Apple announced the M4 iPad Pro last week. Two unusual things about this launch: the chip generation is newer than anything in the Mac lineup, and the tandem-OLED display is the most expensive component Apple have ever put in an iPad. The hardware story is fascinating. The software story is more familiar than it should be.

## What's exceptional about the hardware

- 01M4 chip — faster than the M3, more efficient, with a redesigned Neural Engine.
- 02Tandem OLED — two OLED panels stacked for brightness, contrast, and longevity. The display is genuinely best-in-class.
- 03Thinner than the iPad Pro it replaces, despite being more powerful.
- 04New Apple Pencil Pro with squeeze gestures and haptic feedback.

## What's still iPadOS

- 01Multitasking that's adequate but never quite the desktop you'd expect.
- 02File-system access that's better than it was, still not free.
- 03Pro apps that are 'iPad versions' of their Mac counterparts — capable, but not interchangeable.
- 04Stage Manager is finally usable, but it's not 'a Mac on a tablet'.

> The M4 iPad Pro is a remarkable piece of hardware. The fact that the software still has the same shape it did in 2018 is the most frustrating thing about it.

## Who should buy one

- 01Artists and illustrators — Pencil Pro plus the OLED display makes this the best digital sketchpad ever shipped.
- 02Studios doing installation work where iPads run kiosks, signage, or stage UI — the M4 is overkill but it's the iPad we'd buy now.
- 03Anyone replacing an older iPad Pro for content consumption — the display alone justifies it.

## Who shouldn't

- 01Anyone hoping it replaces a Mac for development work. iPadOS is not the answer here.
- 02Anyone whose current iPad does what they need — the upgrade is iterative for most workloads.
- 03Studios looking for the cheapest reliable iPad — the iPad Air with M2 is the right call there.

The M4 iPad Pro is a remarkable piece of hardware. The fact that the software still has the same shape it did in 2018 is the most frustrating thing about it. Maybe WWDC has answers.