Apple Inc. (AAPL) introduced the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in March, with a dual mission.
The new, smaller iPad Pro is the upgrade path for any iPad Air owners who want a new tablet — no iPad Air 3, at least at this point — and it provides an entry-level option for anyone looking for a prosumer tablet.
Combined with Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Case, this new tablet can take on the Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Surface Pro, but does so much more affordably than Apple’s original iPad Pro. That’s a pretty wide mandate and some of the goals conflict with each other.
Does the 9.7-inch iPad Pro succeed, or is Apple trying to cover too much ground with a single device to meet its objectives? Read our review to find out.
9.7-inch iPad Pro Review: The Best 9.7-inch iPad Ever
Before leveling any complaints or criticisms at the latest iPad, one thing needs to be said: this is by far the best 9.7-inch tablet Apple has ever made, and as usual, it’s top of the class for full-sized tablets in general.
The True Tone, oxide TFT display offers incredible color reproduction and sharpness. It’s 20% brighter than the iPad Air 2 and in testing, DisplayMate found the 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s display has the lowest amount of reflected light glare of any tablet or smartphone.
Throw in the 64-bit A9X CPU, four-speaker sound, 12MP iSight camera, ultrafast Gigabit Wi-Fi with MIMO and support for the Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Case keyboard accessories, and this is the full-sized tablet to beat.
It still comes in at under one-quarter-of-an-inch thick and it is also offered in the popular new Rose Gold finish.
Expensive iPad Air or Cheap iPad Pro?
Here’s the problem with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Is it the de facto iPad Air 3, or truly a smaller iPad Pro aimed at the prosumer crowd?
The iPad Air 2 was released in 2014, so Apple’s full-sized consumer tablet is long overdue for an update. Apple is positioning the 9.7-inch iPad Pro to be that upgrade, but it’s priced starting at $599 instead of the usual $499.
Yes, you get 32GB of storage instead of 16GB, but the fact remains that if this tablet is considered the “iPad Air 3,” it’s an expensive one and that may scare off consumers.
However, that $599 price tag also makes it $200 less than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, so it’s effectively covering the bases as the “cheap” iPad Pro option.
But are prosumers — the ones who Apple targeted with the super-sized iPad, Apple Pencil, Apple Smart Case keyboard and split screen functionality in iOS — actually interested in a smaller tablet? Is the $200 savings worth the compromise of doing professional work on a significantly smaller device? That smaller screen definitely doesn’t have the same appeal when working on a big spreadsheet as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s does.
The risk is that Apple may be trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist …
9.7-inch iPad Pro Review: Specs
- 9.7-inch fully laminated, True Tone Retina display with antireflective coating
- 64-bit A9X CPU with M9 coprocessor, 2GB RAM
- 32GB, 128GB or 256GB storage
- 27.5 watt-hour lithium-polymer battery rated at 10 hours
- 12MP iSight camera with 4K video recording, 5MP faceTime camera
- four speaker audio, dual microphones
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi with dual band MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, optional LTE
- Touch ID
- Lightning connector, Smart connector
- Runs iOS 9
- 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.24-inches, weighs 0.96 pounds
- Available in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, Rose Gold
9.7-inch iPad Pro Review: Conclusion
It’s difficult to predict what impact the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is going to have on slumping iPad sales.
If there is a significant group of people who held off on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro because they wanted a smaller iPad Pro that costs a bit less, then this tablet may hit the mark. The display is smaller, but they can equip it with an Apple Smart Case keyboard and carry around a miniature 2-in-1 device for about $750.
And if iPad Air and Air 2 owners are determined to upgrade to something faster with a better display and don’t mind paying a premium to do so, then the 9.7-inch iPad Pro makes a compelling choice. The only choice if they want to stick with Apple.
Apple gambled that a smaller iPad Pro would cover both situations and goose overall iPad sales. Whether that gamble paid off — or the company potentially muddied the waters and confused consumers — remains to be seen. The good news is, if the company missed the mark, they can always rebrand it as the iPad Air 3, lower the price to the traditional $499 and carry on as usual.
As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
