The fifth generation of iPad Pro was announced on April 20, 2021, and released on May 21.
It used an innovative desktop-class Apple M1 chip, which
comprised a 40% faster 8-core CPU, a 4× faster 8-core GPU, and a 4× higher bandwidth. It featured a ƒ/1.8 aperture 12-megapixel wide-angle pro
camera (captures high quality shots) and a ƒ/2.4 aperture 10-megapixel ultrawide camera (captures enhanced Augmented Reality interactive
experience). It debuted Apple's "Center Stage mode" technology, which pinpoints the positions of the users and automatically tracks the camera view
accordingly to perspectivally centralize them. The 12.9-inch version had a mini LED-based Liquid Retina XDR display, compared to the 11-inch model's
lesser IPS LCD-based Liquid Retina display.[63][64]
The sixth generation of iPad Pro was announced on October 18, 2022, and released on October 26. It used an Apple M2 chip, with an 8-core CPU and
10-core GPU.[65]
The seventh generation of iPad Pro was announced on May 7, 2024, an release on May 15, 2024. It uses an Apple M4, making it the first Apple device
to use this chip. It is the first iPad Pro to use OLED display, called Ultra XDR Retina Display. The chassis design is about 5.3mm thin on the 11-inch
model and 5.1mm thin on the 13-inch model, thinner than previous models. It features a Tandem OLED display, an updated Pro Cameras (which lacks
the ultra-wide camera lens), and a landscape oriented front-facing camera, previously used in the iPad (10th generation). It is only compatible with
the Apple Pencil Pro, the lower-entry Apple Pencil with USB-C port and the new, thinner Magic Keyboard, making it incompatible with the Apple Pencil
(2nd generation) and the Magic Keyboard that was designed for the 3rd through 6th generations.[66]
Cellular connectivity
The iPad comes in two variants: Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi with cellular support. Unlike the iPhone, the cellular variant did not support voice calls and text
messages, but only data connectivity; it also had an additional micro-SIM circuit slot attached on the side. The 3G-based iPad is compatible with
any GSM carrier, unlike the iPhone which is usually sold 'locked' to specific carriers.[67] For the first generation of iPad, cellular access from T-
Mobile was limited to slower EDGE cellular speeds because T-Mobile's network at the time used different frequencies.[68][69]
The second generation of iPad introduced a third tier of CDMA support from Verizon, which is available separately from the AT&T-based version.[70] The
fifth generation of iPad used a nano-SIM circuit slot,[71] while its predecessors used micro-SIM.[a] The iPads used two frequency bands; both support the
same quad-band GSM and quad-band UMTS frequencies. One supports LTE bands 4 and 17 (principally intended for use on the U.S. AT&T network),
and the other supports LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25 and CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B.[76]
Apple extended the range of cellular compatibilities worldwide with the release of the fifth generation of iPad and the second generation of iPad Mini,
worldwide and all major carriers across North America. The iPad Air and iPad Mini come in two cellular sub-variants, all of which featured nano-SIMs,
quad-band GSM, penta-band UMTS, and dual-band CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and B. One supports LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25
and 26, and the other supports LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20 and TD-LTE bands 38, 39 and 40.[77][78]
Accessories
Main article: iPad accessories
The Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, 2021
Apple offers many accessories for its iPad models, ranging from keyboards, styluses, cases, to adapters; a 10 W power adapter is bundled with the
device.[79] In addition to a camera connection kit which consists of two adapters for the iPad's dock connector, one of USB Type A and one of SD card
reader; these adapters can transfer photographs and videos and connect USB audio card and MIDI keyboard.[80]
Apple's list of accessories included the Apple Pencil ― a wireless stylus pen, Smart Cover ― a magnetic screen protector that align to the face of an
iPad with three folds that is convertible into a stand, Smart Case ― a fine case combining the functions of a Smart Cover and a back-protection
case, Smart Keyboard Folio ― an externally-paired keyboard and a combination of a Smart Case and its predecessor, a Smart Keyboard, Magic
Keyboard, ― an externally-paired keyboard similar to the formers but with integrated trackpads which the Smart Keyboard Folio and Smart Keyboard
lack.[b]
Further information on the physical keyboard for iPad: Touchfire
Software
Main articles: iOS and iPadOS
Since its introduction in 2010, the iPad runs on the iPhone's iOS mobile operating system, but it was later replaced with an optimized derivation,
iPadOS, in September 2019. It shares the former's development environment and many of its applications and features. The iPad is compatible with
nearly every iPhone application through iOS, and developers can optimize these applications to take full advantage of the iPad's software. They
used iOS SDK, a software development kit.[c]
The iOS user interface is based upon direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures such as swipe, tap, pinch, and reverse pinch. Interface control
elements include sliders, switches, and buttons.[93] Internal accelerometers are used by some applications to respond to shaking the device (one
common result is the undo command) or rotating it in three dimensions (one common result is switching between portrait and landscape mode).
Various accessibility described in § Accessibility functions enable users with vision and hearing disabilities to properly use iOS.[94]
iOS devices boot to the homescreen, the primary navigation and information "hub" on iOS devices, analogous to the desktop found on personal
computers. iOS homescreens are typically made up of app icons and widgets; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live,
auto-updating content, such as a weather forecast, the user's email inbox, or a news ticker directly on the homescreen. Along the top of the screen is a
status bar, showing information about the device and its connectivity. The status bar itself contains two elements, the Control Center and the
Notification Center.[95]
iOS' Control Center can be "pulled" down from the top right of the notch, giving access to various toggles to manage the device more quickly without
having to open the Settings.[96] It is possible to manage brightness, volume, wireless connections, music player, etc. A homescreen may be made up of
several pages, between which the user can swipe back and forth, one of the ways to do this is to hold down on the "dots" shown on each page and
swipe left or right. To the right of the last page, the App Library lists and categorizes apps installed on the device. Apps within each category are
arranged based on the frequency of their usage. In addition to a category for suggested apps, a "recent" category lists apps recently installed alongside
App Clips recently accessed. Users can search for the app they want or browse them in alphabetical order.[97]
iOS' multitasking API included Background audio – application continues to run in the background as long as it is playing audio or video content, voice
over IP – application is suspended when a phone call is not in progress, Push notification, Local notifications – application schedules local notifications
to be delivered at a predetermined time, Task completion – application asks the system for extra time to