Ars Technica reviews Apple’s 10.5-inch iPad Pro: Much more ‘pro’ than what it replaces

“Nothing Apple has done in the last three years has reversed the iPad’s sales decline, or stopped it, or even really slowed it down all that much,” Andrew Cunningham writes for Ars Technica. “But 2017 has made clear that if the iPad keeps falling, it won’t be for lack of trying.”

“On the software side, you’ve got iOS 11, an update that makes iOS 9’s multitasking additions look rudimentary and quaint. It adds a distinctly Mac-like application dock and dramatically changes how the device runs and interacts with multiple apps at the same time,” Cunningham writes. “The changes allow for much-improved ‘window’ and file management, and you can easily drag-and-drop content between apps.”

“On the hardware side, the lineup is as compelling as it’s ever been for the new buyers and upgraders Apple needs to attract to push up sales,” Cunningham writes. “Today we’re focusing specifically on the 10.5-inch version, the one that has been changed the most visibly. It’s got a bigger, better screen; it’s got a better, faster chip with more RAM; and its enlarged Smart Keyboard makes it a whole lot nicer to work on than its predecessor.”

“Those improved specs, the better keyboard, and all of iOS 11’s new features (most notably the file manager and the new multitasking features) also earn these tablets more right to the “Pro” name than their predecessors had,” Cunningham writes. “When iOS 11 comes out these tablets are going to be more computer-y than they have been at any point in their seven-year history.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Yup.

Finally, the promise of iPad is realized. – SteveJack, MacDailyNews, June 5, 2017

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These go to 11: Apple makes iOS more Mac-like and iPad’s promise is finally realized – June 9, 2017