Apple’s new iPad Pro has Face ID, USB-C, and smaller bezels than ever before

After months of rumors, Apple has today announced a completely redesigned iPad Pro with slimmed-down bezels, Face ID, a USB-C port, and far more powerful specs than its predecessor. Just like prior years, the new iPad Pro comes in two screen sizes: 11-inch and 12.9-inch. The 11-inch model has essentially the same proportions as the prior 10.5-inch model. And the 12.9-inch model puts the same-sized display into a much smaller form factor. The new iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 11-inch and $999 for the 12.9-inch. Preorders begin today and it ships November 7th.

The new Pro is the company’s first iPad not to include a home button, which allowed Apple to extend the screen vertically for a much more immersive experience. The bezels have been downsized on all four sides. Like the iPhone XR, Apple is referring to this screen as a Liquid Retina Display. Both sizes offer Apple’s ProMotion technology for smooth, fluid display performance. With the removal of the home button, the new iPads will fully adopt the gesture navigation that debuted on the iPhone X.

But something else has been removed, too: the headphone jack. There’s no 3.5mm port visible on any of the device’s sides, meaning that buyers will need a USB-C-to-headphone dongle to listen to music through wired headphones. But with USB-C comes something nifty, you’ll actually be able to use your iPad to charge up your iPhone on the go, making it the world’s most expensive battery pack.

Just plug in your iPhone (or, presumably, any other device that you want to charge up) into the iPad’s USB-C port, and you’ll be able to charge it up. Apple hasn’t said yet what kind of power that iPad will be able to push — you probably won’t be able to charge up another iPad Pro or a Mac, for instance — but if you’re out and about and need some extra juice for your phone, it’s a neat option to have.

Of course, you’ll still need to buy a USB-C to Lightning cable for an extra $19.99, since Apple still doesn’t include them in the box with any iPhones.

Both iPad Pros feature Face ID and the TrueDepth camera setup that also began with the iPhone X. But unlike the iPhone X, XS, and XR, the new iPad Pro lacks a notch; its Face ID components are housed in the top, flat bezel. On the iPad, Face ID can work when the device is oriented horizontally — when it’s connected to a keyboard, for example. Adding Face ID means that Animoji and Memoji will coming to iPad for the first time.

The 2018 iPad Pros are powered by Apple’s new A12X Bionic chip with an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU. This leads to 35 percent faster single-core performance and a leap to 90 percent faster for multi-core tasks. As for the GPU, Apple’s Jon Ternus said “the iPad Pro delivers Xbox One S class graphics performance in a package that is much smaller.” It will offer up to 1TB of built-in flash storage.

The iPad’s transition away from Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector to USB-C is a move that the company hasn’t yet deemed to be right for its iPhones. The recently released iPhones XS and XR continue to use Lightning. But putting USB-C in an iPad further cements the device’s place as a computer alternative — if not yet a full replacement. The new port opens new capabilities for the iPad Pro such as charge out; it can provide power to a connected iPhone, for example. The iPad Pro can be connected to displays ranging up to 5K resolution.

The new iPad Pros have four speakers that deliver wider stereo sound, a 12-megapixel camera (capable of 4K/60 video recording), and offer gigabit LTE on cellular models. They’ll ship with an 18-watt charger in the box, and Apple says battery life is good for up to 10 hours of continuous use.

Apple is also introducing a redesigned Apple Pencil alongside its latest iPads. Gone is the annoying charging method that required plugging the Pencil directly into the iPad; now it attaches to the tablet magnetically and charges wirelessly. The bad news is that the new Pencil is only compatible with the latest iPad Pros, and alternatively, the first generation Apple Pencils aren’t compatible with the new tablet either, as shown on the Apple website. Tapping the iPad Pro with the Pencil will immediately wake the device and launch Notes. And other touch gestures — open to third-party developers — can switch between tools in productivity apps and execute other actions. Additionally, Apple is updating the old Smart Keyboard, now called the Smart Keyboard Folio, to allow the iPad to sit at two different typing angles.