iPad Pro (2015)

iPad Pro (2015)
Name	iPad Pro (2015)
Developer	Apple Inc.
Release date	November 2015
Cpu	Apple A9X
Memory	4 GB (12.9‑inch LTE model reported)
Storage	32/128/256 GB
Display	12.9‑inch Retina
Predecessor	iPad Air 2
Successor	iPad Pro (2017)

iPad Pro (2015)

The iPad Pro (2015) is a tablet computer introduced by Apple Inc. in September 2015 and released in November 2015. It marked Apple's push into larger tablet formats and productivity-focused hardware, positioning the device between consumer tablets and ultraportable notebooks. The product launch occurred alongside announcements involving iPhone 6s, tvOS, and updates to OS X El Capitan, and it attracted attention from technology media outlets such as The Verge, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired.

Design and Hardware

Apple designed the iPad Pro (2015) with an aluminum unibody chassis and a size larger than the iPad Air line; the model measured 12.9 inches diagonally and weighed significantly more than previous iPad models. The chassis reflected industrial design principles familiar from the work of Jonathan Ive and the Apple Industrial Design Group, emphasizing thinness and chamfered edges similar to designs used in the MacBook Air and iPhone 6 Plus. Internal hardware included the triple-core Apple A9X system on chip co-developed with teams associated with ARM Holdings architectures and fabrication partners like TSMC. Storage options echoed strategies from MacBook Pro configurations, with tiered capacities and flash storage sourced through suppliers such as Samsung Electronics and SanDisk partners. The 12.9‑inch model supported both Wi‑Fi and LTE cellular radios certified by carriers and regulatory bodies such as the Federal Communications Commission.

Display and Apple Pencil Integration

The device debuted a large Retina display marketed for creative and professional workflows; the screen used advanced LED backlighting and in‑plane switching technology similar to panels employed in professional displays from LG Display and Samsung Display. Apple introduced the Apple Pencil alongside the iPad Pro (2015), a stylus accessory developed under Apple's hardware teams and industrial partners, and promoted integration with applications including Adobe Photoshop adaptations, Procreate from Savage Interactive, and Microsoft's Office (Microsoft) suite. The combination of display and stylus targeted users familiar with devices like the Wacom pen tablets and workflows from studios working on Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic visual effects. Apple implemented palm‑rejection and pressure sensitivity features that were compared in reviews to pressure‑sensitive tablets used by artists at organizations such as NASA and design firms like IDEO.

Performance and Software

Powered by the Apple A9X and paired with a larger battery, the iPad Pro (2015) aimed to deliver sustained performance for tasks including media editing and multitasking. Benchmarks published by outlets such as AnandTech and Tom's Hardware compared the device to ultraportable notebooks including models from Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft Surface Pro 4. The device shipped with iOS 9 and leveraged features like Slide Over and Split View for multitasking, building on APIs introduced by Apple's software engineering teams and discussed at WWDC. Third‑party applications from companies such as Adobe Systems, Microsoft Corporation, and Autodesk received updates to exploit the hardware, while developers from the App Store ecosystem debated enterprise workflows commonly associated with firms like Accenture and media houses such as The New York Times.

Accessories and Connectivity

Beyond the Apple Pencil, Apple released the Smart Keyboard, a physical folio keyboard accessory produced with manufacturing partners in Asia and showcased in Apple's Apple Store locations. The Smart Connector used a proprietary interface to provide power and data, inviting comparisons to connector designs like MagSafe and peripheral ecosystems used by Microsoft Surface keyboards. Connectivity options included Bluetooth, Lightning for charging and peripherals, and LTE variants compatible with carrier networks such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Vodafone. Third‑party accessory makers including Logitech, Belkin, and Griffin Technology produced cases, stands, and adapters that expanded docking and presentation workflows used in corporate settings with partners like Cisco Systems and audiovisual vendors attending trade shows like CES.

Reception and Sales

Critical reception mixed praise for the large display, Pencil support, and performance while noting size, weight, and high price relative to competing tablets and notebooks from Microsoft, Samsung, and Google. Reviews from publications such as The Verge, Engadget, and Financial Times emphasized professional use cases versus consumer portability needs; analysts at research firms like Gartner and IDC commented on cannibalization risks within Apple's product lineup. Sales performance prompted analysis in business outlets including Bloomberg and Reuters, which compared demand curves to earlier iPad models and examined channel inventory across retailers such as Best Buy and Target.

Legacy and Impact

The iPad Pro (2015) established a lineage that influenced subsequent hardware such as the 10.5‑inch and 11/12.9‑inch models and informed Apple's positioning of tablets relative to laptops in product marketing overseen by Tim Cook and Apple's executive teams. Its emphasis on stylus input and keyboard accessories reshaped debates about post‑PC devices in comparison to convertible devices from Microsoft Surface and influenced software investment by companies like Adobe Systems and Microsoft Corporation in tablet‑centric workflows. The device's release intersected with discussions at technology conferences such as WWDC and trade publications that traced the evolution of mobile computing from pioneers like Palm, Inc. and innovators exemplified by the Newton (platform) era.

Category:Apple hardware