May 16, 2024 – This week, 《Fast Company》 featured an insightful interview with Apple’s senior vice presidents, John Ternus and Greg Joswiak (affectionately known as “Joz”), delving into Apple’s vision for the iPad, the introduction of the M4 chip, AI advancements, and what truly makes an iPad “pro”.
One of the most striking comments came from Joz, who hesitated to even call the iPad a “tablet”, stating, “I hesitate to call it a tablet, because tablets suck, and iPads don’t.”
Apple has debuted its new M4 chip in the latest iPad Pro. According to Ternus, this chip is pivotal in powering the dual OLED displays of the new iPad Pro. He elaborated, “We’ve always seen the iPad as a magical sheet of glass that allows people to directly interact with content. We’re thrilled to push the boundaries of thinness and lightness with the new iPad Pro without sacrificing performance. With the best display and most powerful performance we’ve ever had on an iPad, and without compromising on battery life or durability, we believe this offers the ultimate iPad experience.”
The M4 iPad Pro will also come with a range of new accessories, including an aluminum Magic Keyboard with added function keys and a larger touchpad, as well as an enhanced Apple Pencil Pro. Ternus explained the innovative charging mechanism of the new Apple Pencil Pro, saying, “We had to devise a completely new architecture. Essentially, we’ve reduced the size of the electromagnetic induction charging solution to less than half of its previous version, allowing all these components to come together and function seamlessly.”
In the interview, Joz also hinted at Apple’s plans to streamline its Pencil product line, which might involve phasing out the original Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil 2.
The discussion also touched upon AI, Mac computers, and Apple’s definition of a “professional” iPad. Joz observed that most Mac users also own an iPad and vice versa, emphasizing that people choose the most suitable tool based on the situation. “They are two distinctly different tools,” he said.
Ternus challenged the perception of the iPad Pro’s “professionalism”, arguing that “professional” isn’t defined solely by Mac computers. He commented, “There’s an interesting misconception, perhaps Mac users measuring professionalism by their own standards. Look at what the Procreate team has achieved with Apple Pencil Pro. There’s no more professional drawing app than Procreate; they are the lifeblood of artists.”
Features like touch operation, Apple Pencil input, and built-in 5G continue to differentiate the iPad from the Mac, despite their overlapping capabilities. Regarding AI, details on the software side will be revealed at WWDC in a few weeks. Until then, Apple will leverage its years of experience in neural engine technology, which has been integral to its chip products and even Intel-based Mac computers.
