong; you get two tilt angles, and it looks very neat and tidy. Add the all white Apple Pencil Pro on top, and it's very pretty.

The keys are also very good. Not MacBook Pro good, but also not far off. They have pretty backlighting, plenty of travel, and a nice muffled clack. Likewise, the trackpad is also very good. It's big enough and highly responsive.

The Pencil Pro is probably the overall star accessory and part of the reason the iPad has become such a stalwart in the art and illustration world. It is smooth and glides across the screen. The thickness of the pen itself is comfortable in the hand, similar to the OnePlus and Lenovo styluses. It doesn't replicate the feel of pen on paper, but instead makes digital drawing a worthy alternative.

Apple M5 iPad Pro review: Specs and Performance

Apple released a new iPad Pro alongside a new MacBook Pro and Vision Pro, but really, it was the launch of the M5 chip. For the iPad, it is either a 9-core or 10-core configuration of M5 and a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. You can have up to 16GB RAM and as much as 2TB of storage (our review unit had 256GB).

Unsurprisingly, having the most powerful flagship processor in the iPad Pro results in the year's top tablet benchmark. In GeekBench 6, the M5 Pro hit 4193 for single-core and 16777 for multi-core workloads. Samsung's S11 Ultra managed 2,699 and 8,434 with its Mediatek 9400+ chip, while the OnePlus Pad 3 hit 3130 and 9083 with a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.

There's also a big upgrade for AI capabilities on the iPad Pro; the GPU now has neural accelerators built into each of its ten cores. This is about boosting on-device AI processing speeds for features like the handwriting recognition or AI voice translations in Audio Logic Pro.

However, the most impressive upgrade, particularly for business use, is the battery. Our 11in M5 iPad Pro lasted an impressive 18hrs and 12mins in our looped video test. That was slightly longer than the S11 Ultra and about 2hours more than the OnePlus Pad 3.

The M5 iPad Pro supports iPadOS26, which brings a wealth of new tools and features. And that also includes the visual refresh of Liquid Glass, Apple's 'translucent' interface design.

Users will enjoy the new menu bar, which drops with a downward flick from the top of the screen. It works in the same way as it does in the macOS app – so potentially it can replace your laptop in this regard. The bar will soon be customizable so that it will become more important for work-related tasks, like it is for a MacBook. Apple Intelligence is also getting more useful with an integration into the Shortcuts app.

Apple M5 iPad Pro review: Is it worth it?

With the new M5 chip, Apple has finally turned its flagship tablet into a bona fide laptop replacement. The keyboard also does some of the work here, but the power, the speed, and the software tweaks all make for a brilliant device to use for work.

Could it be cheaper? Prices start at $999 (£999) for the 11in model, and that is less than the S11 Ultra, but significantly more than the OnePlus Pad 3. So it could be a little more budget-friendly, but it's better, in our opinion, than both those alternatives. This is, hands down, the most powerful tablet around.

Apple M5 iPad Pro specifications

Over the past few years, the iPad Pro has slowly matured into quite the powerhouse, but it’s taken a giant leap forward in 2021. Adopting the much-lauded Apple M1 processor – the same chip found inside this year’s 24in iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air – it has finally drawn level with its more “serious” counterparts when it comes to raw power.

The M1 chip isn’t the only big upgrade for the 2021 iPad Pro, either, despite the fact that it looks pretty much identical to the previous model. Next on the list of upgrades is the new “Liquid Retina XDR” display, which employs Mini-LED technology to boost its HDR capabilities, improving the visuals without the cost to peak brightness and battery life that OLED often brings with it. It’s also available in the same two sizes as before – 12.9in and 11in – although take note: the smaller iPad Pro does not come with the revolutionary Mini-LED display.

Coupled with the advances that Apple has made to iPadOS, the latest iPad Pro more closely resembles a full-blown laptop alternative than it ever has before.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Design

Despite all of the upgrades, the physical design of the new iPad is no different from last year’s model. It’s still available in Space Grey or Silver, measures 5.9mm thick and weighs 682g – or 1.4kg with the Magic Keyboard attached to it. For reference, the smaller 11in model weighs 468g for the tablet and 1.1kg with the Magic Keyboard.

You have a pair of cameras on the rear in the corner, in a square, raised housing like the one on Apple’s iPhone 12 range of smartphones. Beside it is the tablet’s LiDAR scanner, which is used to measure objects with the iOS Measure app and by some apps that use AR (augmented reality).

Also on the rear are three metal contacts for all-but-essential keyboard attachment, while around the edges you’ll find a single Thunderbolt 3 port, the volume and power buttons (in the upper left corner if you have the tablet in landscape orientation) plus four speaker grilles for the iPad Pro’s quad speaker array. The audio output of the iPad Pro’s speakers, incidentally, remains among the best we’ve heard on any device.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Display

There are no such caveats with the new “Liquid Retina XDR display”, which is quite frankly bonkers. It measures 12.9in across the diagonal and has a resolution of 2,732 x 2,048, the same as last year, but this time it uses Mini-LED technology. It’s similar to the IPS LED screen in last year’s iPad Pro but with many more of those LEDs in the backlight. The result is blindingly bright highlights and inky dark black level response.

So why has Apple chosen not to go OLED? We can only assume that battery life and brightness each play a significant part. Most of the OLED displays we’ve seen on laptops have negatively impacted battery life, with the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro’s 1080p OLED screen proving the only exception.

Peak brightness also rarely reaches the same levels as it does with backlit LCD screens. You can compensate for that indoors by drawing the curtains but you can’t do that when you’re out and about, and that generally makes OLED displays an inferior choice in bright environments.

The iPad Pro 12.9in’s Mini-LED display strikes the perfect compromise. The contrast ratio isn’t perfect as it is on OLED screens – we were able to observe the black level rising up to 0.17cd/m2 in some circumstances – but combined with a peak brightness of up to 1,600cd/m2 with Dolby Vision HDR material and 1,000cd/m2 at full-screen (that’s genuinely, blindingly bright, by the way) it delivers a contrast ratio that’s very nearly as good.

Alas, we don’t have the facilities at hand to test the display’s Dolby Vision capabilities but we were able to run tests in SDR and HDR10 on the screen and the results were very impressive. First up, in the standard dynamic range tests, we found that, as per Apple’s claims, the display reached around 1,000cd/m2, making it comfortably the brightest display we’ve ever come across on any portable computer. Colour accuracy is fabulous, too, with the average Delta E (or colour difference from the colour intended) at a staggering 0.32. That’s essentially as good as it gets.

As for HDR10 material, that measures up well, too. Peak brightness again reached just over 1,000cd/m2 and the colour accuracy was a solid 2.33. This translates to wondrously impactful playback of HDR movies and TV.

Sat side by side with the previous model, the differences aren’t night and day but the images do have noticeably more solidity on the new iPad and those black bars at the top and bottom of the screen fade into darker inconsequence. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the twilight world of Apple TV+’s Earth at Night in Colour series. Scenes shot in the dark have more impact, appear more luminous and pack more contrast than on the older tablet. The action simply looks more real and more present on the Mini-LED display.

And it compares favourably with the OLED panels that rivals are beginning to install on their premium laptops and tablets, too. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+’s OLED screen, for example, may look glorious indoors but only reached a peak 367cd/m2 in our tests. The iPad Pro 12.9in is nearly three times as bright and, as a result, is much more practical for working in bright conditions.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Battery life and performance

It’s also good to see that improvements to the display do not come at the expense of battery life, as they might have done had Apple chosen to go with OLED instead of Mini-LED. In our video rundown test, the M1 iPad Pro 12.9in lasted 11hrs 35mins before giving up the ghost.

It isn’t as good as the MacBook Air, which lasted 14hrs 40mins in the same test, but that’s hardly surprising given that the iPad’s battery is 40.9Whr versus the MacBook Air’s 49.9Whr. Indeed, given the disparity in battery size, the M1 iPad Pro 12.9 performs pretty much as you’d expect; perhaps even a mite better.

So the M1 processor is efficient; the question is, how much more powerful is it than the outgoing Apple A12X from 2020’s iPad Pro? The answer is a lot. We already know from the MacBooks and Mac mini that the M1 is powerful enough to drive MacOS and full-blown desktop software – a leap forward only seen once in a generation – and it’s the same here, although there’s no big switch in architecture.

Let’s put that into perspective: Geekbench 5 scores of 1,713 for single-core operations and 7,274 for multi-core put it roughly on a par with the MacBook Air but, compared with the previous iPad Pro 12.9in’s scores of 1,125 and 4,539, it’s much, much quicker. It achieved a 56% higher score on average in the Geekbench 5 benchmark and a 45% higher frame rate in the demanding Car Chase GFXbench (offscreen) graphics test. The previous iPad was no slouch but the M1 machine is, quite simply, in a different league.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Features

Apple has made a few tweaks to the iPad Pro’s feature-set as well. Support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6 is present and correct, as is a Thunderbolt 3 port for both charging and connecting various peripherals (more on that shortly).

As before, the iPad Pro employs Face ID as its primary means of biometric authentication, which works as well as it ever did. The camera itself, however, has had an upgrade with the introduction of a feature called Centre Stage.

Simply put, Centre Stage uses the new 10.8MP 105-degree ultrawide front camera to keep your face centred in the frame during video calls. It works pretty well, panning left, right, up and down as you move about and the range of movement it is able to track is impressive. It’s surprising how far off-centre you can move and still stay in frame.

That’s great, but unfortunately, the actual image quality is disappointing. Colours look good and the camera’s HDR capabilities help it cope well with extremes of bright and dark in frame but there’s plenty of image noise, no doubt amplified by the fact that the Centre Stage tracking only makes use of part of the sensor at any particular time.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Software

So do all these upgrades and additions mean the M1 iPad Pro should be viewed in the same category as the M1 MacBook Air? After all, despite the difference in form factor, the hardware inside is, effectively, the same.

The answer is complicated.

Apple has certainly made big strides with iPadOS in the past few years and it’s no longer the pain it once was to do serious work on. With the Files app, you can now perform simple file transfer operations and copy and paste stuff back and forth from external storage.

There are plenty of heavyweight apps available on the platform, too, from pro photo editing apps like Photoshop and Affinity Photo to high-end video-editing packages like Luma Fusion. You can even connect a mouse and keyboard and use it like a regular PC.

The main issue that would prevent us from using an iPad for work full time is that it still doesn’t have proper external monitor support. While you can connect a second screen to the iPad’s Thunderbolt 3 port, the only display option open to you currently is to duplicate what’s shown on the screen of the iPad.

There’s no option to extend the space available and spread apps across two screens as you can with a MacBook or a Windows 10 laptop. And the fact that the Sidecar feature in MacOS allows MacBooks and iMacs to use an iPad as a second monitor simply rubs salt into the wound.

This may change, of course, as Apple updates iPadOS over the coming months and years but, right now, it’s a serious hurdle to iPadOS’ – and, by extension, the iPad’s – professional aspirations.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) review: Verdict

Putting that aside for one moment, however, it’s quite clear that the iPad Pro 12.9in is a fabulous piece of hardware and categorically the best tablet you can buy. It’s as powerful as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, it has great battery life for a device this compact and the new Mini-LED display tech puts it in a different league.

As we’ve already intimated, the iPad Pro should primarily be seen as a laptop alternative and, as such, that’s the context in which we’ve viewed it while sizing up the competition. This is a tablet you buy for work first, not pleasure.

The price dictates this approach as much as anything else and the iPad Pro sits firmly in premium laptop territory. Prices start at £999 for the 12.9in Wi-Fi model with 128GB of storage; the Smart Keyboard Folio adds a further £199 while the Magic Keyboard with touchpad adds £329. That brings the price of the 12.9in iPad pro up to £1,328 if you want the full laptop alternative experience.

In many ways, it’s as good as a traditional laptop - if not better. However, it’s being held back by silly restrictions like the inability to make full use of a second display and its eye-watering price. If you buy both the tablet and keyboard, it’s considerably more expensive than the equivalent Apple MacBook Air, although the iPad does, admittedly, have a touchscreen and a far nicer display.

This is the dilemma that Apple must contend with now that it has brought the iPad to full parity with its laptop and desktop machines. It’s fabulous hardware, no doubt, but it’s being held back from true greatness by the limitations of its software.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (Apple M1, 2021) specifications

If you believe the hype, the new iPad Pro is utterly magical. It redefines what you can do with a tablet, with a portable computer and probably with your life too. That’s a lot of hype to live up to - but the question is, does the reality come anywhere close?

First, let’s cover the basics. The 2020 iPad Pro is available in two sizes: 11in and 12.9in. You can buy it any colour (as long as it’s silver or Space Grey) and you can choose between 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage, with the option of upgrading to 4G cellular support in addition to Wi-Fi. Pick and choose between these options to fit your needs, with no lockout combinations to avoid.

In terms of price, the 11in model with 128GB of storage and Wi–Fi is £769. Go to the other end of the scale, and the 12.9in iPad Pro with 1TB and cellular will cost you £1,619. Or £1,748 with AppleCare+. This, naturally, is the version we went for.

Of course, this price doesn’t include all of the optional accessories, with the most important being the new Magic Keyboard. Again, this comes in two sizes: an 11in version costs £299, and the larger 12.9in model is £349. And let’s not forget the Apple Pencil, which is £119.

Tick all the boxes and the bill comes to £2,219 inc. VAT, but you’ll be relieved to know that the AppleCare+ covers the Magic Keyboard too. It’s an awful lot of money to spend on a tablet, however hard you crank the numbers. So the obvious question is whether it’s madness, or whether there’s a justifiable investment here.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil

First, let’s concentrate on the new Magic Keyboard. As you’d expect for the price, this is a beautiful piece of engineering. The iPad Pro mounts into the keyboard using strong magnets, but removing it is a simple (albeit two–handed) operation.

Unlike typical tablet keyboards, the Magic Keyboard raises the iPad Pro up and away from the keyboard. The range of adjustment is adequate, but we’d have liked more tilt. However, that would have exacerbated one of the niggles of this combination: if you do much work using the numeric key row at the top of the keyboard, you’ll find your fingertips tapping onto the bottom edge of the iPad Pro itself. We got used to it after a while, but it was disconcerting at first.

This issue explains why the iPad Pro can’t be tilted back further – the finger interference problem would become a real issue. It also explains why there isn’t a function key row above the numeric row. The Esc key is also notable by its absence, although Cmd+full stop has the same function.

What’s it like to type on? When the keyboard is flat on a table, the key action is positive, with a solid bottom stop and a pleasant action. We’ve had no problems typing on this for hours at a time, and indeed have largely used it to write this review.

Then there’s the touchpad, a new feature for Apple on the iPad Pro platform. This introduces significant changes to iPadOS, bringing a seamless automatic switching between pointer and touch mode. The pad is a reasonable size, although no match for that on a MacBook Pro. Still, what it lacks in size it makes up for in responsiveness, and if it starts to annoy, then you can always pair an Apple Bluetooth mouse to the iPad Pro.

Application support for the touchpad is spotty at the moment. Apple’s own apps work well, but Microsoft’s Office apps are currently less successful. We found Word to be sufficiently annoying and clunky that we switched to Apple’s Pages app, which runs very smoothly indeed.

The Pencil, should you buy it, sits on the top edge of the iPad Pro with strong magnets, and it automatically charges inductively. In appropriately updated apps, moving between touchscreen, keyboard, touchpad, mouse and Pencil is seamless and just works. Using the right tool for the task is something we just don’t think about anymore.

Want to fold up the iPad Pro and keyboard? Just pull on the top of the iPad Pro, and it folds down in one smooth action. Take the iPad Pro off the keyboard? Easy, with no fiddly cables or latches. You’ll soon start doing it without thinking.

This is helped by the location of a USB–C socket on the left-hand side of the keyboard hinge, which can power the iPad Pro through the connector pins built into the keyboard. However, it doesn’t support data, so any interface dongles will still need to connect to the iPad Pro’s USB–C socket.

The combination isn’t small or particularly light, but it’s built like a tank. Carry it around and you know the combination is more than just a tablet. If you want to use the thinner lightweight iPad Pro by itself, just lift it from the keyboard. We’ve been using it this way since it arrived, and it’s a natural operating mode.

It’s worth noting that the new Magic Keyboard works just fine with the 2018 iPad Pro too. So if you want the benefits, you’re not forced into upgrading to this year’s model – just buy the appropriately sized Magic Keyboard, update to the latest iPadOS version and it’ll seamlessly work.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Hardware and performance

In terms of the iPad’s history, the big change came in 2018. This took out the Lightning port and moved to USB–C, along with a host of other tweaks. It was a complete re–engineering. The 2020 version takes this further, albeit in a more evolutionary way – the CPU enjoys a modest update, but the bigger shift is to 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6. There’s also a Lidar depth sensor, which uses laser light to measure 3D depth. More of that later.

The next obvious question is performance. Apple has updated the core hardware but the changes aren’t profound if you’re coming from the 2018 model. The results of our standard Geekbench 5 benchmark tests show modest improvements - with the 2020 model scoring 1,125 and 4,671 for single and multi-core operations versus 1,119 and 4,539 respectively for the earlier model - but we couldn’t feel any significant differences in daily operation. Our 2016 iPad Pro, however, definitely feels less snappy and responsive.

The change to 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6, is significant: the 2020 iPad Pro screams on a Wi-Fi 6 network. But you will need the latest Wi–Fi 6 router, and this arena is currently somewhat of a Wild West. However, in our testing against just about every Wi-Fi 6 router and access point on the market, it’s clear that Apple’s Wi-Fi 6 implementation in the 2020 iPad Pro matches that in the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and is damn fast and reliable too.

Battery life, on the other hand, is… strange. In various runs on our 1TB model, we saw runtimes of anything from 6hrs 15mins to 14hrs 29mins – and pretty much anything in between. None of this was repeatable, nor predictable, despite controlling everything from the screen brightness to the wireless radio configuration.

We’ve seen this before on new Apple hardware on a new operating system, and we expect it to stabilise over the next couple of releases. Nevertheless, we haven’t had any issues with battery life in real-world use.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Display

Predictably, the display is superb. We measured around 520cd/m2 at maximum brightness (lower than Apple’s claimed 600cd/m2), with good evenness across the display. The colour performance is also excellent, with an average Delta E of only 2.2, a consistently strong performance that is typical for the iPad Pro. This, of course, requires you turn off the stupid True Tone and Night Shift nonsense, but if you care about colour accuracy, this won’t be an issue.

With no home button to worry about, the screen stretches from edge to edge. The explosive colours mean images look fantastic, and note the 120Hz refresh rate for an added dollop of smoothness.

Audio performance is good, but it won’t replace your hi-fi system. It’s at its weakest when handling bass, with the weedy sound you would expect from such a small device, but the voice clarity is strong and it works well for its intended operation. We use it with the AirPod Pro noise cancelling in-ear headphones, and the quality there is superb. As with the 2018 iteration, there’s no 3.5mm headphone socket.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Camera

Camera performance is definitely an improvement over the 2018 model, with the arrival of some of the camera technology from the iPhone 11 family. Images look natural, with good colour balance, and don’t suffer from that nasty artificial and over-processed look that some vendors prefer. It even had no issues shooting directly into bright sunshine, with the sun in the shot – there was a remarkable lack of flare, but we mean that in a good way.

All of this is good, and part of the improvement package from the 2018 model. But the dark horse here is the Lidar scanner. This is essentially the same as radar, except that it uses reflected light to measure distance rather than radio. Apple claims that it works from up to 5m away, “both indoors and out”, and we’ve seen nothing to suggest otherwise.

Lidar really comes into its own with augmented reality (AR) applications because it allows the AR platform to accurately measure the 3D space far more quickly, and with more precision, than can be done with a standard optical camera image.

It works well on the few apps that currently support it. The downside is that those apps are rarer than Dominic Cummings fans in the Labour party. However, developers have only had access to this technology, and its support with the development toolset, for a limited time. We expect to see a lot more AR apps taking advantage of Lidar over the coming months, and the rumoured inclusion of the Lidar sensor in the next iPhone will be a key tipping point for wider support.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Software and UI

Over the history of the iPad Pro product line, we’ve tried hard to justify the “Pro” tag. This implies serious work, and most definitely means “content creation”, rather than just “content consumption”. It has sometimes worked, in a variety of niches, but we’ve never felt comfortable that the iPad Pro, even with the additional keyboard, really delivered. There were too many compromises, too many gotchas and too many occasions where we really needed a proper laptop.

Today, though, things are very different. The Magic Keyboard is transformative for the iPad Pro. The key action, trackpad operation and the iPadOS integration is a huge leap forward. Then consider the mouse capabilities and the superb Apple Pencil, and this is a UI experience that frankly leads the world.

App developers have moved on too. There’s a wide range of funky apps out there, including incredible packages that can do 3D CAD modelling through to serious photo and video editing, and thence to Pencil-driven music page notation. And we haven’t even begun to see the impact of Lidar yet.

With this new release, encompassing the iPad Pro itself, the Magic Keyboard, iPadOS and the maturity in the application base, we have a device that we really can use day to day. It’s the most versatile computer we’ve ever owned. If we need hardcore OS capabilities, Parallels Access gives us immediate remote access to a 27in iMac or Windows desktop in the lab. Firing up a VPN gets us straight into the internal network, and we can access any of the NAS stores via the Files app. The built-in LTE option is a must too, even if you don’t enable it initially.

We confess that we tend to run apps in full-screen mode, but the multi-window drag and drop works just fine, especially if you have the larger 12.9in display.

The downsides? The range of swipes and operating controls can be confusing because they’re not in total alignment with our MacBook Pro or a conventional Windows 10 desktop. There are new actions to be learned, but this doesn’t take long and they have their own logic and structure.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) review: Verdict

We’ve followed the iPad Pro since its launch some four years ago, buying each new model as they came along. With the 2020 version, there are significant changes to the platform. The big question, however, is whether it’s worth it: is this a good inflection point for an upgrade, and does it deliver sufficient capability and value for money? In short, should the new iPad Pro be on your Lidar?

Yes, with some caveats. If you need to run a line-of-business Windows app, then the iPad Pro is not for you (unless you have a VDI infrastructure in place). Remote access works, but should always be a fallback emergency position.

Where the iPad Pro shines is in the range of its capabilities, the way you can switch between the various modes of operation, and the sheer quality of the OS integration. Windows 10 on a tablet can work well, but we would cheerfully never see that awful onscreen keyboard ever again, especially when battling with a ten-year-old 32–bit Windows app being dragged screaming into the modern touch world. By contrast, serious content creation isn’t a problem on this new iPad Pro platform – and some of the tools out there are genuinely breathtaking.

Is it worth upgrading from the original 2016 version with its weak “folding octopus” keyboard? Absolutely: our 2016 version is now relegated to second-screen operation. Upgrade from the 2018 version? We’re not so sure – you can have all the goodness of the Magic Keyboard, and the Pencil and mouse support too. Upgrading is worth it if you want the Lidar unit or the 802.11ax/Wi–Fi 6 support, but for most customers with the 2018 unit, that’s not really a big draw today. You might be wise to await the arrival of a 5G version of the iPad Pro in 2021/2022.

However, don’t even consider the iPad Pro without the new Magic Keyboard. It’s truly transformative for the platform, and despite the wallet-shredding price, you won’t regret it. The Pencil is rather more niche, but it has a place even in mundane mainstream apps such as the word processor. We wouldn’t give consideration to the 11in model at all – for us, the smaller version is an irrelevance. You’ll want the bigger screen, and you’ll want the bigger keyboard.

Is it worth so much more than an iPad, or a competitor running Android? Absolutely yes, but only if you’re prepared to explore the professional aspects. Using the iPad Pro to mostly read on the train, or simply to browse Facebook, is a criminal waste of its capabilities.

For once, Apple is justified in its hyperbole. While we can’t force ourselves to say that it is “utterly magical”, it’s the best all-round computing platform we’ve used in the past decade. Maybe even longer.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9in (2020) specifications

The market for the best business tablets has exploded over the last 12 months, with great options available from the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft. But, looking beyond the mainstream players, there is a world of wonderful alternatives and innovative new variations, such as E-ink tablets, which offer the feel of pencil and paper in a digital format.

Mixing the best bits of a laptop with the capabilities of a smartphone, the tablet is a fantastic option for your workers, particularly in this age of hybrid work, where more flexible and portable devices are in demand. Over the last 12 months, ITPro has tested and reviewed some of the best business tablets around to help you make an informed choice ahead of your next hardware refresh.

What to look for

When choosing a business tablet, it’s important to consider what specific roles or functions it’s going to be used for, as this will influence what features you will need to look for and the level of performance you’ll require.

Apple, Samsung and Huawei often use their own first-party silicon to power their devices, but you’ll also find tablets with third-party processors. Qualcomm Snapdragon chips are almost always the most reliable of these, while the MediaTek processors often found in cheaper devices are usually best avoided if you need top performance. For organisations that want a device they can give to front-line workers to host specific business apps, however, these cheaper devices may be a cost-effective solution.

Due to their mobile nature, it’s also worth thinking about the connectivity of your device. Opting for a tablet with support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 or 6E standard will future-proof your device and allow it to make the most of business-grade wireless infrastructure. If you’re offering devices to mobile workers who need access to mobile broadband when out on the road, then it’s advisable to pick a 5G-enabled model over a device that’s limited to 4G for similar reasons.

Best business tablets 2026

The Pro model of iPad has been around for a decade, and its initial aim was to provide a laptop-like experience in tablet form. However, it's only now with the M5 model that we get close to that. From the CPU to the keyboard quality, the iPad Pro is a bona fide business machine that we felt comfortable using as a full work device.

One of its best features is the magnetic keyboard, which includes a sturdy stand. Many tablets let themselves down when it comes to cases and keyboards, but the iPad excels with an easy-to-adjust case and a neat set of keys. It may not be 'MacBook Pro quality,' but we found the tablet keyboard to have plenty of travel, a nice muffled clack, and a very responsive trackpad.

Add the stylus, and you have arguably the best tablet around. In fact, the stylus is probably the star of the show – particularly if you are into illustration. It's smooth and glides across the screen. And the thickness of the pen itself is comfortable in the hand. It doesn't replicate the feel of pen on paper, but instead makes digital drawing a worthy alternative.

However, for business use, arguably the most interesting feature of the M5 iPad is its ridiculously long battery life. In our looped video test, the Pro lasted 18hrs and 12mins, longer than both the Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra and the OnePlus Pad 3.

Read our full Apple iPad Pro review for more information.

Value for money, a large screen, super accessories... the OnePlus Pad 3 is, in our view, the pound-for-pound champion of the tablet world – and certainly the best Android tablet available. It's big, it's fast, it lasts long, and it's relatively cheap. There is no other model on the market that can beat the Pad 3 across all those metrics. It is a stone-cold killer.

It's superbly designed, with a neatly rounded frame and a cool navy blue finish. The in-display camera is unobtrusive, the shiny OnePlus logo is understated, and the overall look is professional. Add the Folio case and the all-black stylus, and you have a strikingly beautiful work machine.

The stylus, too, is one of the best; smooth on screen, highly responsive, and easy to connect to the main tablet (magnetically connects and charges at the top). While it can't replicate the feeling of pencil on paper like the Remarkable or the Huawei MatePad, it is already a great stylus to draw and doodle with.

And, the OnePlus Pad 3 has a decent mixture of standard and quietly useful AI tools. You can use the one-device AI to have text read out in a dull voice; it will send you to sleep, there doesn't seem to be any options for changing the voice, but it is pretty easy to do for web content or news apps. All in all, a solid business tablet.

Read our full OnePlus Pad 3 review here

Arguably the most business-focused device on the list, the Surface Pro is a surefire hit for those who want Windows on a tablet. The latest Surface Pro (number 11) is faster than most mainstream laptops, and has a longer battery life than previous Surface models (16hrs, 28mins). It even went through a whole workday without needing a charge.

The Surface's signature keyboard has also been upgraded for the 11, with a new party trick; it can operate wirelessly from a distance, enabling more flexible options for your workspace. It also charges while attached to the tablet portion of the Surface Pro. And, despite some limited travel, the keyboard has a lovely, fast, and clicky feel.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 11 review here

A lot of work has gone into Huawei's Harmony operating system, and that is very apparent in its MatePad range of tablets – we reviewed the MatePad 11.5 S model and were very impressed with the quality of its interface and app store.

Admittedly, there are plenty of things you will ignore, and it isn't an exact replacement for your beloved Google apps, but there are lots of new apps to really love. Plenty of which are great business-centric tools.

One of these apps is GoPaint, Huawei's alternative to Procreate or Android's Sketchbook app. Matched with its PaperMatte display and innovative M-Pen, GoPaint is a brilliant, fully stocked illustration tool that we couldn't fault.

It is worth thinking about the stylus when it comes to tablets, and the M-Pen is a cut above the rest. You get that pencil-on-paper feel, it's very responsive, connects easily to the tablet, and feels great in the hand. What's more, it has extra controls, such as a pop-up to change functions and a button on the top to open different apps – brilliant extra functions just a click away.

Read our full Huawei MatePad 11.5 S review here

E-Ink tablets exploded onto the scene in 2023, promising the feel of real pencil on paper in a digital form. ITPro has been testing devices from Kindle to the Supernote, but it's the Remarkable Paper Pro, and its gorgeous color-ink screen, that has made it onto the best list.

It isn't a tablet in the traditional sense; you can browse the web, there are no apps, there are no ways to buy anything, and that means there are no distractions, which is one of Remarkable's main selling points. You can shut yourself off from the world and focus on your work.

The 11.8in screen uses 'gallery' display technology that uses color pigments to mimic ink being moved around. The colors are not vibrant, as such, they're more akin to newspaper print. And there is a slight lag compared to Kaleido displays. When you draw in color, there will also be a flash, almost like lightning in an old video game, where the screen registers the new color or erases unwanted scribbles. This is how the display refreshes, and it does so to add the new input. It is a joy to use; a perfect digital tablet for distraction-free thinking/doodling.

Read our full Remarkable Paper Pro 2 review here

You pay a hefty price for the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 tablet and its wondrous AI features. But there is a cheaper option -- the Galaxy Tab S10 FE (fan edition). You pay a lot less, and only really compromise on size and a small drop in performance.

Samsung's One UI is arguably the most polished version of Android tablet OS, and that is highlighted well in the smaller version of its Galaxy Tab S10 -- the FE is a perfect example of downsizing your premium hardware into a budget offering. Here, AI features are in easy reach, and the S-Pen performance is just as good as it is on the original models.

There are plenty of options for affordable tablets for business, particularly from Lenovo and OnePlus, but the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is a winner in our eyes – a superior option for business users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE review here

FAQs

What is a business tablet?

Tablets are traditionally consumer-focused devices that offer users a smartphone-like experience on a larger screen. But with a few accessories and some clever apps, they can be used as main drivers for work. Whether that's as a lightweight laptop alternative with a keyboard or a digital drawing pad for creatives.

Business tablets mostly provide flexibility with mobile data and easy Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing workers to do their jobs on the go. They can be used in data centers to monitor systems or as part of a presentation. In essence, the business tablet is a standard tablet – just with extra tools and software to make it compatible for you and your organization.

Should I consider an E-ink tablet?

'E-ink' is short for 'electronic ink', and it is used in several new tablets that offer more paper-like drawing capabilities. These tablets, such as the Amazon Kindle Scribe and the Supernote, are essentially e-readers that can be used for note-taking with mostly gray screens.

Some newer models, such as the Remarkable Paper Pro (see above) offer color options, though these are far more limited than what one would find on a traditional tablet. But the technology is evolving fast, and they are a great option for note-takers and journalers.

Can a tablet replace a laptop?

The answer to this is very much dependent on what your business does. If you need lots of processing power, RAM, and storage space, then the answer is a resounding no. But if you need something more flexible, with the ability to connect to the internet from seemingly anywhere, then a tablet can replace your laptop.

Apple has finally given in to fans' demands, releasing a slew of new updates to some of its most beloved products including the Mac mini and the MacBook Air.

The company took the wraps off its new devices at an event in Brooklyn, New York. The bulk of the event was dedicated to the new iPad Pro models, but many old-school Apple fans will be more excited by the re-launch of fan-favourite Mac devices. The MacBook Air, for example, was first revealed in 2008, but hasn't had a significant update for several years despite remaining one of the company's most popular notebooks.

Apple MacBook Air

The company has refreshed the MacBook Air at long last, adding some heavily requested features like a high-resolution Retina display and current-gen processing hardware. The new MacBook Air features a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 6GHz, with a maximum RAM capacity of 16GB and up to 1.5TB of SSD storage. Like its other laptops, Apple has gone all-in on USB-C for the newest MacBook Air, and the redesigned chassis features two Thunderbolt 3 ports in place of the previous USB Type-A connector.

Apple has also borrowed features from its newer MacBooks, like the excellent butterfly keyboard and Touch ID support (enabled by Apple's T2 security chip) from the most recent MacBook Pro redesign. The speakers have been beefed up too.

One of the original MacBook Air's defining features was that it was unbelievably thin and light, so it's unsurprising that Apple has trimmed some of the fat from the MacBook Air. What is surprising is the fact that it hasn't trimmed all that much.

The newer MacBook Air weighs in at 1.25kg and 15.6mm thick - not all that much smaller than the 1.34kg and 17mm thickness of the previous model, despite the fact that this particular design has been around since 2010. In fact, the MacBook Air is ever-so-slightly thicker than the MacBook Pro - at its widest edge, at least.

The biggest difference is the retina screen, which now has a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution (up from 1,440 x 900) and a higher-quality panel, which supposedly features almost 50% more colour. The bezels have also been massively reduced compared to the last version, meaning the same 13.3in display can be fit into a smaller footprint. The new MacBook Air will start at 1199 inc. VAT, and is available for pre-order now, with shipping starting from next week.

Apple Mac mini

Elsewhere, the Mac mini has also had an update for the first time since 2014, adding desktop-grade Intel processors starting at four cores and moving up to six cores, with support for a maximum 64GB of memory. It has a brand new cooling system to maintain thermal efficiency and it even comes in a new Space Grey finish.

Connectivity has been boosted too, courtesy of four Thunderbolt 3 ports, 2 USB Type-A ports and an ethernet port configurable up to 10Gbe. The new Mac mini starts from 799 inc. VAT and will also begin shipping next week.

Apple iPad Pro

The biggest portion of Apple's event was devoted to the new iPad Pro. The company's flagship tablet has been totally redesigned; as with the iPhone X, Apple has ditched the home button and added an edge-to-edge display, although it sadly isn't an OLED panel.

Like the last generation, the new iPad Pro comes in two sizes. There's an 11in version, which maintains the same physical footprint as the previous generation but ups the size of the display, and the 12.9in version which does the reverse, keeping the same screen size but reducing its footprint. The thickness has also been fractionally reduced to 5.9mm on both models.

Amazingly, the seemingly less likely pre-release rumours were true as well: Apple has indeed switched from a Lightning port on the iPad Pro to a USB-C connection, allowing users to connect the iPad to storage devices, external displays, docking solutions and third-party chargers. This will likely make the iPad Pro much more attractive to businesses, although the question of whether the lack of a trackpad will prove to be a barrier still remains.

Unsurprisingly, specs have received an upgrade too, with Apple moving to its A12X Bionic chip as expected. This 7nm octa-core chip supposedly offers 90% faster multi-core performance over last year's A10X Fusion processor along with 35% better single core speeds and more capable graphics performance. The new models go up to a massive maximum capacity of 1TB too.

Creative tasks are still high on the list, and the Apple Pencil has been refreshed along with the iPad Pro. It now attaches magnetically to the side of the device (just like the Surface Pen) and charges wirelessly whenever it's attached. It also includes a new interaction method, where contextual actions can be performed by double-tapping the side of the device.

These upgrades will come in handy for designers, as Adobe Photoshop and Autodesk's AutoCAD software is coming to iPad. These aren't stripped back mobile versions, either - it's supposedly the full desktop experience, including all of the regular features.

The 11in version starts from 769, and the 12.9in model starts at 969. As with the other devices launched at the event, both models will be available next week.

Apple has always been fairly consistent in its design of the iPad, landing on a hit format early on that has remained popular with fans. However, with the launch of the iPad Pro, Apple was keen to demonstrate that its humble tablet is capable of much more than browsing the internet and watching videos - that it has the potential to evolve from a companion device into a genuine laptop replacement.

With Apple having recently refreshed the iPad Pro range, we decided to put that claim to the test, pitting its 10.5in model head-to-head against another device gunning to replace your laptop, Microsoft's similarly refreshed Surface Pro.

Microsoft's fifth-generation Surface Pro is the most refined yet, having trimmed away most of the fat of the old models and made noticeable improvements to battery life and the detachable keyboard.

With both devices vying for the same thing - an audience that wants the functionality of a laptop paired with the portability and flexibility of a tablet - which one will come out on top?

Design

With the refreshed iPad Pro range, Apple is clearly attempting to attract the attention of business users while trying to take on the Microsoft Surface. Overall, the iPad Pro sports the same design DNA as other Apple tablets: there's the iconic home button, a curved frame as well as front and rear cameras.

However, by getting rid of some of the bezel found on the 9.7-inch model, the firm has been able to kit out the tablet with a larger 10.5-inch display. Compared to its predecessor, the screen's frame is only 10mm taller and 2mm wider. And with a weight of 469g, the tablet is slightly lighter, too. We reckon it's more comfortable to hold, as a result.

In comparison, the Surface Pro is far thicker and heavier than the 10.5-inch iPad. Because of this, you're going to find it harder to carry around. The Surface Pro has dimensions of 292x201x9mm, while the iPad Pro comes in at 250x174x6mm. As for weight, Microsoft's offering is 786g. Plus, without curves, the Surface Pro looks a lot chunkier than its main rival.

That being said, the Surface Pro doesn't fully disappoint. If you've got documents you need to access, or if you want to watch a film, you'll be happy with its built-in kickstand. Solid in design, the stand provides enough strength to hold the tablet in place, and without notches, movement is always smooth. You only need one hand to adjust it, as well. With the iPad, you have to rely on a detachable keyboard.

These are pretty hefty tablets, so a built-in stand does make a lot of sense. Microsoft has definitely trumped Apple in this respect. A physical stand not only makes using a keyboard more convenient, but a tablet that stands on its own also looks more appealing. Unfortunately, you have to rely on a fiddly - and somewhat weak - cover to prop up the iPad Pro.

Verdict: Surface Pro

Display

As is to be expected with Apple products, the iPad Pro boasts an excellent screen, offering superb viewing angles and an impressive 96% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut. The LED backlit Retina display features a 2,224 x 1,668 resolution, with an impressive max brightness of 528cd/m2 and an excellent contrast ratio.

Apple's trump card is the ability to set the display to 120Hz and have it automatically adjust refresh rates depending on the capabilities of the app running. It's a wonderful addition that not only makes the screen feel far smoother and more responsive, but helps to significantly reduce eye strain.

The Surface Pro's screen is similarly impressive, again offering wide viewing angles and an only marginally lower performance output to the iPad Pro. It does have a noticeably lower contrast ratio to the iPad, and side-by-side it can't quite match the deep blacks and bright whites of Apple's tablet.

The biggest issue is that Windows 10 does not scale particularly well with higher resolutions. With many installed applications, including suites like Adobe, we frequently encountered text that was blurry or difficult to read, or objects that were too small. This was even the case with some Windows menus, like the device manager screen. Sadly this requires no small amount of tweaking to Windows 10 display settings, and even then it is an unreliable fix.

Verdict: iPad Pro 10.5

Stylus

Microsoft Surface Pen has been given a beefy upgrade with the refresh, now boasting 4,096 levels of pressure. Although it feels thicker than the previous Pen, its magnet for attaching to the Surface Pro has been significantly strengthened. While we can't really say how good it is for artists, the combination of the stylus and PixelSense display, along with superb palm detection and accuracy, make this one of the best writing experiences we've had with a tablet.

The iPad Pro's stylus is similarly impressive, able to take advantage of a rich suite of design apps available through iOS. It is also superbly accurate and responsive, and now shines with the ProMotion 120Hz display of the iPad Pro.

The biggest issue here is that for both machines, an optional pen adds nothing to the laptop experience, particularly at 99 each. While they both perform admirably, they don't allow for the finesse that artists or designers will want, and without a reliable means to store them, they will most likely get in the way.

Verdict: iPad Pro 10.5

Keyboard

For devices that are wanting to convince you to ditch your laptop, it's baffling that both sell a keyboard separately. What is particularly jarring are the asking prices - 124.99 for the basic Surface type cover and 159 for the iPad Pro's.

With this annoyance aside, their potential as a laptop replacement hinges on the performance of the keyboard, and fortunately both devices provide compelling detachable type covers.

The iPad Pro opts for a keyboard that doubles as a traditional tablet case, and, as mentioned above, is needed to prop the screen up. It is covered in a tough fabric that is easy to clean and robust enough to be weather resistant, though feels a little strange when you first use it and may require some getting used to.

Attached to the cover is a full low profile Querty keyboard, which due to some nice key spacing and decent travel time makes typing an absolute breeze. The issue is that it's a fairly unremarkable board at 159, and in fact has a number of issues that make it seem heavily overpriced. It only has one screen angle, which is too laid back for our liking, making typing overly difficult if you don't have access to a table. It also lacks a touchpad, which is somewhat of an oversight, and no backlighting.

These limitations are accentuated next to the Surface Pro type cover, which is the product of years of trial and error. The keyboard is essentially identical to the Surface Pro 4's excellent type cover, only now with soft Alcantara covering as a standard. The board itself is thicker and sturdier than the iPad's. It also has an excellent track pad that takes advantage of Microsoft's Precision Touchpad software for an incredibly smooth experience.

While both devices opt for a magnetic strip for attaching a keyboard, the Surface Pro attaches in a way that angles the keyboard up so that you have an elevated surface from which to type. It's a lovely piece of design that makes typing a more comfortable experience, akin to traditional laptops and keyboards.

Like other laptops within this price range, the Surface keyboard is also backlit with some beautiful white LEDs, whereas this is missing on the iPad's board. Not only does this make it possible to type in the dark, but it also adds that extra lick of luxury. There's also a range of colours available, whereas the iPad's keyboard is only available in black.

Verdict: Surface Pro 4

Specs & hardware

Before looking at numbers, let's take a look at the what specs are on offer. Following this year's refresh, the iPad range is now packing a beefy six-core A10X processor clocked at 2.36GHz, although three of those are high performance cores and do most of the heavy lifting. You have the choice of 64GB, 256GB and 512GB storage, and the standard options of WiFi or WiFi+4G. All models come with 4GB of RAM.

The Surface Pro range continues to offer a variety of specifications to suit most needs, making the iPad Pro selection feel rather limited. At the low end you have the choice of the Intel Core m3 model with 4GB of RAM, or more powerful Core i5 and i7 models, each with an increasing amount of RAM. At the very top end is a Core i7 clocked at 4GHz, with 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage.

While the last generation A9 was no slouch, we were still staggered by the performance of the A10X in our benchmarks, scoring 9380 in our multicore tests and 3,930 for single core. That's almost double the performance of the iPad 9.7, and more importantly, smashes the 5,342 multicore score of the Core m3 Surface Pro. It also manages to beat the Core i5 model (7,544), meaning the iPad Pro is roughly on par with the top end Surface Pro.

That's not the whole story however, as the generous amount of RAM afforded by some Surface Pro models means that it is far more suited to multitasking, making it an attractive device for business users.

In terms of desktop benchmarks, the top end Surface Pro scored 60 overall, which is decent for a mobile processor and far ahead of similar 2-in-1s such as Dell's XPS 13 convertible.

The iPad Pro's monster A10X processor is scarily good, and is more than a match for the Surface Pro's Intel chips. Yet in everyday use cases, the Surface Pro is the better multi-tasker and far better suited to running demanding apps.

Verdict: Surface Pro

Battery

The iPad Pro is also incredibly power efficient given that staggering performance output, managing just shy of 13 hours in our benchmark tests. The Surface Pro meanwhile managed a similarly impressive 11 hours 30 minutes, which is a substantial improvement over the Surface Pro 4.

In this respect there is very little between the two devices. The iPad managed to last longer overall, however both devices are more than capable of supporting a full day's work away from a power socket.

Verdict: iPad Pro

Features & OS

Setting aside their looks and hardware, the biggest difference between the two devices is their operating system. The Surface Pro contains Windows 10 Pro, a fully fledged desktop OS. Previously, the iPad had iOS 10 but this has been upgraded to iOS 11 - it's a leading mobile operating system but it can't compete in the laptop environment.

This will, obviously, have a huge impact on what tasks you'll be carrying out. You can expect to have the same exact experience with the Surface Pro as you would with a traditional Windows PC or laptop. The iPad, on the other hand, simply can't provide the same utility as macOS.

The iPad does have some noteworthy qualities, however, such as the inclusion of a 'Split View', which helps enormously with multitasking, and it has access to a good-sized library of third-party apps. Despite this, due to its 10.5in screen size, there isn't enough space for the device to scale each app with a 50/50 split. Instead, apps will rather annoyingly appear as a 75/25 split or vice versa, which is a little frustrating - the iPad 12.9 is capable of the 50/50 split.

The launch of iOS 11 has substantially improved the capabilities of the iPad as a business device, including an app switcher, drag and drop content sharing, improved document scanning and new Siri functions. You can read more about iOS 11 here but it's definitely a step toward bringing the mobile OS more in line with its macOS counterpart.

The Surface Pro wins this round - only just - purely because iOS 11 lags a little behind Windows 10 Pro in terms of functionality on these devices.

Verdict: Surface Pro

Price

Both devices have a range of price options available depending on the configuration you want. The iPad Pro starts at 619 for the WiFi only 64GB model, rising to 709 for 256GB and 889 for 512GB. For the 4G+WiFi model expect to pay 749, 839, and 1,019 respectively. The only difference between the models is the storage on offer.

However, the Surface Pro offers a range of customisable specifications outside of storage that result in a much wider spread of prices. The cheapest model is available for 799, offering an Intel Core m3 with 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM. There are also two i5 versions, one with an i5 processor, 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM for 979, with the other offering a 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM for 1,249. The top end i7 models range from 1,549 to 2,699, depending on the internals.

More choice is always a good thing, and it's nice to see Microsoft allowing customers to pick precisely what they need. For the iPad to offer only a choice of storage sizes and colours feels far too limiting, particularly as a device looking to pick up a discerning business audience.

Final verdict: Surface Pro

While both devices are great in their own right, only the Surface Pro is capable providing that all-round hybrid experience that customers want from a laptop replacement.

The iPad remains first and foremost an Apple tablet, a device capable of performing perfectly well without optional extras. It has an excellent screen, great build quality, and a healthy selection of apps. However, the inclusion of a keyboard provides only a quasi-laptop experience, which is handicapped by its mobile OS. It has the power, but little to back it up.

Compare that to the Surface Pro, with which a keyboard becomes a necessity to get the most from the device. That excellent type-cover offers the sort of typing experience you would expect from a top-end ultrabook, and at a desk you will soon forget you are using a tablet sat on its side. And with the potential for some serious hardware configurations, backed up by a full Windows 10 experience, it is by far the better option for replacing a laptop.

Verdict

While both devices offer compelling cases as laptop replacements, only with the Surface Pro do you get a complete package that is worth the asking price, but is more likely to be a device you would use exclusively. The iPad, while admittedly powerful, can't compete against the full Windows 10 desktop experience, or the excellent detachable keyboard offered by the Surface Pro.

With the iPad Pro, Apple has spent years trying to convince the world that a tablet can act as a genuine replacement for your laptop. Previous iterations never quite managed to convince us that an iPad could function as well as a laptop, particularly for business users.

That may have changed with the latest generation of iPad Pro, however. Apple has overhauled the display, fitted it with a powerful new processor and promised some seriously impressive productivity and functionality upgrades when iOS 11 hits devices. But can the new and improved iPad Pro family really cut it as a fully-fledged laptop replacement?

Who uses the iPad Pro?

Before we delve into the details of the product, it's worth thinking about how the iPad range has been deployed in the enterprise. There's essentially two scenarios: one where an iPad acts as a secondary device - a 'carry around' - when the user has a bigger laptop or desktop computer; and one where the iPad acts as the user's sole device. This latter scenario sounds like it's less common, but Apple has actually had some success in pitching the iPad Pro as a device for field workers and certain office-based employees.

As a secondary device, the iPad Pro's main competition is probably from high-end Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. However, in the latter scenario the competition is mainly from Windows convertibles like Microsoft's own Surface Pro series.

So with this in mind, how does the latest iPad Pro fare against both these kinds of competition, and in both scenarios? Let's look at how the device shapes up.

iPad Pro: Design, display and specs

If you're expecting a radical redesign of the iPad with the latest models in the Pro range, you'll be disappointed. They're very much still iPads, and follow the same design formula that we're all familiar with. The iPad design is iconic, which is partly why it hasn't really changed since the iPad Air.

The only slight variations to the previous generation of iPad Pro are some minor adjustments to weight, thickness and the size of the screen bezels - all of which are practically negligible. The 10.5in model is a couple of millimetres thicker and around 30g heavier than the 9.7in version it replaces (which is to be expected, given the larger footprint and screen size), while the bigger 12.9in version is around 30g lighter than its predecessor.

Both devices still feel light and comfortable to use, and are excellently-balanced in the hand. The 12.9in version can be slightly unwieldy due to the sheer size of it, but this is easily fixed by pairing it with a stand or folio case.

The real improvements aren't cosmetic though - they're under the hood. Apple has updated all the key elements of the tablet, starting with the screen. The TrueTone display on the iPad Pro 9.7in was already the best screen we'd seen on any device, but Apple hasn't been content to rest on its laurels. Instead, it's ramped up the refresh rate to a maximum of 120Hz, which makes things like scrolling much more responsive. It's also introduced a feature that it's calling ProMotion, which allows it to run the screen at a lower refresh rate if fast motion isn't happening on screen.

ProMotion sounds a little gimmicky, but it's not: it's probably the best thing to happen to mobile screens since the dawn of the retina era. It makes that much difference to how smooth everything looks on screen. There's none of the lag you associate with swiping around on cheaper screens.

This faster refresh rate also contributes to a more responsive experience with the Apple Pencil, which now has a response time of just 20ms - a whole millisecond less than the latest iteration of the Surface Pen. Also contributing to this is some smart code behind the scenes which uses machine learning to predict where the Pencil will move next, and literally "draw ahead" by a millisecond or two. A trained artist we asked for an opinion described the Pencil as easily the most responsive on-screen drawing experience they had ever used, and the first which came close to paper.

If that was all Apple had done, it would be a decent upgrade. But there's more: a lot more. The processor has been updated to the new Apple A10X Fusion ARM chip, which, as we'll see, pushes performance even further. The 32GB configuration is gone, with the range now running 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, something which sounds crazy for a tablet but which makes complete sense if you're considering the iPad as a genuine laptop replacement.

And of course, Apple being Apple, it had to update the camera too, which is now the same 12MP unit as on the current iPhone 7, widely regarded as amongst the best phone cameras in the world. You might only ever use this for scanning documents - and in conjunction with apps like Office Lens the iPad makes a great document scanner - but you'll get some really good results.

iPad Pro: Performance and battery life

The iPad Pro series were already the fastest tablets we've seen, and the introduction of the A10X Fusion chip pushes this even further. Our Geekbench 4 CPU test delivered scores of 9380 for multi-core and 3,930 for single core. That's just under double the multi-core performance of the device the 10.5in iPad Pro replaces, and more than double the 4,208 scored by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. Effectively, the iPad Pro now offers more than twice the multi-core performance of its nearest Android competitor.

Put that into a wider context and it's even more impressive. The Core m3 version of the new Surface Pro scores 5,342 on the same Geekbench multi-core test. The Core i5 version scores 7,544. The iPad Pro 10.5in isn't just scoring "good for a tablet" numbers: it's outperforming the latest desktop processors.

And it's doing this without compromising on the all-day battery life which iPad users want. In our tests, the 10.5in model delivered 12hrs 59mins, which is a significant improvement on the iPad Pro 9.7in's 8hrs 56mins, and easily beats the Galaxy Tab S3's 11hrs 43mins. The larger 12.9in model saw this score drop slightly to 12hrs 18mins, but considering the mammoth size of the display, this is neither a surprise nor a disappointment.

iPad Pro: Pricing and comparison

If you're expecting low-cost tablet prices from the iPad Pro, you can look away now: these devices are priced to compete at the high end, not the low end. When they were first launched, the cheapest iPad Pro - the 10.5in version with 256GB of storage and no 4G connectivity - cost 709 including VAT, with the most expensive configuration setting you back more than 1,100.

However, Apple has now increased the prices, it would seem and now the 256GB Wi-Fi-only iPad Pro costs 769, while other iPad Pros have seen a price increase of around 60 too according to Ars Technica.

Although Apple hasn't officially said why it has increased prices or in fact issued a formal statement highlighting the price shift, 9to5Mac has speculated the company has been forced to increase its prices because of the rising cost of NAND storage. According to analysts, the type of storage the iPad Pro uses is in short supply and as a result suppliers have had to up their prices. This gets filtered down to the customer - you - and unfortunately means the iPad Pro is a lot more expensive to buy.

"Average contract prices of client-grade SSDs in the PC-OEM market are rising this first quarter because not only PC clients are aggressively stocking up their inventories, smartphone clients are also maintaining strong demand for storage components," senior research manager of DRAMeXchange Alan Chen said back in March.

"At the same time, the industry-wide transition to 3D-NAND and 2D-NAND TLC production has sharply reduced the supply of Flash memory of the 2D-NAND MLC type. Thus, the price increase of MLC-based SSDs is outpacing that of TLC-based SSDs."

This was referenced by Apple CFO Luca Maestri on an earnings call in its second quarter earnings call, although he didn't specify the company would need to put its prices up.

But this does make the iPad Pro eye-wateringly expensive. It's worth remembering though that the iPad Pro is outperforming most high-end laptops in terms of display quality, battery life and performance. Considering that Microsoft's latest Surface Pro range starts at almost 800, the iPad actually isn't all that expensive for what you're getting.

iPad Pro: Software

Of course, there's an objection to that point: the iPad Pro runs iOS 10, where the Surface Pro runs Windows 10. And there's no doubt that Windows 10 is, at present, a much more powerful operating system in terms of the richness of applications built on top of it and what you can do with it.

However, Apple is releasing iOS 11 in the autumn and this will add features which some enterprise users will welcome. First, multi-tasking support has been extended and cleaned up, making it easier to have persistent workspaces with two or three applications on screen. Second, drag and drop support has been added, making what you can do with multiple apps on screen more powerful. And finally there's a single Files app which houses all your documents, local and in Apple and third-party cloud services, which is going to make the iPad a much more PC-like' experience.

Conclusions

Apple is to be congratulated for continuing to push the iPad forward. It would have been easy for the company to rest on its laurels and carry on making tablets in the same way as everyone else, as relatively simple devices with lower performance than PCs.

With the iPad Pro series, Apple is demonstrating that it's determined to create tablets which get ever-closer to laptop performance, and under some circumstances exceed it.

From an enterprise perspective, whether the iPad is right for you depends on your workforce. For anyone in the field, particularly those whose primary application is some kind of SaaS system accessed through a dashboard (Salesforce, Oracle, and so on), giving them an iPad rather than a laptop increases agility, delivers better ease of use and deployment, and they're getting a high-end machine which will make them happier and last between four and five years.

For office-bound workers who spend all day staring at their screens, this iPad is less of a good fit - at least until iOS 11 is released, at which point it may be appropriate for more types of user. For these staff, the laptop is still king of the hill - but with this iPad Pro, Apple has definitely made a much more compelling argument for the tablet as your only business machine.

Verdict

A screen upgrade would have been enough to net the new iPad Pro a perfect score, but the fact that Apple has stuffed in a host of additional upgrades means it's impossible not to recommend it. It's definitely top of the tree, easily the best product in its category and arguably one of the best products all-round that Apple has ever made.

iPad Pro at a glance:

• 12.9in and 10.5in corner-to-corner screens, 10-hour battery life
• Stylus and detachable keyboard cover return, with new cover colours
• Features top of the line A10X Fusion processor, offering "desktop class" performance
• Available in Gold, Silver, Space Grey and Rose Gold
• Pricing starts from 619 before VAT
• IT Pro's review of the previous iPad generation is available here

Head here for the new 2017 range.

iPad Pro Launch date

The refreshed 2017 range of iPad Pros was revealed at WWDC on 5 June, and was immediately available for purchase through Apple's online store.

iPad Pro Price

The new iPad Pro price in the UK is as follows:

iPad Pro features and accessories

Display

The range includes refreshed 12.9in and 10.5in models. The 10.5in version features a 20% larger screen than the previous generation 9.7in model, however borders have been cut down by 40%, resulting in a lighter device.

The iPad 12.9in features a display of 2,7322,048, while the 10.5in uses a 2,224x1,668 resolution. Both screens have a pixel density of 264ppi, and utilise Apple's new ProMotion technology. This allows for a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz that dynamically adjusts to 48Hz or 24Hz, depending on the task.

This, the company says, allows the screen to deliver "fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion content".

Both models also feature a 'wide colour display' with a fully laminated, anti-reflective coating.

Operating system

The tablets currently run on the latest version of iOS 10 (10.2.1 at the time of writing). However Apple revealed at WWDC 2017 that iOS 11 would be releasing later in the year and will be available on the new iPad range.

Camera

One area the iPad Pro doesn't lag behind in comparison to other similar-specced tablets is the camera set-up. It features a main iSight camera on the back with a 12-megapixel sensor, while the front-mounted snapper boasts 7-megapixels.

However it's the rear-mounted camera that turns the iPad Pro into a more serious imaging device, despite its size.

With an aperture of /1.8 and a digital zoom up to 5x, it takes crisp shots, even if you decide to zoom in a little and get closer to the action. To make those crisp images even sharper, it features optical image stabilisation and if you're taking pictures in rather dismal conditions, its quad-LED flash will ensure there's at least some definition. To improve the photos before they head to your album, Apple has included its HDR tech to even out lights and darks, creating a much better balanced shot.

You'll also find timer and burst mode onboard, alongside body and face detection and an impressive colour range to make pictures more vivid.

For video, you'll find 4K capabilities at a rate of 30fps, 1080p HD at a rate of 30fps or 60fps and 720p at 30fps with the rear camera. For those that want to try out some of the slow motion video skills as seen on the iPhone, the iPad Pro supports that too.

The rear facing camera doesn't scrimp on video either though, offering up 1080p HD video with some of the main camera features such as burst mode, timer mode, and exposure controls for making sure the pictures are balanced. HDR is turned on by default, while Live Photos are made more vibrant with improved colour balance.

Accessories

Once again the iPad Pro features the Apple Pencil and Smart cover, only this time with a refreshed colour range and a leather sleeve for the stylus.

The Apple Pencil now boasts an impressive 20ms latency, but otherwise remains unchanged since the previous generation.

Apple's Smart cover range now has some new colour options, including pink 'Flamingo' and yellow 'Pollen'.

The detachable keyboard is also compatible with the newest iPad range.

Will it be a success?

The strategy of launching a larger tablet has been attributed to the unprecedented popularity of the iPhone 6 Plus phablet, set to be repeated with the release of the 6s Plus and wider trends that indicate consumers favour devices with larger screens in general.

The tablet market has been an unreliable source of revenue for Apple, with increased competition and the revelation that consumers do not buy a new tablet as often as they might do a smartphone, meaning that iPad sales are not as high as expected.

Gartner research director, Ranjit Atwal, said: "The device market continues to evolve, with the relationship between traditional PCs, different form factor ultramobiles and mobile phones becoming increasingly complex.

"Some tablet users are not replacing a tablet with a tablet, they are favouring a hybrid or two-in-one devices, increasing its share of the ultramobile premium market to 22 per cent in 2014, and 32 per cent by 2018," he added.

According to Apple's Q2 2017 financial results, the company continued to see falling sales in its iPad range, shipping 8.9 million devices and generating $3.8 billion, which was down from 10.2 million during the same period of 2016.

Last year Apple, it would seem, decided to drop the iPad Air brand and go for a new name to accompany the substantial revamp to its flagship 10in tablet. The iPad Pro 9.7in, which was launched in March 2016, as its name suggests, is a smaller version of the original 12.9in iPad Pro. This makes the new Pro Mini (if you will) a tablet that's both similar to and very different from the now two-and-a-half-year-oldiPad Air 2.

Casing and screen

There are many, many physical similarities between the iPad Pro 9.7in and the iPad Air 2. They have exactly the same dimensions, for example and both weigh 437g in their WiFi-only configurations. There are some minor cosmetic differences, though.

Most of these new differences relate to the Pro-specific features. The rear camera lens now protrudes slightly, while there's a smart connector for connecting keyboards and four speaker grilles rather than just two for the increased number of speakers.

One of the most notable physical changes to the new smaller iPad Pro is an unseen enhancement to its Lightning port. It can supply enough power to USB devices plugged into the optional full-size USB to Lightning adapter so that previously non-functional USB devices will now work.

This includes microphones and, most notably, USB to Ethernet adapters. For a company that has slowly been shunning built-in Ethernet in its computers, this is a notable move and a godsend for anyone who has ever struggled with woefully inadequate hotel or convention centre WiFi.

While both tablets have 9.7in screens with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels, the Pro's screen has a sensor so it can automatically adjust its screen temperature to suit the ambient lighting around you. It also allegedly has a 25% greater colour gamut and is less reflective too.

There may be another iPad Pro (or even two) coming to market this year, which will sit alongside the others in the range and could edge the Air 2 into retirement.

A rumoured 10.5in version with2,224 x 1,668 resolution screen could be appearing in March or April, according toForbes, although with a smaller bezel it would be the same physical size as the existing 9.7in iPad Pro.

The website also suggests there could be a "value" 9.7in iPad Pro, which would undercut the iPad Air 2 in terms of price by about $100 (80). Specs for this version are not just scant, but non-existant, but if it does make an appearance, whether this year or in the future, it will almost certainly spell the end of the iPad Air 2.

Camera

The rear-facing camera lens now protrudes slightly as the 9.7in iPad Pro appears to have a completely different rear-facing camera compared to the Air 2. While the older tablet has a merely adequate eight-megapixel f2.4 camera of a quality comparable to the smartphones of a few years ago, the Pro has a 12-megapixel snapper.

It has the f2.2 aperture with the faster autofocussing, 4K video recording and slow motion video capabilities ofthe iPhone 6scamera it isthe 6s camera. This marks a major step forwards for tablet photography and a long overdue one too. Although we still think tablet photography is still too conspicuous, intrusive and just plain naff looking (with the possible exception of mini tablets), a lot of people clearly love taking photos with their tablet judging from what we've seen on the streets of the world's major cities.

Pencil and keyboard

Apple's official accessories for the iPad Pro 9.7in also immediately set this new tablet apart from its predecessor. The excellent Apple Pencil will be a boon to graphic design artists and CAD/CAM workers with its top-notch pressure-sensitivity, accuracy and palm rejection.

We were less enthused bythe 12.9 version of Apple's official keyboard case and the 9.7in official keyboard case is very similar with many of the same design trade-offs and drawbacks. We'll likely see third party keyboards and keyboard cases taking advantage of the magnetic smart connector on the smaller Pro.

Performance and battery life

Naturally, the Pro has an A9X processor, like its bigger brother, instead of the A8X processor of the Air 2. It is clocked slightly slower than the chip in the larger Pro at 2.16GHz, but it still runs circles around the Air 2 the A9X is still one of the fastest tablet processors we've ever seen.

The 9.7in Pro has 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB like the Air 2, but this was still more than enough for buttery smooth multitasking and a good measure of future proofing.

Apple claims ten hours of battery life for the 9.7in Pro, as it did for the Air 2. In our tests, the iPad Pro 9.7 lasted 11 hours when playing video on a loop, half an hour longer than the iPad Air 2. It's pleasing that battery life is no shorter despite the increase in performance and interior space given over to the new speakers, but other 10in tablets can last even longer.

Apple claims ten hours of battery life for the 9.7in Pro, as it did for the Air 2. This almost certainly refers to video playback and while we're confident that the new iPad Pro can match this, other tablets can last even longer.

This head-to-head was first published on 29/3/2016 and has since been updated, most recently on 20/03/2017.

All image credits: Apple.

Even though Apple's iPad rebranding was rumoured in the weeks leading up to its unveiling, many people were still caught off-guard by Cupertino dumping the iPad Air brand for its flagship 10in tablet. The newly christened iPad Pro 9.7 is both a smaller version of the iPad Pro 12.9 and a successor to the standard-setting iPad Air 2.

The iPad Pro 9.7 isn't just a tablet though - it's now a hybrid that Apple claims can replace your laptop. Whereas Apple was relatively circumspect in this claim when it came to the iPad Pro 12.9, this message is front and centre for the iPad Pro 9.7. As with Apple's 13in tablet, the basis for this claims lies in two accessories that don't even come with this 10in tablet as standard - a keyboard cover and the Apple Pencil.

Pencil and Smart Keyboard

The Apple Pencil is the tablet stylus that puts other styli to shame. It's accuracy, sensitivity, pressure-sensing and angle detection are almost unmatched. It makes for a very natural drawing experience and the only comparable competition are the Surface Pro 4 stylus and Wacom graphics tablets for laptops and desktop PCs.

Even so, we were sceptical about the Apple Pencil's utility on the iPad Pro 9.7 as its screen is notably smaller than the more expensive iPad Pro 12.9. Although Apple's larger tablet is still the best fit for painting and drawing, whether you're a professional artist or a budding one, this iPad's 10in screen was still just sufficiently roomy for precise and detailed artistry. This was due both to the ability to manipulate the canvas and other tools with our fingers while using the Pencil and the Pencil's spot-on precision.

Apple's Smart Keyboard was a less resounding success. By attempting to make a keyboard screen cover that doesn't add too much weight or bulk to the tablet like other efforts, compromises were inevitable - and these compromises inevitably mean it's an ill-fitting replacement for a laptop.

For a start, the screen is locked at a single angle when docked with the keyboard cover. Although we found this to be more comfortable than the same angle on the iPad Pro 12.9, largely due to the iPad Pro 9.7's lower screen height, it's still awkward enough that it won't suit everyone in all situations.

The smaller size of the iPad Pro 9.7 means that the keyboard cover isn't as deep as other tablet keyboard screen cover, so we were able to use it on our lap without it feeling unstable - unless we crossed our legs in which case the comparatively narrow width of the entire computer meant it felt so precarious as to be unusable.

The nylon-feeling keys are almost identical to those on the 12.9 Smart Keyboard and also feel quite similar to the keys on the 12in MacBook Retina. The keys give enough feedback when pressed, but have less travel and require less force than most good laptop keyboards. A few of the keys are smaller than others, notably the Tab key. This keyboard therefore requires some adjustment time, especially if you have a very heavy, pounding typing style.

The smaller-than-usual tab key is an annoyance, as is the lack of dedicated shortcut keys. Changes in iOS 9.3 mean that there is better support for keyboard shortcuts, such as Command-H to go back to the home screen and the ability to navigate menus and lists using the cursor keys. As with its bigger counterpart, the keyboard attaches magnetically to the iPad and adds relatively little bulk and weight to the tablet when not in use.

Update 27/7/16 -Apple's Smart Keyboard attaches, charges and communicates with the iPad Pro 9.7 using the magnetic Smart Connector on the left hand side of the tablet (when held in portrait mode). Given the deluge of accessories for other Apple products and that the 12.9 iPad Pro, which has been on sale for almost a year now and also has a Smart Connector, it's surprising that there are still so few third-party Smart Connector accessories available.

One of the very few that are available is the 90 (inc VAT) Logitech Base. Compatible with both sizes of iPad Pro, this single angle charging dock is attractive, looks as if it's made out of the same aluminium as the iPad, feels sturdy and does the job. You'll have to supply your own Lightning cable though as it doesn't come with one of its own. Its single viewing angle and the lack of both Lightning and Smart Connector pass throughs means it's not ideal for converting the iPad Pro into an ad-hoc desktop computer since you won't be able to use your keyboard and Pencil. This makes the Logitech Base a nice but ultimately rather pricey and non-essential luxury rather than a must-have accessory.

Screen and apps

The inherent limitations of the Smart Keyboard aren't the only reason why the iPad Pro 9.7 is an ill-fitting laptop replacement (there's always the possibility that a third party might design a better alternative). There's iOS itself - a brilliant smartphone and tablet operating system, but lacking in the flexibility that most of us have come to expect from a laptop.

The multitasking features in iOS 9 go a long way, even on the smaller 9.7in screen which inevitably feels more cramped when using multiple apps than the 12.9in iPad Pro. Even so, the lack of a user-accessible file system and the inevitable absence of some complex and truly desktop-class apps from the otherwise deep and diverse app store selection hold this iPad Pro back.

Even with those limitations aside, iOS itself could be better suited for use on the iPad Pro. Autocorrect may be invaluable on a touchscreen keyboard, but it's a frequently intrusive annoyance when used with the Smart Keyboard if you're a proficient touch typist. Annoyingly, iOS doesn't have the option to have autocorrect only apply to the onscreen keyboard and not the hardware keyboard. Having to manually turn it off everytime when switching between the two keyboards is a real pain.

The multitasking features in iOS 9 need refinement too. The most obvious is the vertically scrolling app picker that appears when opening a second app for Split View use. Unlike the paltry selection of compatible apps for the comparable feature on Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets, the selection of Split View-compatible iOS apps is so broad that scrolling through the app picker to find the one you want is a long-winded and tedious process.

For general tablet use though, the iPad Pro 9.7 is well served by its software. As it shares the same 10in screen and 2048x1536 resolution as its immediate predecessors, there's no shortage of optimised apps which isn't the case with the still nascent selection of optimised apps for the new iPad Pro 12.9in.

Image quality is superb thanks to great contrast, razor sharp text and spot-on colour accuracy. It's also notably less reflective under overhead office lighting than other tablets we've seen. The screen doesn't have the pressure sensitive 3D Touch technology of the iPhone 6s Plus' screen though, a convenience that we miss.

The screen also has a new feature called 'True Tone'. This uses sensors to judge the ambient lighting - this then adjusts the colour of the screen's backlighting to match and complement it. This is supposed to create a more paper-like experience, as paper tends to absorb light and take on its colour rather than reflect it and doesn't emit light, but we weren't terribly convinced. The difference wasn't dramatic enough that we felt we were missing out when we returned to the True Tone-less iPad Air 2. Thankfully, you can turn True Tone off if you want to.

Performance and battery life

Like its bigger cousin, this iPad is powered by an Apple A9X processor. It's clocked slightly lower at 2.16GHz though and has less RAM at 2GB instead of 4GB. Even so, it's very fast making the iPad Pro one of the most powerful tablets we've seen.

Comparing the ARM A9X against the Intel x86 chips in laptops and competing Windows hybrids is notoriously difficult, especially given the differences in the operating system and apps running on each. It's safe to say that it's comparable to most Atom and some Core 2 Duo and Core m processors - it's faster than those chips in some tasks, but not others. That such a feat is even possible says a lot about how far ARM-based processors have come, but says just as much about the continuing advantages of Intel processors in the laptops that the iPad Pro 9.7 is attempting to displace.

Apple iPads have a reputation for long battery life. The iPad Pro 9.7 certainly matches Apple's claims for ten hour battery life - it lasted just under 11 hours when playing H.264 video on a loop. It lasted 12 hours and 35 minutes when browsing the web continuously. These are lengthy results, but other tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, can last even longer.

Camera and speakers

Although tablets haven't historically had great cameras, that hasn't stopped some people from adopting them as their main camera. Although we would still feel like a plonker using the iPad Pro 9.7 as our primary camera, it is at least up to the job. It has the same high quality 12 megapixel camera as the iPhone SE and 6s for great looking shots in both broad daylight and more dimly lit conditions.

Although the eight-megapixel camera on the iPad Air 2 was already good enough to act as a basic document scanner, the even better camera in the iPad Pro 9.7 is even more capable for such a role. If its low light capabilities aren't quite good enough for your needs, there's a flash to fall back on - the iPad Pro 9.7 is one of very, very few tablets to have a flash. The catch is that the camera lens protrudes from the iPad's casing, but this is a small price to pay.

The iPad Air 2 has louder sounding speakers than its predecessors, but headphones are still required for serious enjoyment of media files or for video conferencing when using that tablet. That's no longer the case with the iPad Pro 9.7, as this tablet has considerably louder and clearing sounding speakers. There are also now four speakers, instead of two, for clear and balanced sounding audio no what orientation the tablet is in. Despite the better sounding speakers, this iPad is no thicker, heavier, chunkier or any less sturdy than its predecessors - a fine achievement.

Conclusions

There is no doubting that the iPad Pro 9.7 is a superb tablet thanks to its excellent quality screen, lengthy battery life, loud and clear speakers, high quality selection of apps and incredibly precise Pencil. It's not a good enough all-rounder to serve as a laptop replacement for everyone though, due to compromises in the design of both of iOS and its optional keyboard cover.

If you're tempted by either the Pencil and/or Apple's official keyboard cover, bear in mind that they can add a lot to the total overall price - especially if you opt for a high capacity model with 4G - going all in for all the various extras can push the price over 1000.

In short, Apple's latest 10in tablet isn't without its quirks, limitations and flaws. While we wouldn't take an iPad Pro 9.7 over a proper laptop for most tasks involving large amounts of typing, it otherwise has a lot going for it - there are very, very few other tablets we'd prefer over this one.

This review was originally published on 19/4/2016 and has since been updated, most recently on 18/5/2016.

Verdict

An excellent tablet, but it’s compromised enough that it won’t suit everyone as a laptop replacement

The iPad Pro launched as a tablet with niche appeal in 2015. It traded-away portability in favour of a larger screen and a Pencil accessory offering graphics tablet hardware to rival the professional Wacom Cintiq range.

Apple has now unveiled the iPad Pro 9.7 giving the Pro range far wider appeal while retaining compatibility with the all-important Smart Keyboard and Pencil range of accessories. There's more to the differences between these tablets that just screen size, though.

Pricing and availability

The iPad Pro may have launched as the most expensive iPad ever, with prices starting at 619/799 for the 128GB version and 739/919 for the 256GB variant (you'll need to pay an extra 100 for the 4G-equipped versions no matter the storage capacity), Apple has outdone itself by launching a 10,000-15,000 limited edition.

This 'unique' off-yellow version was donated to the Phillips art auction house, with proceeds going to the museum and it'll come with a special edition blue leather smart cover. This one-off will also includes an orange leather case for the Apple Pencil, which, if you're after a little more class, will include a gold band to add that extra exclusivity.

"Jony Ive showed a prototype mobile phone at the Design Museum in 1990, long before he started working for Apple," said Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum.

"He was winner of the museum's first Designer of the Year' award in 2003 for the iMac. To support the museum, he and his team in Cupertino have designed this special iPad Pro in a unique colour numbered Edition 1 of 1," he added.

If you're not ready to shell out for the 'unique' iPad Pro, the iPad Pro 9.7 brings the entry point down to a much more accessible level, but it remains more expensive than the standard' Mini and Air series. 499 inc VAT is the entry point for the 32GB iPad Pro 9.7, 180 less than the 679 for the 32GB iPad Pro 12.9. That gap stays the name no matter the model.

The original iPad Pro launched in September 2015 and the smaller version in March 2016. That six-month gap gave the smaller, more mainstream tablet a chance to improve in a few areas.

Casing and screen

Despite being a significant departure from the iPad series in terms of function, the iPad Pro models both fit into the wider family like close blood relatives. They have aluminium shells that are sub-7mm thick and come in several colours.

In a pure game of numbers the iPad Pro 9.7 has a clear advantage. It's slightly thinner at 6.1mm to the 12.9-inch version's 6.9mm and weighs significantly less at 437g instead of 714g.

The iPad Pro 9.7 also comes in Rose Gold too, while its larger brother only' comes in Space Grey, Silver and Gold. While both are tremendously portable compared with most 15in and even some 13in laptops, the smaller tablet clearly has a portability advantage and will be more convenient to use on a packed commute and other cramped spaces.

Both tablets have four speakers with a driver at each corner to deliver an appreciable sense of stereo sound and wide dispersal compared to other iPads. While previous Apple tablet speakers have offered comparatively good sound quality before, this improved soundstage is still a long time coming. iPad Air and Mini models use stereo drivers crowded around the Lightning port on the bottom edge.

The basic specs of these tablets' screens indicate that they have been made to a similar standard. They are IPS LCD displays, both offering 264ppi. In the iPad Pro 9.7 that means a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, and 2,732 x 2,048 for the iPad Pro 12.9.

These are sharp, high-quality displays. However, Apple has hugely upgraded its colour calibration ambitions with the iPad Pro 9.7, moving them in-line with the 5K iMac.

The iPad Pro 12.9 is calibrated to meet the sRGB standard, but the 9.7in tablet aims for DCI P3. That is a cinematic standard, while sRGB was designed in with monitors and printers in mind. The DCI P3 rainbow features far deeper shades, opening-up a much wider colour palette.

The smaller iPad Pro will have to have a superlative-quality panel, though, for it to have a chance of actually hitting 100 per cent of this standard - it's an ambitious gamut to aim for. This also means Apple has been working on the colour profiles of iOS without this optimisation the iPad Pro 9.7 would look severely oversaturated.

The wide colour gamut will be of interest to graphics pros, as will the Apple Pencil. Both tablets can use this 79 accessory, used much like the stylus of a Wacom Cintiq to draw directly on the display with a high fidelity, pressure-sensitive response.

Many claim the feel of the Apple Pencil exceeds that of a Wacom Cintiq. App support is the main thing holding iPad Pros and Pencils back from wider pro use.

The newer tablet also features an improved anti-glare coating, with a claimed 40 per cent reduction in glare. The ambient light sensor has allegedly been improved in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro too. Rather than just sensing the light level, it also measures the tone of ambient light, letting the display alter its temperature to maintain a natural white balance in very warm or cool lighting.

Battery, storage and performance

Certain elements of the iPad Pro have been improved in the 9.7-inch version, but its processor remains almost the same. Both have a dual-core Apple A9X CPU.

This is a 64-bit chip coupled with a M9 co-processor used to monitor the tablet's sensors while it is not in active use. It is believed the 9.7in has 4GB RAM like its bigger counterpart, but it's entirely possible it's 2GB like the iPad Air 2 Apple does not publicise the RAM specs of its mobile devices.

While these tablets start at a sensible 32GB, they can be configured all the way up to 256GB. The middle storage option is 128GB. The one difference is that Apple does not make a 4G, 32GB version of the 12.9-inch Pro.

The two sizes have different battery capacities with each tailored to the size of the display. The aim is to get the series-standard 10 hours of use in both. The iPad Pro 9.7 has a 27.5Whr battery, the iPad Pro 12.9 a 38.5Whr one. We'd expect the 9.7in iPad Pro to either match or come close to matching this claimed time the 12.9in version clocked in at nine hours and 44 minutes in our video playback battery life test.

Camera and sensors

After years of using cut-down cameras in its iPads, Apple appears to be using the same hardware in the iPad Pro 9.7 as the iPhone 6s. It has a 12-megapixel rear iSight' camera with a five-element f/2.2 lens and a two-tone flash. It also has Focus Pixels', which are on-sensor phase detection points, letting the tablet focus more quickly in most conditions.

The iPad Pro 12.9 has a rather pedestrian main camera by comparison. It uses an 8-megapixel rear camera with an f/2.4 lens and no flash at all. Its sensor area only measures 1/4 of an inch, while the newer Pro has a 1/3-inch sensor.

It's a phone-grade sensor rather than a lower-quality tablet-grade one like the older 12.9-inch version.

The front camera is also much better in the iPad Pro 9.7, with once again the same-spec sensor used in the iPhone 6S, an 5-megapixel iSight camera. Apple has also added Retina flash support to the new model. This is where the display's backlight is temporarily boosted to act as a flash, missing from the Pro 12.9.

While only of use for handheld selfies, this style of flash will actually be more flattering than a regular front flash with a greater surface area of light helping to avoid hard shadows.

Most other hardware elements are identical, with no surprises. Both iPad Pros have 802.11ac Wi-Fi and their 4G models use nano SIMs just like Apple's iPhones. Even their Smart Keyboard accessories are similar, simply scaled to suit each tablet's frame.

Preliminary Conclusions

The iPad Pro 9.7 makes the Pro tablet series much more digestible for the potential buyer not looking for something to replace a laptop or mimic the functions of a PC graphics tablet. Better cameras, a smaller frame and lower price mean it's a far less niche device.

Aside from the 9.7in Pro's improved colour gamut though, a great feature for graphics professionals after a portable design tool, the bigger 12.9in Pro will probably remain a better choice for most graphics professionals. The extra display size of the older iPad Pro is perhaps more valuable than anything else once the Pencil and Smart Keyboard are added to the equation.

Apple surprised most industry watchers when, at its 21 March keynote event, it announced not a much-rumoured iPad Air 3, but a new, down-sized version of the iPad Pro. The new device takes the gubbins from what will henceforth be known as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and wraps them in the same physical package as the iPad Air 2: the result is the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Apple touts the expanded iPad Pro lineup as both an upgrade for iPad users and a replacement for the PC, but here it's not without competition. Among the many tablets and hybrids hoping to be taken seriously, Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 stands out as a truly viable PC alternative - as we found when we reviewed it. While the iPad Pro 9.7 and Surface Pro 4 may be chasing a similar market, they represent two quite different approaches: here's how they compare on pricing, availability and specification.

Pricing and availability, storage and performance

Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 4 in October 2015, and it's widely available now. The UK range comprises six models, ranging from 624 (749 inc VAT) to a mighty 1,499 (1,799), and while all examples come with the Surface Pen stylus, Microsoft's Type Cover - necessary to properly emulate a laptop - costs a further 92 (110).

All Surface Pro 4 models have Intel's 6th-generation (Skylake) low-voltage dual-core processors, ranging from a Core m3 clocked from 900MHz to 2.2GHz, through to a Core i7 clocked from 2.2 to 3.4GHz. Graphics are handled by the processors' integrated HD515, HD520 and Iris 540 graphics capabilities. Storage is by SSD with capacities from 128-512GB, and the installed memory ranges from 4-16GB.

From the iPad Pro's 31 March launch, there will also be six models available, though the differences here are less substantial making for a simpler line-up. All have the same A9X ARM-based system-on-chip, combining a 2.26GHz dual-core processor and M9 motion co-processor with a 12-core Power VR Series 7XT graphics capability. All models will have 2GB of RAM, but they're available with 32, 128 or 256GB of storage, each capacity available with or without 4G capability. To complicate things, models are available in silver, gold, 'space grey' and 'rose gold'.

Prices vary from 416 (499) for the basic 32GB Wi-Fi model to 699 (839) for the high end 256GB Wi-Fi and 4G variant, but that includes neither the 66 (79) Apple Pencil, nor the 108 (129) Smart Keyboard cover. As with the iPad Pro 12.9, this is only available with a US English layout, which is likely to irritate anyone needing the or symbols, for example.

With the Surface Pro 4 running Windows 10 Pro on a x86 processor and the iPad Pro 9.7 running iOS 9.3.1 on an ARM processor, a direct performance comparison will be very difficult. With the exception of the base Core m3 model, however, it looks as though the Surface Pro 4 has the edge in processing power.

Battery and screen

The most obvious difference between the two is size and weight - the 12.3in Surface Pro has an extra 2.6 inches of screen to fit in, after all. While we haven't yet had our hands on the iPad Pro 9.7, it looks to use almost exactly the same physical package as the gorgeous iPad Air 2: it measures 240x169.5x6.1mm and weighs just 437 grams. The Surface Pro 4 is similarly beautiful, but measures 292.1x201.4x8.5mm, weighing 766g (Core m3) or 786g (Core i5 and i7).

The Surface Pro 4's excellent 12.3in screen has a resolution of 2,736x1,824, with 267 pixels per inch (ppi). It also has a 3:2 aspect ratio, while the iPad Pro 9.7's 2,048x1,536 Retina display works out at 4:3 and 264ppi. This is essentially the same display as seen on the iPad Air 2, but with a new 'True Tone' feature that alters the brightness and colour bias to match the viewing environment. Apple also claims a 25% increase in brightness over the iPad Air 2, and a new finish that reduces reflections by 40%.

Apple and Microsoft make similar claims for battery life. The 38.2 watt-hour battery in the Surface Pro 4 is claimed to give up to nine hours' video playback, and we previously managed 8.5 in our tests. Apple says that both iPad Pro models are good for 10 hours: again, we managed almost that when we tested the 12.9in model. Although the 9.7in model has a smaller, 27.5Wh battery, we'd expect a similar performance given that it's powering a far smaller screen.

Camera, ports and sensors

Both devices support Bluetooth and Wi-Fi standards up to 802.11ac, but the iPad Pro has a slight edge when it comes to inbuilt sensors. In addition to ambient light, gyro, accelerometer and magnetometer (compass), it has a fingerprint reader, while the 4G-capable models also add GPS.

The reverse is true for ports, where the Surface Pro 4 has a clear advantage. The iPad has only Lightning and headset jacks, with full-size USB and SD adapters for the Lightning port available as optional extras. Microsoft's hybrid has a USB 3.0 port, microSD slot and Mini DisplayPort, and its 'Surface Connect' power port also serves to hook it up with an optional Surface dock offering Gigabit Ethernet and more display and USB ports.

Microsoft makes little of the eight-megapixel rear camera and 5MP front camera on the Surface Pro 4, although the latter pairs with an infrared camera for accurate Windows Hello facial recognition. The iPad Pro 9.7in gets significantly upgraded cameras compared to the 12.9in model, with the 12MP rear camera supporting 4k video at 30fps, or up to 240 frames-per-second slow-motion at 1,280x720 pixels.

Preliminary Conclusions

While they have their similarities, their very different specification and pricing underline that the iPad Pro 9.7 and Surface Pro 4 will appeal to different users. Judging by operating system alone, the newest iPad is certainly going to struggle to deliver on Apple's 'PC replacement' claim: only recently has iOS evolved to support multi-tasking, while Windows 10 is a full desktop OS. More pertinently, our review of the iPad Pro 12.9 found that its huge screen was both its strongest and weakest feature. Only a full review will tell us whether shrinking this has added to the iPad Pro's practicality, or squandered essential screen space for graphics professionals.

Apple has released a smaller version of the iPad Pro, aimed at everybody from business users to artists.

iPad Pro 9.7 at a glance:

• Apple announced the device at a special event on 21 March 2016
• The new tablet measures three inches smaller than the larger 12.9in iPad Pro
• Apple has sold 200 million 9.7in tablets before releasing the new Pro
• Prices for the iPad Pro 9.7 start from 499
• It has been available in shops since 31 March
• Check out the original iPad Pro review here

Latest news

31/03/2016:The iPad Pro 9.7 has now started shipping to users across the world alongside the iPhone SE.

Those who ordered the tablet on March 24 following Apple's launch event will now begin receiving their 9.7-inch iPad Pros, reports MacRumours. The slightly smaller device, which was unveiled on 21 March, is priced from 499 in the UK and has sold 200 million units ahead of release.

iPad Pro 9.7 UK release date

The latest iPad Pro was available for pre-order from 24 March, and shipping began a week later, on 31 March.

iPad Pro 9.7 price

Pricing depends on how much storage you want, but Apple's inc VAT UK pricing for Wi-Fi models stands as follows:

32GB - 499

128GB - 619

256GB - 739

You can get broadband connectivity on each of these models for another 100 each.

iPad Pro 9.7 features and accessories

iPad Pro 9.7 screen

The screen is one of the iPad Pro 9.7's greatest selling points, with the 9.7in display a more manageable size than the larger, heavier 12.9in Pro, but also featuring some new colour technology.

First of all the display is the brightest ever, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. It's 25 per cent brighter than the iPad Air 2, thanks to its Oxide TFT display.

But the screen also features something called True Tone, which means the colour and brightness adapt to the tablet's surroundings, to make for easier viewing.

iPad Pro 9.7 operating system

Apple's latest Pro tablet will run iOS 9, the current version of the operating system at the time of release. More specifically, it will ship with iOS 9.3, introducing new features like Night Shift, which adjusts the lighting to help you get to sleep, and private, password-protected Notes. A revamped Apple News will also feature on the operating system.

iPad Pro 9.7 camera

While the 9.7 is really a smaller version of Apple's last tablet release, its real innovation lies in its new camera. The standard Pro comes with an impressive eight-megapixel front-facing camera, but the Pro 9.7 packs a seriously powerful 12-megapixel camera.

It lets you take 4k videos, as well as super-detailed panoramas, while its True Tone Flash ensures skin tones look great no matter the lighting.

iPad Pro 9.7 accessories

Keyboard

Calling the Pro 9.7 the "ultimate PC replacement" tells you exactly where Apple is pitching this device - to Windows users who are still attached to their laptops, and who are looking for a cheaper option than Microsoft's Surface tablets.

While the Smart Keyboard must be bought separately, there's no need to plug it in. Instead, the Smart Connector lets you simply attach the keyboard and begin typing. It folds up and acts as a cover when you're not using it.

Apple Pencil

Just like the larger Pro, the Pro 9.7 works with the Apple Pencil, which lets you draw lines of varying weight by using Multi-Touch to judge how much pressure you're placing on the stylus.

iPad Pro 9.7 specs

iPad Pro 9.7 storage

You get three different storage sizes to choose from with the Pro 9.7. Starting at just 32GB, it then jumps to a 128GB model, but there's a 256GB model for people who need a lot of space.

iPad Pro 9.7 processor

The tablet's 64-bit A9X is the chip powering this device, coupled with an M9 processor.

iPad Pro 9.7 battery

Apple boasts that the Pro 9.7 has a battery life of up to 10 hours, though we are yet to put this to the test - as usual, you can expect this to be significantly less with heavy use.

Tablets aren't for real work' is a common refrain uttered by double-chinned stuffed shirts who don't know any better. It's a complete fallacy, an argument that only holds water if you equate work' to offices'. We've seen plenty of iPads and other tablets in workplaces as diverse as cafes, restaurants, hospitals, airports, warehouses, graphic design studios and delivery vans.

They're being used for a huge range of workplace tasks from point of sale terminals and taking customer surveys, to accessing patient records and even for prototyping apps and websites. Only the most obstinate spreadsheet shuffler would deny that these are real workplace tasks but they are also jobs best suited for iPads and other tablets.

This is why we're confident that the new 9.7in iPad Pro will eventually succeed in both the workplace and the home, just as its Air predecessors have done. It's just as powerful as the larger 12.9in iPad Pro, but no heavier or thicker than the iPad Air 2.

We're far less confident, though, that the 9.7in iPad Pro will spur a dramatic rise in iPad sales, reversing the general, gradual decline in iPad slices that has bedevilled Apple in recent years.

The first problem, and hardly a new revelation, is that older iPads have incredibly long lives we still see the elderly iPad 2 being put to productive use. Plus, the still eminently capable iPad Air 2 remains on sale now at a reduced price of 349 for the 16GB model, which is 150 less than the cheapest iPad Pro. It's an attractive option if you don't need the sheer power or accessories of the Pro.

That 499 pricing for the cheapest 32GB 9.7in iPad Pro doesn't include any of the accessories which set it apart, either the Apple Pencil or the official keyboard case. While this keeps the 9.7in Pro's price as low as can be and doubtless helps buoy Apple's accessory sales and profit margins, it probably does some harm too.

Some 9.7in Pro customers will definitely want those distinctive accessories and snap them up. Others definitely won't. A lot of those sitting on the fence, and we think there will be many of these potential customers, will err on the side of caution and skip them entirely. They might even plough on with an older iPad or opt for a cheaper Android tablet.

After all, those accessories set the iPad Pro apart from the competition. If you don't buy them, why buy a Pro at all?

Bundling those distinctive accessories in, perhaps at an attractive enough discounted price, could not only charm those fence sitters, but help provide app developers with a bigger market for their Pencil and keyboard-tailored apps. Those kinds of apps increase stickiness, loyalty and eventually future iPad sales.

Worldwide tablet sales have declined for the fifth successive quarter, with losses of 13.7 per cent year-on-year, according to IDC's latest figures.

Sales decreased by 10.1 per cent over the entirety of 2015, from 230.1 million in 2014 to 206.8 million last year. Market leaders Apple and Samsung saw the biggest losses, with shipments reducing by 24.8 per cent and 18.1 per cent respectively.

The winners were third place Amazon and fifth place Huawei, whose sales increased by 175 per cent and 124 per cent over the quarter, although Amazon's success was limited to the fourth quarter of 2015 rather than the whole year, where it failed to rank as highly.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for the mobile sector. Detachables, such as the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface showed a substantial uplift, demonstrating the trend of businesses scrapping their laptops in exchange for more flexible options.

"Despite lukewarm reviews, the iPad Pro was the clear winner this season as it was the top selling detachable, surpassing notable entries from Microsoft and other PC vendors," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers.

"It's also important to note that the transition towards detachable tablets has presented positive opportunities for both Apple and Microsoft. However, Google's recent foray into this space has been rather lacklustre as the Android platform will require a lot more refinement to achieve any measurable success."

Jean Philippe Bouchard, research director of the tablets division at IDC, added that end users are viewing detachables as PC replacements as they offer the power of a computer without the wires.

"We believe Apple sold just over two million iPad Pros while Microsoft sold around 1.6 million Surface devices, a majority of which were Surface Pro and not the more affordable Surface 3," he said. "With these results, it's clear that price is not the most important feature considered when acquiring a detachable performance is."

Apple's chief has slammed PCs, saying there's no point to buying or using one when products like the iPad Pro can do the job as well.

Tim Cook told the Telegraph's Allister Heath at a preview of the iPad Pro that there's no need for a bulky computer when an iPad Pro can do everything a PC can do, but in a much slimmer, more portable package.

"I think if you're looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?"Cook said.

When asked whether the iPad Pro has been designed as a computer replacement, Cook commented: "Yes, the iPad Pro is a replacement for a notebook or a desktop for many, many people. They will start using it and conclude they no longer need to use anything else, other than their phones."

As people start moving towards bigger phones, such as the company's 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus, everything can be done on a mobile device, large PC screens become obsolete. He mentioned the ability to sketch, to listen to music and consume entertainment such as films.

This is quite a back-track on Cook's thoughts in April 2012 when he accused Microsoft of "being confused" by turning PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. "You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know, those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user," he said at the time.

The subject of encryption unsurprisingly sprang up too, with Cook defending his position that encryption is essential in the fight against cybercrime and terrorism.

"To protect people who use any products, you have to encrypt. You can just look around and see all the data breaches that are going on," he told the Telegraph. "These things are becoming more frequent. They can not only result in privacy breaches but also security issues. We believe very strongly in end-to-end encryption and no back doors.

"We don't think people want us to read their messages. We don't feel we have the right to read their emails."

Apple faces an $862 million bill for violating a university's patent on chips used in its iPhone and iPad devices, according to Reuters.

The tech giant was found to have infringed the University of Wisconsin's patent, awarded in 1998, that relates to parallel processing systems' ability to improve energy efficiency and performance in modern computer chips.

Specifically, the university invented a "predictor circuit" that can execute new instructions in advance, based on previously issued chip instructions.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), which filed the patent, sued Apple in January 2014 for using the innovation in its A7, A8 and A8X chips, which are present in the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus, as well as a number of iPads.

A US jury yesterday decided Apple was guilty of infringement, leaving Apple with the likelihood of footing a massive damages bill.

To add to Apple's legal woes, last month WARF launched a second lawsuit against the Cupertino-based company, alleging that its patent was infringed by the A9 and A9X chips used in the firm's latest set of devices the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and iPad Pro.

Apple revealed these devices in early September at a San Francisco event, with the phones featuring 64-bit A9 processors.

CEO Tim Cook said the new chip is 70 per cent faster at CPU tasks than its predecessor, the A8, and 90 per cent faster at graphics tasks.

The iPad Pro is being positioned as a business device competing with Microsoft's Surface, whose A9X processor makes it nearly twice as powerful as its effective predecessor, the iPad Air 2.

IT Procontacted Apple for comment but had received no reply at the time of publication.

The tablet market in the UK has plateaued, but hybrid devices incorporating keyboards appear to be gaining ground, according to a YouGov survey.

The research found that 55 per cent of the adult population owns a tablet and that figure has stalled over the last year. The study also found that 10 per cent of the public plan to buy a tablet in the future, most of them (57 per cent) are people who already own one of the devices and are either looking to buy a replacement one or an additional one.

While tablet sales appear to have stagnated, the research found that hybrid devices that combine a tablet screen and removable keyboard are getting more popular. While just two per cent of the adult population (around one million) currently owns a 2-in1, the study shows that 8 per cent (around 4 million) are now in the market for one. This means that new devices, such as the iPad Pro and Google's Pixel C tablets which sport keyboards, stand to benefit from the trend.

The research firm said that these hybrid devices were holding their own against the iPad and Android tablets among so-called "tablet virgins" first-time buyers those that own neither a 2-in-1 nor a tablet.

This group (that own neither device) accounts for 44 per cent of the population and represents the territory into which device manufacturers have to make inroads if they are to increase market share, according to the research outfit. YouGov's latest research shows that 8 per cent of this group plans to get a 2-in-1, the same proportion that plan to get a tablet.

Russell Feldman, Director of Digital, Media and Technology at YouGov said: "Our research has shown a continued stagnation in the tablet market over the past year. While the number of tablets in circulation continues to increase this is because multiple device ownership means that the pool is getting deeper without ever getting any wider. Laptops do things such as edit documents that most tablet owners don't do on their devices meaning they are never going to end the laptop's market dominance.

"Instead, I believe tablets are a stop-gap technology, like the minidisc, and should eventually be overtaken by a more comprehensive and feature rich-device like the 2-in-1. We spotted this trend last year when we noticed an increasing number of people creating "home-made hybrids" creating 2-in-1s by adding a keyboard to a tablet and using it as they would a laptop. As more brands launch and market 2-in-1s to market I would expect the device's market share to grow steadily over the next few years."

Apple has unleashed the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and a Retina Display iMac on an unsuspecting public, along with updates about the immediate release of OS X 10 Yosemite and iOS 8.1.

Today's launch event comes hot on the heels of the iPhone and iPhone 6 Plus launches in September, and was live streamed from the Apple events page. If you missed it, it should be available on playback soon.

IT Pro has been bringing readers all the latest news in the run up to tonight's event on the live blog, and you can catch up with exactly what went on by scrolling back through our updates.

We covered a lot, including release date, specs and pricing details for the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3 and the Retina Display iMac with 5 K display, as well as details about how Apple's share price typically fares in the wake of its previous iPad launches.

Over the page, we run through all the things we expect to see Apple announce at the event tonight...

OS X Yosemite official release date confirmation

Apple's new operating system was first announced during the company's WWDC presentation in June, and several beta versions have since been released to users.

Continuity between iOS 8 and Yosemite is expected to feature heavily, with features such as the ability to make and take phone calls from a PC and to start writing an email on your phone before finishing it on a Mac ("Hand-Off"), teased at Apple's previous event.

This was done using "proximity awareness" that allows a Mac to tell whether another Apple device is nearby, before asking the user whether they would like to switch from their phone/tablet to their Mac or vice versa.

Despite being announced alongside iOS 8 in the summer and being included in Apple's pledge to provide more integration between its devices, it was subsequently revealed the two operating systems' release dates would be staggered.

This kind of release structure is not unprecedented, after iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks also arrived a month apart from each other in 2013.

However, we're hoping to see an update from Apple about when Mac users will finally get their hands on the finished product.

New thinner, more powerful & secure iPads

Recent leaked images from Vietnamese tech blog, Tinhte.nv (via gmanetwork) reportedly give us an early sneak peek at the iPad Air 2.

The most interesting thing about the images is the thinness of the tablet shown, which Mashable has determined as just 7mm thick.

The original iPad Air is 7.5mm thick. Only the iPhone 6 beats it at 6.9mm.

The iPad Air 2 was previously rumoured to be announced alongside the two new iPhone models last month, but will most likely appear this week instead.

The tablet is rumoured to be 9.7-inches, and looks set to feature a 2GB RAM boost and offer users split-screen capability.

The RAM boost makes sense when taking into account how low Apple devices already are, with 1GB RAM, compared to many competing Android devices, and the increased demand brought on by features such as split-screen functionality.

All the signs also suggest Apple's new iPad models will feature the Touch ID fingerprint scanner first introduced with the iPhone 5s. This would offer greater security, which Apple is understandably keen on right now.

The iPads are also rumoured to be getting a daylight-friendly anti-reflective coating for its cover lens, as well as a laminated touch panel, A8 processor, 8-megapixel camera and a gold-coloured casing.

iPad Mini 3

Japanese blog Mac Otakara also claims that we could see the iPad Mini 3 launched on Thursday, according to "sources that can be trusted", and it is likely to be slimmer and with an A8X processor similar to the rumoured specs for the iPad Air 2.

In October 2012, the first iPad Mini was unveiled alongside the iPad 4 and the same month of 2013 saw the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display announced, so there's a good chance that Apple will continue the pattern in 2014.

Several images allegedly showing the iPad Mini 3 with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor have already been leaked to sites such as NoWhereElse.flr and apple.club.tw.

A Gold, work-friendly iPad Pro

Though rumours of a gold-coloured iPad could relate to the iPad Air 2, one theory that has circulated heavily is that Apple could also be planning to launch a larger, 12.9-in iPad.

This would be dubbed the iPad Pro, it is thought, and would feature an A8X chip for markedly improved graphics and performance.

Though it is still assumed that Apple will use the upcoming event to launch the iPad Pro, news that production of the tablet may have to be delayed due to unprecedented sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may affect this. This comes after more than 10 million iPhones were sold in just three days.

The bigger iPad model may be geared more towards business users, with improved specs, 128 GB of storage and split-screen functionality on a bigger screen for easier multi-tasking. The 12-inch display is also a similar size to the MacBook Air, making it ideal for work.

There are also rumours that it could come with a Microsoft Surface-esque keyboard cover, adding to this impression.

Higher-resolution iMac

Alongside new iPads, Apple is expected to launch a 5K resolution 27-inch iMac. This would be an upgrade from the current resolution for desktop Macs of the same size, from 2560 x 1440p to 5120 x 2880, it has been reported.

Whether a new MacBook will be unveiled is up for debate, after delays to Intel's production of processors.

Then there's the Mac mini, which was last updated almost two years ago. Mention of Apple's smallest, cheapest desktop offering popped up on Apple's support page recently, sparking rumours that it could be a part of Apple's next batch of announcements.

Apple may push back mass production of the iPad Pro after sales for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were stronger than expected.

The original plan was for production to begin in December, reports the Wall Street Journal (via Reuters), but manufacturers are already struggling to keep up with demand for the new iPhone and these plans may have to be delayed accordingly.

Apple has scheduled an event on 16 October, during which it is expected to unveil the iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro. There are also rumours the event could be used to launch a new gold iPad.

The iPad Pro will be larger than any tablet Apple has previously released, and it seems this may also have contributed to the delay. It will measure in at 12.9-inch, it has been widely reported, with an A8X chip for improved graphics and performance. These specs are in line with what is offered by the iPhone 6.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been big successes for the company, with more than 10 million devices sold in the three days following its late September launch.

At the time, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said: "While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible."