AppleInsider · Kasper's Automated Slave

Apple's iPadOS 18 introduces more changes to the iPad's operating system, with the latest edition including accessibility and a Calculator app, among other features.

iPadOS 18

Apple has detailed many changes arriving on iPadOS in the fall of 2024 as part of its iPadOS 18 release. The numerous changes promise to give many users a massive update to the iPad experience.

Accessibility

Apple has already previewed the accessibility functions arriving in iPadOS and its other operating systems in May as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

The biggest change is eye tracking, allowing users to navigate the operating systems' interface with their eyes. While borrowed from the Apple Vision Pro, the feature will only require the front-facing camera of the iPad to function.

Personalisation

Just like iOS, iPadOS users will be able to personalize their home screen. App icons can be moved and anchored to different parts of the screen, allowing for more of a user's background to be viewable.

Dark mode versions of icons are available, but you can change them with the system setting. Icons can also be tinted, allowing further customization for Dark Mode icons.

Control Center gains the ability for developers to add more controls to it, giving users another way to access important features and actions via a Controls API.

SharePlay

SharePlay's screen sharing is being updated to allow you to tap and draw on a screen to instruct others on what they should do on their own device. It's also possible to get assistance from iPhones.

Tab Bar

A new redesigned tab bar now floats above app content. The floating tab bar can turn into a sidebar, offering more functionality.

This includes being able to reorder and add more tabs from the sidebar and increasing customization for apps.

Calculator

The Calculator's finally on iPad, which takes advantage of the Apple Pencil with its Math Notes feature, which AppleInsider broke in April. Writing in expressions, the Calculator will immediately solve problems once an equal sign is written.

Calculator is finally on iPad

It'll also include functions like a scientific calculator. Importantly, it will also save notes for later use.

Messages

Users can now format text in Messages using bold, italics, or underlining words. Animated text effects are also available, along with redesigned Tapbacks for reactions.

Scheduling of messages is also available, just in case a message must be sent when the recipient isn't available.

Freeform

The Freeform app gains Scenes, giving a way to quickly navigate around a Freeform document. This should improve group productivity and help guide new document users around what's already been documented in the app.

Safari

As part of Safari's changes, there's a redesigned Reader experience and Highlights. Machine learning will show users key information from a webpage, allowing them to quickly understand its contents.

Photos

As part of the biggest redesign to the app, it's now easier than ever for users to find the images they want. Unified to a single view, the Library view adds filters to quickly narrow down the content types, even screenshots.

A new carousel view shows highlights that update each day, featuring a variety of subjects. Content also autoplays while browsing.

Notes

Part of the Notes app, iPadOS now lets users perform text editing on their handwriting through a feature called Smart Script. For handwritten notes in Notes, users can now spellcheck their text, with changes made to blend into the user's scribbles.

Updates to the Notes app improves a user's handwriting as they wrote

The changes also apply when users move text, restructuring what's written to allow more text to be added, just like normal typed text.

There are also collapsible sections in Notes, allowing users to more easily see the key points of their notes while temporarily hiding less important elements.

AppleInsider urges you not to install beta software on any device you depend on for work.



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The Sonos Ace is the company's new push into premium personal audio. Here's how it fares when compared to Apple's AirPods Max.

Sonos Ace and AirPods Max

The Sonos Ace were launched as a premium pair of headphones, its first foray into personal audio. They're a stylish pair of headphones that ticks many of the premium audio boxes for consumers.

It's hard not to make a direct comparison of them to AirPods Max. As over-ear headphones with metal accents and a leaning towards audio quality, it's hard not to do so.

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This is what Sonos' new personal audio offering brings to the table, and how it competes against Apple's high-priced and aging competitor.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Specifications

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Design

Made from aluminum and steel, the AirPods Max are a reasonably hefty pair of headphones. Using telescoping arms, it has a headband with stainless steel arms and a breathable knit mesh that is springy and doesn't require foam.

The cushions on the earcups are made with a mesh textile for comfort.

You can see a few Max-inspired elements in the design of the Sonos Ace. Chiefly the use of a shiny arms connecting the headband to the earcups. However, it decided to hide the hinges it uses inside the earcups, which could help increase durability.

Wearing the Sonos AceWearing the Sonos AceWearing the Sonos Ace

The headband of the Ace is more traditional, with a leather-free cushion padding the band on the user's head. The cushioning on the earcups is handled the same way, with the material used being somewhat easier to wipe clean than Apple's knit choice.

Both headphones use magnets to hold the earcup cushions in place, which makes it easier to replace and maintain. However, Sonos has been a bit more smart about their construction.

If you place the cushions into the wrong earcup, you'll cover sensors. To help beat this, Apple includes a letter inside each earcup for identification.

Sonos takes this further, by color-coding the internal 3D mesh with the inside of the earcup for easier matching. Also, the magnets have opposing polarities for each cup, so the cushion won't snap into the wrong earcup.

You can tell which earcup the cushions go into by color on the Sonos Ace.

Despite lacking as much padding overall, the AirPods Max will also weigh heavier on your head at 13.6 ounces. The 11.04-ounce Sonos Ace will be easier to wear for longer periods, but they're still reasonably heavy.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Physical Controls

Apple and Sonos both love their unique controls. AirPods Max has a singular button next to a multi-use Digital Crown. This is effectively the same control you'll find on an Apple Watch.

The Digital Crown is really nice to adjust volume or playback. However, sometimes a pillow or seat can hit the Digital Crown, causing the volume to change.

Some physical controls on the Sonos Ace

Sonos uses three buttons: one at the base of the left earcup, a round button on the right earcup, and one it refers to as a Content Key. It's made from stainless steel and is spring loaded, bouncing back with a delightful little snap.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Audio Processing

Each use custom 40mm dynamic drivers to reproduce exceptional sound. After years of listening to AirPod Max and weeks listening to Sonos Ace, the latter is a little bit better.

The soundstage on the Sonos Ace sounded more realistic. Sonos was able to better separate things like vocals from the instrumentals, while making it sound as if the music was coming from all around me.

Apple has Spatial Audio and excellent sound quality on the AirPods Max. But listening to them back to back to back, the Ace almost sounded as if I was there.

The vocals were right in my ears while the instruments came in all around it. The AirPods Max, in comparison, sounded slightly more closed off.

We're talking about audio on a very high level here, so by no means did either of these sound bad.

Both do offer Spatial Audio, but there's a lot of difference in how each pulls it off.

Using an app to manage the Sonos AceUsing an app to manage the Sonos AceUsing an app to manage the Sonos AceUsing an app to manage the Sonos Ace

Apple owns the entire stack here, which means it have a unique advantage in tracking where your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is. You have the option of turning spatial off, tracking your head, or keeping the audio sourced fixed in front of you.

For example, when you're watching a movie, the audio will always be coming from in front of you, no matter where you turn your head.

Sonos doesn't have the ability to monitor your phone's location and calculate its position in 3D space. Therefore the speaker-maker had to do something else.

It basically monitors your movement so when you're sitting, it locks that in as front. Then any other head movements will result in the audio staying in front of you.

If you get up and walk around, it detects that and pauses head tracking.

That makes not quite as effective and ubiquitous as Apple's, but in effect it works just about as good without Apple's first-party benefits. This is especially true when used with your soundbar.

Say you wanted to use your headphones with your TV to watch a movie. If you have an Apple TV, it's easy to connect your AirPods Max via Control Center.

Sonos Max is even easier - assuming you have a compatible Sonos soundbar. All you have to do is press and hold the content key on the side of the headphones and the audio will jump to your ears.

This works by establishing a direct Wi-Fi connection between the soundbar and your headphones. You're able to experience true Dolby Atmos spatial audio with the headphones.

At launch, this feature is limited to the Sonos Arc. Soon, it will roll out to the Beam, Beam Gen 2, and Ray.

Sonos Ace [above] and AirPods Max [below]

Another feature that isn't out yet at the time of review is TrueCinema mode. This uses the onboard mics to understand the acoustics of the room you're in, then adjusts your headphone audio so that it matches your physical environment.

It's a really cool feature that goes more towards making the headphones fade away.

Both headphones have Active Noise Cancellation. Sonos also has an Aware mode, which blends ambient sound with a user's content, somewhat reminiscent of Apple's Transparency mode.

Both headphones have support for lossless, kind of. With AirPods Max, you can listen to lossless if you use a wired Lightning connection.

Sonos Ace can do lossless over Bluetooth with AptX HD, but Apple doesn't support it. Then again, it also works when connected via USB-C.

If you're a fan of digital assistants, you have your options cut out for you. AirPods Max stick you with Siri - for better or for worse. You can invoke Apple's digital assistant by saying "Hey Siri" entirely hands-free.

Sonos Ace can use your phone's assistant when you hold the button on the side. It works fine with Siri, but lacks a hands-free option.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Connectivity and Battery Life

For wireless connectivity, both use Bluetooth. However, while the AirPods Max work with Bluetooth 5.0, Sonos supports Bluetooth 5.0.

Both also have physical connectivity, with Apple opting for Lightning while the Sonos Ace uses USB-C.

The battery in the Sonos Ace is a 1,060mAh unit. Sonos claims it can last for up to 30 hours of listening or 24 hours of call time with ANC or Aware mode enabled.

Apple says the AirPods Max can go up to 20 hours for listening on a single charge with ANC or Transparency enabled, or 20 hours of talk time.

Both charge rapidly, with five minutes of charge equating 1.5 hours of listening time on the AirPods Max. Sonos goes better, with up to three hours of listening time from three minutes of charge.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Cases

Apple has its own bra-like cover that slips over both earcups. The magnets in the case turn your headphones off, as Apple's offering lacks any physical off button.

The Sonos Ace case [left], AirPods Max [right]

The Sonos Ace has a felt case made from recycled plastic bottles. It's a great-looking case and this white one has a sage green interior.

It zips around the outside and your cables are all stored in this bonus pouch. And best of all, that holder magnetically holds to the inside.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - A new-found rivalry

A lot of this comparison sways in favor of the Sonos Ace. I prefer the look, comfort, sound quality, and that it uses USB-C.

That said, Apple has a lot of its own software features. There's adaptive EQ, audio sharing, hands-free Siri, and automatic device switching, and potentially more as Apple rolls out software updates.

The thing is, though, AirPods Max are a few years old. They lack many of the quality of life features of other products, like AirPods Pro and its personalized volume, adaptive audio mode, Find My, and USB-C.

If Apple had these features, it would be a lot easier to recommend the AirPods Max.

For now, the Sonos Ace may be the better pick for many users. It's $100 cheaper when full retail prices are compared, and offers a considerable experience that Apple needs to catch up on.

The ball is now squarely in Apple's court.

AirPods Max vs Sonos Ace - Where to Buy

Sonos Ace headphones, which retail for $449, are available at Sonos directly, as well as at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo and Best Buy. At press time, Sonos is running a sale on bundles through its direct and retail channels knocking up to $248 off kits featuring the over-ear headphones.

AirPods Max, meanwhile, are nearly always on sale on their own, with the lowest prices available in our AirPods Price Guide. At press time, every color can be found for under $500.



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Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro is a testament to the power and efficiency of Apple Silicon, but WWDC has to address at least some of the shortcomings of iPadOS for those hardware upgrades to mean anything.

13-inch iPad Pro review

As Apple shaves away every millimeter from the iPad, it gets closer to realizing the dream of offering information on a sheet of glass. At 5.1 millimeters, there's not much else Apple can do to the hardware without physics getting in the way.

However, the only thing in the way of improving iPad software is Apple and its philosophy surrounding the tablet. While iPad is the perfect work device for some, there are obvious limitations and shortcomings that need to be addressed.

This review is a snapshot of the state of iPad Pro, with new hardware and good-enough software on June 4, 2024. At publication time, WWDC is just days away. There is some hope that Apple will be able to push past good enough and prove why M4 is in iPad Pro.

If these statements feel like deja vu, it's because they are nearly identical to statements made about the iPad Pro when it first received M1. Despite the initial fumble, Apple took a big leap with Stage Manager, but little else.

Window management is table stakes in an operating system running on a so-called pro device.

An iPad Pro conundrum

On review here is the 13-inch iPad Pro with 1TB storage, which includes 16GB of RAM. I chose to add Nano Texture and Cellular.

Let's get one thing straight and incredibly clear at the top -- I love iPad Pro. I've worked primarily from iPad since I got this job in 2019, with a brief stint working from a 14-inch MacBook Pro.

13-inch iPad Pro review: iPad Pro remains a favorite in spite of Apple Vision Pro's futuristic promises

introduces a new bit of complication to my computing lifestyle. One thing is clear -- iPad Pro is my go-to computer for my work, play, and everything in between.

The criticisms I share about iPadOS are from a good place, hoping Apple will one day eliminate these issues. I'd love to see the day when I don't need a Mac for anything beyond screenshots of macOS.

Many people already find themselves in this position with iPad. They can get everything done and don't even notice what may be missing from the platform because it isn't part of their workflows from the start.

13-inch iPad Pro review: a truly modular platform

The list of things missing gets smaller every year, but it does seem odd which features Apple decides to prioritize and which are ignored perpetually. Podcasting, for example, feels like one that should have been there from the start, given its importance to the Apple brand.

The lack of true desktop-class Safari, a reliable plus hierarchical file system, and background task execution all feel like obvious next steps.

Every iPad Pro release has accompanied a series of cries for macOS on iPad. Across the entire AppleInsider staff, even the Mac-devout, we don't think that's a good idea. Instead, we all want iPadOS to be better, and its own thing.

We want this instead of macOS shoehorned onto a platform that will lead to a sub-par experience not just for macOS, but for the iPad too. That would be the worst of both worlds.

You can't divorce the software from the hardware when you review a new iPad. More on iPadOS in a while, though.

13-inch iPad Pro review - Design & Features

Obviously, nothing had changed in design and features since my initial impressions that I shared in the 13-inch iPad Pro hands on. It remains an impossibly thin and light device that's all-new while remaining familiar.

13-inch iPad Pro review: an impossibly thin and light design

If you look at the 13-inch iPad Pro head-on, there's little chance you could tell the difference between it and the 12.9-inch models that came before. As usual, a small bezel surrounds the all-screen display.

Three aspects might give it away -- OLED, the front-facing camera, and Nano Texture if you've opted for it. The relocated camera, lack of bloom, and a slight film-like texture are apparent when viewed side-by-side with any other iPad.

Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro is 5.1 mm thick, weighs 1.28 pounds, and has a thin camera bump that reduces wobble when lying flat. The design changes required new magnet arrangements, so none of the previous accessories are compatible.

13-inch iPad Pro review: new versus old

I am quite happy to have learned that Apple changed the internal design of the iPad Pro to account for heat dissipation and resistance to bending. Apple says the central skeleton helps prevent bends along the landscape side, and it also houses the logic board.

That means the M4 processor is directly below the Apple logo, which acts as a better heat sink now, thanks to copper infusion. Having the hot chip in the center also gives heat more space to dissipate and keeps heat away from your hands.

OLED display

One of the best things that has happened to the iPad since cursor support is OLED. The display is just gorgeous in how it reproduces color and black levels. Creative users will benefit greatly from the upgrade from mini-LED backlighting.

13-inch iPad Pro review: OLED enables perfect black levels and near infinite contrast

13-inch iPad Pro has a 2,752p by 2,064p display. That's the expected 264 ppi density. Tandem OLED panels enable up to 1,000 nits of sustained brightness for SDR and HDR content.

The display can reach 1,600 nits for specific areas of HDR content. The super bright OLED is stunning in all lighting conditions, even direct sunlight.

Apple shifted to OLED panels with iPhone X, and people have been begging for OLED in iPad ever since. A half-step arrived in 2021 with min-LED backlighting in the 12.9-inch model. It still produced bloom around bright objects with black backgrounds, so people weren't too impressed.

13-inch iPad Pro review: tandem OLED enables a much brighter display

Tandem OLED addresses every complaint by offering superior blacks and incredible sustained brightness. The 2,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio is very noticeable with some content.

OLED still isn't ubiquitous, so some content and video games aren't designed with near infinite contrast and perfect black in mind. Like with the iPhone, I favor true-black UI in apps that allow it, like Ivory.

The new panel doesn't just look great -- it's more power efficient. Any true black element on the display is just pixels that aren't turned on. The more black pixels on the display, the better it impacts battery life.

13-inch iPad Pro review: black levels stay consistent, even in bright sunlight

For example, if you're reading a book and have it in the true black mode with white text, you will likely maximize battery life. However, since the display can get incredibly bright, you will likely counteract the energy savings if the brightness stays too high.

That said, our testing bears out Apple's estimations of about 10 hours of battery life. After jumping from the M1 iPad Pro, I haven't noticed my charging habits change.

Nano Texture

The Nano Texture option was always going to be controversial, especially on a portable device. After years of Apple selling Pro Display XDR and Studio Display with a "do not touch" Nano Texture, suddenly it's fine on iPad.

Confusion reigns sometimes when Apple uses the same term for two different processes. The Nano Texture on the Pro Display XDR is a mechanical process, where it's a chemical one on the iPad.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Nano Texture removes all reflections with some tradeoffs

Apple recommends using the included polishing cloth to clean the display, but otherwise, it's just a normal iPad display. You can touch it without noticing any difference in feel, and it's easy enough to clean with the cloth.

Drawing with the Apple Pencil Pro on the Nano Texture display doesn't feel different to my hand. The tip glides along the glass without any resistance -- I believe any suggestion otherwise might be a placebo.

That's the point of the Nano Texture for iPad Pro. That chemical etching I alluded to before that is done on a microscopic scale is less of a series of grooves like on Pro Display XDR, and more of a surface-level optical characteristics change. This is why you don't feel it with your finger or when you run an Apple Pencil across the surface. It's "etched" just enough to diffuse glare.

The Nano Texture works amazingly. Since getting this option, I always note that there aren't any visible reflections or light sources, no matter where I sit -- even in direct sunlight.

But, there is a "film" effect that's exaggerated by direct light sources where the light being refracted inward causes colors and black levels to wash out. The effect is pronounced in places like the Apple Store or direct sunlight when viewing the device outside of a natural angle.

It is pretty challenging to capture the effect properly with a camera, and it doesn't exist at all on the Pro Display XDR surface. Product photos are often taken at extreme angles, not from natural viewing angles. I have shown various examples of direct light sources reflected by the different display types, but these images still don't do the effect justice.

13-inch iPad Pro review: the 'fog' effect made by reflecting light isn't as drastic in real life at normal viewing angles

The camera will capture light with a more pronounced effect than the naked eye, showing the Nano Texture in exaggerated detail. It is a display you'll have to see in person to understand whether Nano Texture is a good option for you.

The tandem OLED is bright enough on its own to compensate for sunlight and other harsh lighting conditions. However, intense light means any black surface on the display will become a reflective mirror, which is why Nano Texture is useful. In some situations, you might sacrifice black levels ever so slightly, but the result is a perfectly visible display.

I love the Nano Texture, but it is clearly a highly subjective feature -- and we have difference of opinions across the staff. Mike Wuerthele, our managing editor, is not a fan, as he prefers those blacks on the screen to be fully black. Those deep blacks are one of the main tenets of OLED, and blunting that makes no sense, according to him.

He's also mostly an indoor-user, and his "bunker" as he calls it, has little natural light.

This all said, you'll know if you need it or not, and if you're in doubt at all, the only way to know for sure is to try it at home. Photos, videos, anecdotes from reviewers, and in-person viewings at the Apple Store won't tell you what it's like to use in practice.

13-inch iPad Pro review: working outside with bright OLED and Nano Texture is a game changer

There are some concerns about the Nano Texture's longevity, as it is a surface treatment. It is something I'll revisit in future reviews.

New camera systems

Apple rearranged the 13-inch iPad Pro cameras to account for the new thinner device and default orientation. The Ultra Wide Camera was removed, and the front-facing camera is now on the landscape side of the device.

13-inch iPad Pro review: the camera bump is thin and houses only one camera

Both the front-facing camera and the Main Camera are 12MP. The front-facing camera has an ultra-wide field of view and uses Center Stage to focus on subjects.

There isn't much to say about the rear camera. It hasn't changed, though the image signal processor is likely more powerful in the M4. Apple also showed off a special document scanner upgrade that helps eliminate shadows using the flash and multiple exposures.

So far, we haven't seen much -- if any -- difference in what the new document scanner tech provides in most environments that you should scan books in, versus how it worked before. We'll be looking at this closer in the future, and including sub-optimal conditions for book scanning.

The front-facing camera is paired with the True Depth system for Face ID. All the components are centered to the landscape side, but the front facing camera is slightly off center on the left.

13-inch iPad Pro review: the front-facing camera moved to the landscape orientation

The change in camera position makes FaceTime calls feel much more natural when the iPad is docked. The camera is in a much better position, whether it is being used with the Magic Keyboard, in a magnetic stand, or simply held in landscape mode.

I also love the new position for the True Depth system. When it was on the landscape side of the iPad, I found it would often be obscured by my hand.

The new orientation is also better for angling the tablet for Face ID, like when lying down. The True Depth system would be at an awkwardly high position when on the portrait side and require a much more dramatic shift to bring the camera level with my face.

Speakers, connectivity, and more

Outside of the obvious flagship features, not much else has changed. There are four speakers, four microphones, a Wi-Fi 6e radio, and 5G cellular.

13-inch iPad Pro review: eSIM makes getting cellular coverage much easier

Apple didn't opt for the nascent Wi-Fi 7 radio as expected. It's hardly a loss as many users, even pros, are likely still running Wi-Fi 6 or even Wi-Fi 5.

This may be an issue for future-proofing, but we'll see exactly when. Wi-Fi 7 systems are still ludicrously expensive and not worth it for the foreseeable future for nearly everybody.

The cellular 5G option only has sub-6GHz, not mmWave, but I doubt anyone will notice given the technical limitations of mmWave. Apple's use case of finding empty football stadiums to play multiplayer games never made much sense.

The exclusion of mmWave may be more of a testament to poor carrier rollout and availability versus usefulness.

13-inch iPad Pro review - accessories

The new device design and magnet layout renders many existing accessories incompatible. Any magnetic mount, keyboard, case, stylus, or other device purpose-built for previous iPad Pros won't work on the newer generation.

The Thunderbolt/USB-4 port works identically, connecting to my existing setup without any problems, with the same speed delivery from the port as before, and nothing has changed one iota about those specs. Drives, displays, and other tools will work identically.

Apple Pencil Pro

Apple Pencil Pro may as well be called Apple Pencil 3. The external casing is indistinguishable except for the "pro" text at the end.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Apple Pencil Pro

There's nothing more pro that makes it earn the name. Even its compatibility isn't limited to the iPad Pro -- it works with the 2024 iPad Airs and likely future iPads with landscape front-facing cameras.

That said, Apple Pencil Pro is likely Apple's most magical version of the stylus yet. Every feature builds on the other, so drawing, writing, or navigating the operating system all feels fresh and exciting.

My use case for Apple Pencil skews more towards photo editing and production for AppleInsider than it does Amber Neely's use for art. All along, I've found that Apple Pencil is excellent when doing detailed edits of photos. Navigating UI that reaches up to the Pencil tip as you tap, haptics for different interactions, and tool previews rendered in 3D all give the illusion that this isn't a digital interaction.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Apple Pencil Pro has a new squeeze gesture

Apple Pencil Pro's hardware, combined with iPadOS, does a great job of making you feel like you're truly interacting with digital objects as if they were physical. The closest allegory I can give is it feels similar to the look and pinch gestures in Apple Vision Pro -- an extension of yourself.

To reiterate, Nano Texture has no effect on using Apple Pencil. It feels like glass.

Apple's attention to detail is also incredible. In Apple Notes, you'll see a 3D-rendered shadow of whatever tool you're using when you are close to the display.

Other apps may be implement this feature, but that's not at all clear yet. And even if possible, there is immense overhead for apps like Procreate, which has dozens of tools.

Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is an impressive upgrade with a thinner, lighter, more sleek design. It includes a function row, a larger trackpad with haptics, and an aluminum wrist wrest.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

The cantilever hinge appears to have different balancing compared to the previous model. When compared to the previous Magic Keyboard, the new model sits the iPad further back and has different viewing angles, likely to account for the function row.

Regardless, it is impressive that Apple can add more keys to the keyboard, significantly increase the trackpad size, and still end up with a thinner and lighter case. The aluminum disguises the iPad as an odd-looking inverted MacBook where all the weight is in the lid.

Even with the iPad fully open and extended, it won't block the function row. If you're skilled enough as a touch typist to hit the function keys without looking, there's a chance you'll hit the bottom of the display, but otherwise, the keys are visible and accessible.

13-inch iPad Pro review: the rubbery exterior is prone to collecting fingerprints

The rubber exterior is back, and I'm not sure I like it. I wish Apple could have kept leather around and clad this model in it, because it would have made for a much more premium feeling option.

The material just soaks up fingerprints, and there's already a permanent mark on the top of the case that I can't explain. While it isn't a deal breaker, it seems like Apple would do better than whatever this soft material is on the outside. Perhaps Dbrand or something similar might have a solution at some point.

The keyboard itself is unchanged. It retains the same chiclet keys with minimal travel and white backlighting.

13-inch iPad Pro review: charge at around 20W over the included USB-C port

The USB-C port in the keyboard's base will provide enough power to keep the iPad Pro charged while in use. It provides power through the Smart Connector Passthrough, which consistently showed about 20W of draw from our battery, peaking at 22.5W. That's consistent with the previous Magic Keyboard's USB-C port.

Magnetic stands and cases

Apple had to rearrange the magnets in the iPad Pro to make it thinner and lighter. That means all previous magnetic accessories aren't compatible.

13-inch iPad Pro review: replacing the old magnetic stands for iPad Pro is a pain, but understandable

Going six years with the same magnets and accessories is a decent enough run. However, it does introduce some level of unexpected and surprise complexity. As a power user, I accumulated a lot of these magnetic stands to place where the iPad is used in the home, all of which now need replacing.

I passed my M1 iPad Pro down in a cascade upgrade, meaning two different magnetic stand types are used in our home. This is incredibly clearly a first-world problem that few will face.

In practicality, though, it does mean common areas like the kitchen will need device-agnostic stands. In houses with multiple iPads, spanning Pro and non-Pro, this is probably already in effect, though.

13-inch iPad Pro review: magnets moved around, but the Smart Connector is unchanged

We're pretty sure that it's impossible for device makers to stuff the needed magnets for both kinds of iPad Pros into one stand. They would likely create polarity issues and misalign the iPad either way.

Before release I hadn't considered the magnet arrangement as something that could or would change. Thinking about it now, it's about the most obvious thing that could have happened given the re-engineering of the device to make it thinner and move the camera.

Let's hope Apple can hold onto this arrangement going forward. Magnetic mounting options for the iPad are part of what makes it feel like a magical piece of glass.

13-inch iPad Pro review - M4

I had hoped that by waiting a few weeks to publish a review, there would be something available to push the M4. It's easy to think that the M4 in iPad Pro caught everyone by surprise and left developers scrambling to support an entirely new system.

In reality, it's more of the same we've seen since M1 hit iPad Pro. There's just not that much that can push the iPad Pro that hard.

13-inch iPad Pro review: M4 is an incredible chipset for such a thin device

By the time developers get around to optimizing for the latest and greatest chipset, there's already something new being announced. That's an even bigger problem on a platform like iPad since iPadOS has some odd restrictions.

There's no reason to dive deep into benchmark scores. The M4 is faster with a 3590 single, 13353 multi, and 52183 GPU score. Compare that to the 2395 single, 8838 multi, and 32958 GPU on the M1 iPad Pro I replaced.

Everything I threw at the M4 iPad Pro didn't slow it down. Other reviewers seemed to have some luck tipping over the edge running complex 4K video exports from Final Cut Pro, but that may be due to the length of time it takes to export and not peak performance causing too much heat.

13-inch iPad Pro review: M4 iPad Pro benchmarks compared

There is already a pro app story for iPad, and it's getting better with each iteration as Apple opens up more options for developers. However, it seems very few people are discussing the iPad Pro as a powerful gaming platform.

I tested all of the M-series optimized games like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding. There aren't any performance sliders in these games, and I'm certain they're aimed at M2, not M4, so they lack optimizations for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh mapping.

Sure, the iPhone versions of these games likely account for those processes available in A17 Pro, but there's no way to know what that means for M4, given the lack of graphics options in settings.

13-inch iPad Pro review: games run better than ever on iPad

There is a notable difference in overall performance on the M4. Despite running more pixels on a larger display, Resident Evil 4 ran smoothly without any lag or screen tears that appear regularly on the iPhone version.

Apple's push for more AAA titles and console-grade releases may pan out into a more robust catalog of games that tax the M4. We'll see, though. We want Apple's game porting toolkit to be more than lip service to gamers using Apple hardware, but so far, that's all it is.

But App Store titles aren't the end of the gaming discussion. Emulation and streaming open up many more gaming options on iPad.

13-inch iPad Pro review: 'Death Stranding' stands out as a great looking AAA title

Game streaming is quite straightforward, like playing games run from a gaming PC or PlayStation 5 on iPad. I still haven't had much luck getting good enough streams with services like GeForceNow, but local streaming has been a great stopgap if I don't have access to the living room TV for any reason.

I'm particularly excited about the future of game emulation and the power M4 provides. If Apple decides to allow a special exception for JIT compilation and emulation, consoles like the Nintendo Gamecube could be run easily from an iPad Pro.

To be clear, we're not expecting that exception, though. Apple has made it clear that it will support retro gaming with emulators, and it seems to be enforcing that line by disallowing JIT in emulation in the name of security.

I suppose there's always sideloading through Xcode for these non-compliant emulators. I'd still prefer an App Store-only existence where Apple allows developers to use things like JIT safely.

13-inch iPad Pro review: emulators will benefit from the processing power of M4

All told, though, options that exist today are still adequate, assuming you want to play games from the very early 21st century and before. I would never have imagined playing Pokemon Snap from N64 on an OLED display in 2024, but here we are.

There hasn't been a flood of big-game developers flocking to Apple hardware, but there are a few showing more interest in delivering AAA titles in a timely manner. We're not ready to say that things are looking up for AAA gaming on Apple platforms, and it's cold comfort that the company is an absolute powerhouse in casual gaming.

The M4 is brand new, though. We'll have to revisit what capabilities it can provide and optimized gaming experiences at a later date.

13-inch iPad Pro review - iPadOS

I'll start things off by saying I love iPadOS. It has gained a lot of important features since splitting from iOS while remaining familiar and easy to use for non-power users. Yes, the code base is still basically iOS with additional stuff on top, but I'm not sure that's the core issue.

13-inch iPad Pro review: iPadOS has come a long way since early 2020

Pick anywhere in the past fourteen years of the iPad's existence, and you can find a moment where you can say "I can't believe you can't do this on iPad." It has come a long way, especially since the introduction of iPad Pro in 2015 and iPadOS in 2019.

When I started my job at AppleInsider in 2019, I worked from a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A12Z processor. It was mounted in a Brydge keyboard and attached to a USB-C dock with an external mouse attached.

No real cursor support arrived until months after working with that setup, and it was a godsend. Since then, Apple has improved certain parts of the Files app with better editing and app integration support, added Stage Manager with external display support, and introduced Focus Modes with incredible customization controls.

13-inch iPad Pro review: iPad Pro and MacBook Pro have comparable prices, but not software

Those updates aren't much, but still made working from iPad Pro more and more viable.

For a while, I took a break from being iPad only and moved to a 14-inch MacBook Pro to test out macOS and everything Apple was doing with Apple Silicon. While that was a fun experiment, I couldn't help but want to go back to iPad, and Stage Manager was what pulled me back full-time.

That said, some obvious parts of iPadOS need work, and some niches will never be able to go iPad-only, no matter what Apple does. I want to use this review to capture some of the pain points that still exist today before Apple reveals iPadOS 18 on June 10.

Producing a definitive list of problems with iPadOS isn't that straightforward. Many iPad users will say they're happy with it today, while others run into edge cases that create annoyance. Others -- like Mike -- still find that there are just too many compromises to accept to be happy with getting all work done on the iPad.

So, I've rounded up a few more obvious problems affecting users. I'm among the middle crowd -- able to get work done, but the edge cases are quite frustrating nearly a decade into iPad Pro.

Controlling and recording audio on iPad

I'm an iPad-first podcaster. Even so, it's frustrating to record a show on the iPad, at least not without jumping through some hoops.

13-inch iPad Pro review: iPadOS podcasting limitations haven't changed a bit in years

Either I have to pay for an expensive service that records calls, have two calls going on different devices with iPad recording, or buy hundreds of dollars in equipment to record local audio to an SD card. None of this is necessary on a Mac, where the user can simultaneously make a call and record audio in two apps.

The problem goes further than just podcasting. Anyone who's ever used an iPad or iPhone has encountered it at least once -- apps stealing audio.

Since I can't have more than one audio app active on iPad, I can be listening to music and have a video ad in Safari stop playback. System audio sounds like notifications interrupt audio, too.

13-inch iPad Pro review: no source control in audio settings

Apple needs to get out of its own way with audio on iPhone and iPad. Give users the ability to control audio intents and handle multiple audio streams at once.

It's time Apple enabled users to produce podcasts entirely on an iPad. It seems like the perfect place for it as a modular platform.

I've encountered this limitation in a completely different kind of content production -- game streaming. The release of iPadOS 17 enabled video capture from external capture cards, allowing game streaming from consoles like Nintendo Switch.

It is nearly impossible to get this working without audio intent controls.

13-inch iPad Pro review: game streaming is possible from iPad Pro, kind of

Everything else is in place. I can record my face with the Studio Display webcam, record the Nintendo Switch video, capture my voice over a microphone, and listen to playback. Still, I cannot have game audio and voice tracks appear in the stream without some configuration.

I had to program the streaming box with a Mac application to mix my voice and incoming game audio into one track. That shouldn't be necessary.

Multitasking on iPad Pro

Don't get me wrong, iPad has had some interesting ideas for multitasking. I was such a fan of Slide Over that I installed an app that replicated the function on Mac.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Stage Manager needs work

It was a big celebration when the Stage Manager arrived because it finally meant windowing and external display support on iPad. I could finally make use of the Studio Display outside of a 4:3 box. It was the biggest reason I returned from my short time using Mac.

After a bumpy launch and a big refinement in iPadOS 17, I'm still left wanting more. We're almost there with multitasking, but some obvious issues exist that need addressing.

First, developers have no way of telling an app to react to different windowing modes. Apple relies entirely on scalable size classes for window resizing, so an app has no idea if Stage Manager is active. This is incredibly frustrating.

13-inch iPad Pro review: adjusting window sizes is a frustrating task

If Apple provided an API for windowing states, apps could get creative in how they react to different sizes and positions. It would also allow Shortcuts to exist that would create preset stages.

Stage Manager also has an odd problem with presenting windows in full screen. A single full-screen app looks great, but drag another window in, and it becomes two windows, leaving a lot of empty space around the edges. Allow a "full-screen mode" where if I stretch an app to fill the display, it returns to the old Split View style with a size slider in the middle.

I'm not a UI designer, so I won't pretend to know how Apple should solve its iPadOS multitasking issues. What I want is a commitment to Stage Manager to make it the best system, not mild interest for three years before inevitably introducing a new windowing paradigm.

System level tools

There are two indispensable tools that I love on my 14-inch MacBook Pro that do not exist in full-powered form on my iPad -- Paste and Cleanshot X.

13-inch iPad Pro review: apps like Paste can't run system wide on iPadOS

Paste is a universal app that can be installed on the iPad, but it doesn't work unless it is running in the foreground. That's the problem -- Apple doesn't allow system-wide tools that can run in the background to exist.

Clipboard managers are incredibly important to writers. We're all human, and despite it being a bad idea, sometimes there might be text that only exists on your clipboard. Forget to paste it and copy something else, and it's gone forever.

I can hit a keyboard shortcut on my Mac anywhere and see everything I've copied that day. There's nothing about iPadOS that says this shouldn't be possible beyond Apple's built-in limitations.

13-inch iPad Pro review: screenshot tools can't be modified by third party apps

The same goes for Cleanshot X, a screenshot app. While Apple's built-in screenshot tool on iPad is adequate, Cleanshot X is a superpower for Mac that just can't exist on iPad. I can capture transparent elements like menus and individual windows with a click, and that's really hard on iPad.

It's time to bring true system utilities and extensions to iPadOS. That includes tools that enable windowing automation, grammar checks, and menu bar customization.

Shoutout to the developers -- Paste is free with in-app purchases. It is also cross-platform for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, but like I said, is far, far better on the Mac. Cleanshot X for Mac is a $29 one-time purchase for just about everything you need, and $8 a month for some pro features.

Background tasks

Another annoyance with iPadOS is how it handles tasks. Leaving an app is as good as quitting it in some cases since active tasks will be dumped in favor of whatever else is active.

13-inch iPad Pro review: exporting video requires waiting with the app in the foreground

Apple has an Activity Monitor on macOS, allowing users to see and kill active processes as needed. There's no such thing on iPadOS because it wouldn't show anything except whatever app was in the foreground.

The iOS and iPadOS multitasking system is clever in that it can instantly resume an app from where you last left it, but that's different from background tasks. Users shouldn't fear dropping an export from Final Cut Pro just because they want to answer an iMessage.

Power is available to do this, clearly, because it can be done on Mac with the same processor -- but the system just isn't built for it. A lot of the problems with iPadOS are inherited from the old one-app-at-a-time mentality from iPad's beginning.

First-class apps

13-inch iPad Pro with the M4 processor is currently benchmarked as having the fastest single-core performance in any consumer product. It is the first Apple device with the M4 processor, has the same next-generation GPU found in M3 Macs, and has 16GB of RAM.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Photomator on iPadOS is basic compared to Pixelmator Pro for Mac

Yet, for some reason, the App Store is still filled with "iPad versions" of apps. I can't run Pixelmator Pro on my iPad Pro despite it being a better computer than my M1 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro.

This isn't because developers are treating it as a second-class platform. The problem is how Apple restricts developers when building apps. Artificial restrictions on API use and chipset performance ensure some apps only exist on macOS.

I'm aware what I want isn't a small ask. Apple would have to change some of the underlying frameworks in iPadOS to enable more powerful apps.

But as a product with so much power and the "pro" name, I believe it needs to be done.

No way to satisfy everyone

No matter how you try, you won't make a Honda Civic into a 10-wheel truck. There are some tasks that you'll just need a Mac for, especially those that require a Terminal.

13-inch iPad Pro review: iPad Pro is a more versatile hardware platform versus Mac, but not software

While I believe Apple may eventually make it possible to do web development on iPad, true app development like what's done in Xcode on Mac won't be done with an iPad, because Apple doesn't want it to be. The iPad isn't meant to kill the Mac, it is just a suitable alternative for many traditional computer users.

The key to discussing iPadOS and the iPad is this -- it isn't a Mac, it shouldn't run macOS, and it deserves to be better. That's it. We can all love the iPad and hope Apple continues improving it by adding obvious features we're clamoring for.

WWDC could address some of my concerns, but certainly not all of them. Though, it seems Apple AI may play a crucial part in the future of iPad.

But we obviously can't talk about that today.

13-inch iPad Pro review - potential as an AI-first device

Despite the usual leaks about the next operating system updates, there's no way of truly knowing the extent of Apple's AI plans and how far it will seep into the operating systems. However, hints everywhere suggest the buzzword will be a big part of Apple's 2024 strategy.

13-inch iPad Pro review: Apple AI could make iPad Pro a unique platform

In one interview, Apple's SVP of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak said iPad Pro with M4 is a powerful AI computer. That quick passing statement could hint at what iPadOS 18 will mean for iPad users.

The Mac has always been a workhorse capable of doing whatever you threw at it, provided it had the specs. The iPad started life as a consumption device, and remains so for most iPad users.

For a select few, it evolved into a multi-faceted productivity tool. However, it has never been able to shake its origin.

I love iPad because it feels like a new and futuristic paradigm compared to Macs with desktops and menu bars. However, it has always sat as kind of a middle ground where only niche users would find it worthy of being a full PC replacement.

That could change with iPadOS 18 and Apple's AI push. If Apple pivots iPad Pro with M4 as an AI-first machine, it could mean a significant strategy shift in future updates.

13-inch iPad Pro review: not perfect, but still an interesting vision of the post-pc era

Of course, this 13-inch iPad Pro review is about what exists today. It has to be. Apple hit it out of the park with hardware, but that's never been the problem with the iPad.

We've all said it before, but let's say it again -- a lot rests on WWDC. We'll be back very soon to discuss iPadOS 18 in detail, and a future months-on review will cover exactly what changed with the iPad Pro and what didn't.

Meanwhile, if you need an iPad and have the money, you'll find nothing but good with the 13-inch iPad Pro. It is an excellent option for anyone, whether they're looking to go iPad-only or have a companion for their Mac.

This is, of course, provided you have the cash.

13-inch iPad Pro review - Pros

• Impossibly thin and light design


• Tandem OLED is a game changer for iPad


• Nano Texture adds a useful option for outdoor use


• Modular computing with magnets


• Thunderbolt port, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E


• Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro expand on an already impressive product


• M4 processor offers a lot of untapped potential...

13-inch iPad Pro review - Cons

• But, iPadOS holds back otherwise capable hardware


• Magic Keyboard could have better external material options


• Nano Texture is an unknown regarding long-term durability


• No backward compatibility with accessories


• MacBook Pro prices without the guarantee of fitting every workflow

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

From a pure hardware standpoint, in a vacuum, not considering software, the 13-inch iPad Pro deserves a 5.0. It is thinner, lighter, and more powerful than ever.

That power is wasted, though. It gets a 3.5 out of 5 today, because there is so much clear and obvious room for improvement based on steep and Apple-enforced limitations of software and operating system.

While I love the iPad Pro and use it as my primary work device, it isn't perfect.

Google effectively requires a numerical score for reviews. All of the writers at AppleInsider agree that picking a number lacks nuance.

Here's no nuance: Read my review, see what I said. The device is amazing and is worth buying. Don't get stuck on the score.

There's lots of headroom for improvement in the operating system that you can't replace with an alternate. To be clear, we don't want to do that, we're not interested in Linux on iPad, or the like.

It is so clear that Apple could do more with iPadOS. To date, though, it just doesn't want to. It's fine with near-annual hardware updates eclipsing the operating system, and the gap today is so large, it's become a problem.

I'll be revisiting this device and score sometime after WWDC. As long as iPadOS is in its current state, and the hardware keeps outpacing the glacial software advancements in iPadOS, iPad Pro can't reach the perfect score.

Where to buy Apple's M4 13-inch iPad Pro

Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro with M4 is on sale now, with the lowest prices in our 13-inch iPad Pro Price Guide.

At the time of this review, Apple resellers are discounting the 2024 models by up to $155. Apple Authorized Reseller Adorama, in particular, is knocking up to $100 off every single model with promo code APINSIDER in addition to bonus savings on AppleCare. To activate the savings, enter the coupon code during Step 4 of checkout.

In our roundup of the best iPad deals, you can also find the steepest markdowns on tablets from the entire range, including the iPad Air 6 and 10th Generation iPad.



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Apple has issued another update for iPadOS 17.5.1, but it's a release intended to fix something on the tenth-generation iPad.

Apple iPad 10

On May 20, Apple released updates for iOS 17.5.1 and iPadOS 17.5.1 for iPhone and iPad. The update fixed a bug in Photos that resurfaced previously deleted images.

Two weeks later, Apple has released the update once again, but only for one device. Monday's re-release of iPadOS 17.5.1 is only for the iPad 10.

The update only applies to that specific model of iPad. It does not affect any other iPad models.

The new update is build number 21F91. The build number for the previously-released version for all other compatible devices is 21F90.

It is unclear exactly what Apple has changed in the build.

How to update to iPadOS 17.5.1 on iPad 10

Updating an iPad is straightforward and doesn't require much user intervention. Generally, if the user has automatic updates enabled, the update will install overnight without prompt.

If, for some reason, the update doesn't install automatically or if the user wants to install it manually, that is done via the Settings app.

1. Open Settings


2. Tap "General"


3. Tap "Software Update"


4. The software update will appear here when available

According to proponents of this myth, Microsoft is out to kill Apple's Macs with a "new" PC it will design and build on its own. Once it arrives, they expect Microsoft to clean up not only the PC market, but also the market for Edge AI software sales, leaving Apple on the sidelines.

Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative promotes AI

This myth, like the iPhone iPod myth, is based on a fundamentalist faith that insists that Microsoft is invincible and Apple is inconsequential. All other alternatives are just too difficult for lazy tech analysts to fathom.

Consequently, tech analysts are very excited about any prospects for returning things back to the mid 90's, where Microsoft could do nothing wrong, and Apple could do, well, nothing at all.

Tech analysts have warned consumers about the eminent death of Apple's M3 Mac at the hands of devices built by Microsoft's Copilot PC partners, and spelled out the clear facts behind their logic:

• Copilot PCs offer users a choice of devices, all built upon Microsoft's reference designs


• Copilot PCs can offer users unlimited access to Microsoft's software development tools for a monthly fee


• Copilot PCs can buy AI apps from Microsoft aligned software stores.

The M3 Mac can't do any of those things. It doesn't even natively support features like Microsoft's Copilot chat bot, which Copilot PCs do.

That leaves an appearance of clear logic behind the prophecies of Mac doom. Apple may have reigned supreme for years, but Microsoft and their huge arsenal of partners, along with their powerful desktop PC operating system monopoly, will surely unseat Apple sometime real soon now.

Unraveled with Extreme Prejudice

The idea of a Microsoft Copilot seems to make a lot of sense. Microsoft does have a history of entering markets late, but then successfully taking over and cleaning up:

• Microsoft's Windows 95 arrived ten years late, but then took over the graphic desktop OS consumer market


• Microsoft's Windows NT decimated the entrenched UNIX workstation market and destroyed OS/2


• Microsoft's Office apps killed several entrenched products, including Lotus 123 and WordPerfect


• Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser dethroned Netscape.

This all happened before

If you've read this far and things seem sort of strangely familiar, it's because I originally wrote the above text for an article back in 2006. I just updated it by changing the references from "Microsoft's iPod killer" to today's' supposed "Mac killer" in the form of the "new" Microsoft Copilot PC.

The original article addressed pundits' historical hopes for an "iPod Killer" nearly ten years ago, and why all the analysts and bloggers of the day were wrong about how Microsoft would just walk in and kill Apple's iPod.

This might remind you of the Zune, the Microsoft-designed iPod competitor that never caught on and was eventually abandoned because iPods ended up being the music player the public really wanted to buy. Nobody bought the Zune outside of a scant few trying to be "different" by ironically buying a product from Microsoft. Most Zune buyers were Microsoft employees, apparently.

Microsoft Zune

But no, the article was written in mid 2006, before Zune arrived. The Zune didn't appear until the end of 2007, which was even worse for Redmond because by that time Apple had already introduced and started shipped the next big thing, its first iPhone, in a case of spectacularly bad timing for a late coming, wannabe-iPod from Microsoft.

Back in mid 2006, the "iPod Killer" Microsoft was promoting was its Windows Media Player brand of MP3-player built by the same companies building Windows PCs. WMP was a reference design of how to beat Apple by doing something very similar looking, but in a way that profited Microsoft.

We just invented what Apple's been doing for years now

That makes Microsoft's old, ill-fated strategy for disrupting Apple in music players back in 2006 virtually identical to its current day strategy for ridiculing Apple and the Mac while pushing the very same product concept in a form where it is delivered instead by the companies who didn't already think to specialize in delivering local AI rendering on the PC on their own.

But today, Microsoft is belatedly bringing the idea of locally performed machine learning to generic PC makers and then taxing the PC industry Windows-style to profit from its me-too efforts.

Rather than blazing a new trail with the "Copilot PC," Microsoft is just rebranding its largely unused Bing Chat--while also trying to take credit for Apple's existing efforts to reinvent the personal computer from being a commodity Intel PC into being a new high performance, highly efficient new class of ARM-powered devices equipped with an Neural Engine: specialized machine learning AI acceleration.

If you're too young to remember the iPod wars or the other mostly forgotten history of early 2000s personal computing, you might instead call to mind the virtually identical history of Microsoft's bold ideas for competing with iPhone. Ir tried this first with Windows Mobile leveraging its Windows PC monopoly to deliver a mobile PC monopoly, but without success.

It then had its own disastrous fiasco of the 2010 Microsoft KIN phone, which was like a less-successful version of the Zune.

Microsoft Kin

Just like the Zune, Microsoft's KIN fatefully appeared, belatedly, just as Apple was expanding beyond the iPhone status-quo that Microsoft could see to an entirely new product category: iPad in 2010.

If that's not history ringing the same bell twice, consider also that Microsoft's grand plans for competing with a rumored Apple tablet right before iPad arrived in 2010 was the very same thing. It was working on the Windows Slate PC leveraging its Windows PC monopoly to deliver a tablet PC monopoly, but without success.

Additionally, after iPad achieved glorious success in stark contrast to the flop of Slate PC, Microsoft again belatedly peddled out its own version of Apple's work, the Surface/RT PC. This was again a first attempt to copy Apple in escaping the stifling legacy of Intel PCs when it jumped to using the iPhone's novel A4 application processor as the basis for general purpose mobile tablet computing.

Something similar also occurred when Microsoft belatedly tried to copy Apple Watch with its own ill-fated Band, and when it tried to copy Siri with its own poorly received take on Voice First with the Cortana voice assistant it tried to use to generate some excitement for Windows PCs. Remember Cortana, or have you already forgotten about it as fast as Microsoft did?

Cortana didn't last long. Microsoft is cutting support fully in June.

Today, Microsoft is doing the exact same lazy thing to again try to garner some excitement about legacy Windows PCs, this time by tacking an AI chat bot. And specifically, the Bing Chat bot nobody cared about before Microsoft rebranded it as Copilot.

Counting the Surface tablet and Windows RT, and the time Microsoft pretended to "design" its own advanced SoC just like Apple by putting RAM on a Snapdragon, this must be Microsoft's third major attempt to ditch Intel and deliver something that could compete with Apple's iPad, or M-powered Macs, or even both.

Can Microsoft push Apple off the Edge of AI?

The "Edge" is a term that applies to performing cost-intensive AI processing right on your local device, rather than sending AI queries to a Cloud service where the work is done on centralized warehouses of computing power and the results are sent back to the client. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft's Azure are the principal front-runners for running software -- and most recently, AI -- on the Cloud.

However back in 2017, Apple introduced its Neural Engine as a specialized segment of its then-new A11 Bionic mobile processor. The Neural Engine was Apple's marketing name for the generic concept of a specialized Neural Processing Unit. An NPU is silicon logic optimized to process machine learning algorithms the way that a GPU is specialized for offloading and computing graphics faster than the general CPU can by itself.

Also back in 2017, performing rapid machine learning calculations right on its own A11 chip allowed Apple's new iPhone X to perform the complex facial recognition of Face ID as well as delivering the more whimsical new feature of face-based Animoji in Messages. Rather than being enthralled with iPhone X, pundits of the day ridiculed its $999 price tag and tried to make a story out of an onstage demo error that made it appear that Face ID wasn't yet working.

They were wrong on both accounts, but more importantly, the broad spectrum of analysts and pundits who all act like they have a strong grasp on the future and what will work and what won't, were shown to be tiny thinkers who all just repeated the low signal-to-noise clucking of the other birds in the same coup in their daily work of dutifully laying eggs for Microsoft.

Leaps and bounds of Apple's Neural Engine

Since its debut in 2017, Apple has not only dramatically improved the performance and efficiency of its Neural Engine in silicon, but also released a series of new functions. This includes, for example, recognizing elements in text, images, photos, and other context in a new software framework called Core ML.

This all allowed third party developers to also make use of the increasingly powerful and power efficient Neural Engine in Apple's iPhone and iPad chips.

Apple's first Neural Engine used two cores on a 10nm silicon process to deliver 600 billion operations per second. It's next A12 Neural Engine ran up to nine times faster while consuming one-tenth of the power, thanks to its 8 cores and a tighter 7nm process that brought performance to 5 trillion OPS.

The following year, Apple's A13 delivered an 8-core Neural Engine in 2019 delivering 20% faster performance using 15% less power. In 2020, Apple's 5nm A14 Neural Engine delivered 16 cores that could achieve 11 trillion OPS in the service of accelerating machine learning operations.

The Neural Engine was given an upgrade in the A17 Pro

That same year, Apple brought its in-house Apple Silicon processor technology to the Macintosh, delivering not just power efficient general performance but also that very same Neural Engine driving the identical Core ML functionality right on the device as iPads and iPhones could. That was, astoundingly, four years ago.

The performance and efficiency of Apple's Neural Engine has been growing in pace with silicon advancements ever since. The 2021 A15 Neural Engine brought operations per second to 15.8 trillion. In 2022, M2 Macs gained a similar 40% performance jump over the first generation of Apple Silicon Macs.

Leaps in new silicon process technology helped Apple's 2022 new 4 nm A16 Neural Engine to deliver 17 trillion operations per second at higher efficiency, while the next year's A17 Pro leveraged a new 3nm process to handle 35 trillion operations per second in its Neural Engine. This year, Apple's latest M4 just delivered a second generation 3nm process that introduced an even faster Neural Engine on the Mac, achieving up to 38 trillion operations per second.

Instead of any exciting clucking from the hen houses of analysts and bloggers, we heard mostly crickets.

Chickens gonna cluck when Microsoft needs an egg

Yet when Microsoft rolled out its Copilot PC concept, the pundit chickens suddenly got clucking about the potential for having AI-specific acceleration built right into the local device for security, privacy, performance and reliability.

It was as if Apple hadn't actually been publicly deploying the largest installed base of highly performant, efficient silicon capable of handling a variety of machine learning applications since it first introduced the idea back in 2017 -- on a device everyone in blogdom was saying would never catch on nor sell in remarkable quantities.

Nobody pushed the facile narrative of "the unaffordable iPhone X" harder than the Bloomberg, who insisted Apple was essentially going out of business for daring to build futuristic technology and marketing it so successfully that everyone would be desperate to spring for it no matter the cost.

In that fantasy world of pretend journalism, it was as if Apple had never done this before.

Will an AI chatbot without a Cloud rescue legacy Windows PCs?

What's different this time around? Is there some desperate need to run an AI chatbot on a Windows PC, locally? Is there, really? Does anyone want that to occur outside of Microsoft?

What purpose does it serve apart from attempting to juice stagnant sales of commodity Windows PCs by inventing a reason to buy a new PC?

Also, did anyone ask for Recall, the parallel AI "feature" Microsoft dreamed up? The revulsion at the idea across the board suggests there will be as much demand for Copilot as there was for Cortana, the previous big marketing feature that was supposed to drive excitement in and around the inherently boring commodity market of Windows PCs.

Yet if every subsequent PC is deemed a Copilot PC, Microsoft can pretend that its rebranding of Bing Chat is a sudden sensation.

If you're really old, you might remember how much effort Microsoft put into Bob, its original stab at making the PC seem exciting and futuristic with a chat bot that delivered seldom-useful assistant features. Has the entire company just never had an original thought?

Steve Jobs once referred to Microsoft as the "photocopier in Redmond," an apt description of its myopic sense of creativity and invention.

On the eve of WWDC 2024, when Apple is expected to deliver details on its own advancements in machine learning and other AI features on its Neural Engine Macs and mobile devices, it seems like desperate timing for Microsoft to pull out another PlaysForSure, another Zune, another Windows Mobile, another KIN, another Slate PC, another Surface RT, another Bob/Cortana/Copilot, and then arrogantly suggest that it is actually way ahead of Apple, and won't you please buy a slightly altered version of our Windows PC that does today what Apple will probably never do, yet also is already doing, and actually has been doing quite successfully for more than 6 years now.

Microsoft's touting the AI capabilities of its 2024 Surface lineup

How can Microsoft do this with a straight face? Mostly by comparing its fastest Copilot (I.E. Snapdragon) PC equipped with cooling fans and no provision for battery conservation against, not Apple's previous generation M3 chip, but only Apple's lightest, slimmest, fan free ultra-efficient MacBook Air that uses an M3 chip. And crowing itself with success over one select benchmark as a dubious accomplishment while making no mention of the fact that Apple has been selling M-based Macs equipped with a Neural Engine for the last four years, resulting in a large installed base that can already perform Apple's AI.

Copilot PC has an installed base of Zune.

Back in 2006, I finished my original article on Microsoft's iPod Killer the same as I can now -- "Microsoft clearly just doesn't get it, and the market will consequently punish them severely for it."

One thing that could be different this time around: back in 2006, for my original iPod Killer article, I had to manually edit layers of a graphic to come up with a composite illustration portraying Steve Ballmer as trying to take down a plane full of iPods. Today I could ask an AI tool like Midjourney to compose something like that for me.

Things incrementally change rapidly in the tech industry, except for Microsoft and its photocopy culture.



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