The third generation of iPad Pro[a] is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. Two models, with a 12.9 inch or 11 inch screen, were both announced on October 30, 2018, and were available to purchase on November 7. This generation of iPad Pro was the first iPad compatible with the new (second generation) Apple Pencil stylus. Like the second generation, a larger size and stylus compatibility were a point of difference from the rest of Apple's available iPads, but the third generation iPad Pro was also the first iPad to use facial recognition (Face ID) to unlock the device.
Upgrades from the second generation iPad Pro include the more powerful A12X Bionic processor, storage capacity up to 1 terabyte[1] and the larger display of the 11 inch model (upgraded from a 10.5 inch model). The third generation iPad Pro also premiered a new design, with a screen that covers more of the front face, and has rounded corners.
The redesigned iPad Pro was announced on October 30, 2018,[2][3] during an Apple Special Event at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. The 2018 models feature new edge-to-edge Liquid Retina displays, Face ID, improved 12MP and 7MP cameras, USB-C connector, and Apple A12X Bionic processors. The tablets are offered in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, and are the first iPad models to offer tap-to-wake LCD displays (following the iPhone X[4]), and up to 1 TB of internal storage (1 TB = 1 trillion bytes). The 1 TB models were also unique as they increased the RAM from 4 GB to 6 GB.[5][6] These devices are the first iPads to feature a USB Type-C connector, replacing Apple's proprietary Lightning connector, and also the first iPads lacking a physical button on the front. Additionally, the tablets lack both Touch ID and a headphone jack, the former having been superseded by Face ID using a sensor array on the top bezel.[7][8] Unlike iPhone models featuring Face ID, the iPad Pro can unlock in any orientation. The tablets were released on November 7, 2018 and are only available in silver and space gray. It is notably the thinnest iPad ever with a thickness of 5.9 mm.
Reception[]
The 2018 iPad Pro models were praised for their better displays, slimmed bezels, the addition of Face ID and general speed as well as CPU improvements. Ben Sin from Forbes noted that although the screen is still an LCD screen, the 120 Hz refresh rate makes it feel more smooth.[9] The switch to USB-C connectors received mixed reviews; external monitor support and device charging were added at the cost of extra dongles to use older cables and headphones.[10] Some reviewers noted that although the hardware updates are great steps forward, iOS's limitations, including the lack of external storage capabilities, prevents the iPad Pro from competing against computers. Its high prices were also criticized.[11][12]
iPadOS addresses the lack of external storage on supported iPads by adding support for external storage.[13]
The body has been criticized for bending and breaking easily. Users on forum boards have reported the iPad bending after a few days of use, or after carrying it around in a backpack. YouTuber Zack Nelson then published a video on his channel JerryRigEverything showing the device cracking and snapping in half after applying just a small amount of pressure with his hands in the center of the device.[14][15] Nelson concluded that the "two weakest points [were] right dead center on either side of the iPad Pro, [and] the crack happened at the very poorly placed microphone hole and the new Apple Pencil 2 charging duct".[16] Users reported devices already bent right out of the box, mostly cellular models. Apple responded to these reports quickly, asserting that this is normal and a non-issue,[17] a response that has been criticized.[18][19] According to Apple, the bending is a byproduct of its new manufacturing process. Apple has added a support page relating to these issues.[20]
^Apple markets iPad Pro models by specific screen size. Because the 12.9 inch model has the same screen size as the generations before, but the 11 inch model's screen is larger, the two models are designated "iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation)" and "iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st generation)".
^Broussard, Mitchel (October 30, 2018). "2018 iPad Pro With 1TB Storage Has 6GB RAM, Lower Capacities Have 4GB". MacRumors. MacRumors.com. Retrieved April 11, 2021. Using Xcode, developer Steve Troughton-Smith has discovered that the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with 1TB of storage have 6GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for previous generation iPad Pros.
^Welch, Chris (September 11, 2019). "Apple's 1TB iPad Pro just got $200 cheaper". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved April 11, 2021. The 1TB iPad Pro is the only iPad with 6GB of RAM; other 2018 iPad Pros have 4GB.
