Apple’s new iPad Pro 2024 is here and it’s beautiful, thin, powerful… but if you look closely you’ll notice some features are missing. Even some pretty big ones.
It’s not just about our wish list (yes, I would really like to see more USB-C ports). No, there are some features and options that were present in the iPad Pro 2022 but have been taken away from the new model. Let’s dive in.
iPad Pro 2024 hands-on: What the new “nano-texture glass” looks like next to one without it
No ultra-wide camera
On the left the new iPad Pro, on the right the old iPad Pro.
Photo credit: Apple
This is a pretty big and unusual step for Apple. The iPad Pro 2022 featured two cameras on the back – a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 10-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. The ultra-wide camera is gone in the 2024 version of the iPad Pro.
We suspect the ultra-wide camera hasn’t been used very much, and most people probably won’t notice it’s gone. But it feels like a (pretty big) downgrade. Hey, at least owners of the old iPad Pro can brag that their device is better than the new one in this regard!
12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro (2022) in the test: powerful, but still just a tablet
No physical SIM slot
In the Cellular version of the new iPad Pro there is no physical SIM slot, only an eSIM. Again, most users won’t have a problem with this, and it’s probably one of the sacrifices Apple had to make to make the new iPad Pro the thinnest iPad ever. However, if you need a physical SIM slot, that’s a shame.
Only four microphones
We’re not sure it’ll make much of a difference, but the new iPad Pro has one less microphone than the old one.
Photo credit: Apple
Yes, the 2024 iPad Pro only has four “studio-quality microphones” while the 2022 had five. Another thing I’ll keep mentioning as I proudly show off my old iPad Pro.
Destructible speed of light
“Do you hear this sound in crystal clear quality? This is the fifth microphone that does the job.”
No stickers in the box
This has to do with protecting the environment: There is no Apple logo sticker on the new iPad Pro. However, Apple has a long tradition of getting an Apple sticker to stick on the back of your car and show off your nerdiness to the world, and we’re a little sad that it’s come to this.
No always-on display
There’s no doubt about it: the iPad Pro 2024’s new Ultra Retina XDR OLED display appears to be a massive improvement over the last version’s display, and perhaps even any display on a portable device out there.
However, there is one thing that annoys us. The new display features ProMotion technology, which enables adaptive refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz, but unlike the iPhone 15 Pro, it doesn’t have an always-on display option. Personally, I find Always On on my phone too distracting, but on the iPad Pro’s large display it might be helpful to have this option, perhaps to display calendar, weather, and other clear information. In any case, you can’t have it because the option just isn’t there. Maybe next time.
No Smart Keyboard Folio
If you’re looking for a thin and light keyboard for your iPad Pro 2024, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Photo credit: Apple
The new iPad Pro got a new Magic Keyboard, but lost Apple’s other keyboard option: Smart Keyboard Folio. According to Apple’s spec sheet, the new iPad isn’t compatible with the old Smart Keyboard Folio, and the company hasn’t released a new one, so… tough luck.
This hurts even more when you consider how thin and light the iPad Pro 2024 is. It would make sense to have a matching super-thin and super-light portable keyboard, but Apple only offers the rather bulky Magic Keyboard. Luckily, there will likely be plenty of third-party keyboards available for the iPad Pro soon.
The iPad Pro 2024is now available for pre-order. But it’s not the only new Apple tablet that misses out on features – here’s what the iPad Air 2024 is missing.