Link Download

Update: Apples iPad Pro 9.7 gets its first major software upgrade with the iOS 10 public beta this month. 

 

Heres our updated review.

The iPad Pro is ambitiously touted as Apples new tablet that has the guts to replace your laptop, and it now comes in an ideal size that perfectly demonstrates bigger isnt always better for everyone.

Even though I was thoroughly impressed with the grunt behind the powerful iPad Pro 12.9, I longed for that standard 9.7-inch display and form factor with the same pro-level features.

Its taken Apple a year and a half to launch a proper iPad Air 2 successor and, in that time, it fit almost everything from the giant iPad into a smaller frame. Its way more than an iPad Air 3 upgrade.

iPad Pro 9.7 review

Its way more than an iPad Air 3 upgrade.

I can now listen to amped up music through its four loud stereo speakers, doodle away with the Apple Pencil and seamlessly attach a keyboard without fumbling with Bluetooth. Its Smart Connector port may be my favorite new feature inherited from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Its not all hand-me-downs. The iPad Pro 9.7 actually strikes out on its own with a few advancements. Its True Tone display technology adapts to my environment by subtly adjusting the white balance, and theres a much wider color gamut behind its anti-reflective coated glass.

Its camera is 12MP and shoots 4K video, taking cues from the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus camera specs. Thats incredibly rare for a tablet of any size. So is the rose gold color option and debut of a 256GB configuration.

iPad Pro 9.7 review

Its a tablet juggernaut - not in size, but the asking price.

What we have ended up with is a tablet juggernaut - but without looking like a juggernaut. On the other hand it also has a serious asking price to match its power, and several easy-to-spot software limitations, even with the iOS 10 release date around the corner.

The iPad Air 9.7 costs $599 (£499, AU$899), higher than the iPad Air 2 launch price of $499, (£399, $699) and even higher than the current iPad Air 2 price of $399 (£349, AU$599).

Is there enough here for Apple to retain its best tablet status? Lets explore the current iPad that wants to be your laptop-replacement of the future.

Be sure to watch our video review of the iPad Pro 9.7
Design

From across the room, I couldnt tell the difference between this iPad Pro 9.7 and my iPad Air 2 when I was charging both during my battery life tests. Theyre nearly identical on the outside, and thats a good thing.

iPad Pro 9.7 review

The new Pro label doesnt mean bigger, it just means bolder.

The new iPad Pro has the same sub-pencil-thin dimensions of 240 x 168 x 6.1mm, making it a natural fit for two hands and easy to stow in a backpack. Surprisingly, its weight matches, too, despite the specs upgrade: 437g for Wi-Fi and 444g for Wi-Fi + Cellular again. The new "Pro" label doesnt mean bigger, it just means bolder.

You get the same polished aluminum frame, fast Touch ID fingerprint scanning home button and a 9.7-inch Retina display. The lightning port hasnt moved from the bottom, the headphone jack and sleep/wake button are still on the top, and the volume rocker remains on the right side.

In fact, the only surefire way to tell the difference from afar is to opt for the new finish. There are now four colors instead of three: Silver, Gold, Space Gray and the iPad 9.7-exclusive Rose Gold. This isnt the only way the tablet matches the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, though.

Theres a slight camera bump on the back that no one likes, but its a fair trade off. It makes way for a 12MP rear-facing iSight camera, just like its smartphone counterpart, and now theres a True Tone LED flash. Yes, thats right, your tablet camera is as every bit as good as your phone camera. Still, please dont awkwardly take photos with it in public.

iPad Pro 9.7 review

Yes, thats right. Your tablet camera is now every bit as good as your phone camera. But please dont take photos with it in public.

Of course, upon even closer inspection, youll see two more changes from the iPad Air 2 by way of new speakers at the top and bottom and a Smart Connector port on the left side. Theyre flush with the aluminum frame and almost hidden, but make no mistake, theyve have acted as game changers for the iPad Pro series design.

Four speakers, two at the top and two at the bottom, give the new iPad Pro 9.7 a proper stereo setup, and theyre loud enough to drown out the bottom-firing, twin-speakers of the iPad Air 2 at full volume. Best of all, theyre not blasting music and Netflix movie dialogue out just one side.

I no longer felt the need to cup my hand around the speaker to get a decent volume for myself without bothering other people around me by cranking it up all of the way. Turning the tablet in landscape mode to watch a movie, I found everything sounded natural. Part of that balance is due to the fact that the upper top speakers always handle mid and high frequencies and theyll change depending on how you hold the iPad Pro, rotating the sound as the screen orientation does.

Apple smartly refined the iPad Pro 9.7 design, and thats not the only clever way it changed up its traditional tablet look and feel in its push to the professional leagues.

iOS 10 beta 5 download links are now available to install on iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6, 6 Plus, SE, 5s, 5c, 5, iPad 4 and over, and iPod touch 6th-generation. It’s available to both who are registered on Apple Developer Program as well as those who are registered on Apple Public Beta Program. Announced at WWDC 2016, iOS 10 is Apple’s latest major update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, brining in a number of new features to one of the world’s most popular mobile platform. Final version of iOS 10 is set for release for all consumers this coming fall.

For a full list of features on what’s new in iOS 10, you can check out our separate detailed post on it here: iOS 10 Announced: Features, Release Date And More.


The following guide will help you download and install iOS 10 beta on your compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device the right way. To find out whether your device is compatible with iOS 10 or not, you can check out the details in our iOS 10 compatibility post here.




Before going ahead with installing iOS 10 beta on your device, it is important to note that this is a very early beta of iOS 10 which is prone to bugs and issues and hence isn’t really advisable to install on primary devices. We recommend installing iOS 10 beta on test devices only.

It’s also highly recommended that you make a complete full backup of your device, either using iTunes or to iCloud, before installing iOS 10 beta on it.

Public Beta – How to download and install iOS 10 public beta 4:

Follow the full step by step tutorial here: iOS 10 Public Beta: How To Download And Install The Right Way.

Developers – How to download and install iOS 10 beta 5:

Step 1: Before you can go ahead and download iOS 10 beta using this method, you need to first enroll yourself into Apple Developer Program at https://developer.apple.com/programs/. If you are already registered on it, simply skip to Step 2.

Step 2: Login to Account section of Apple Developer Program using your Apple ID: https://developer.apple.com/account/.

Step 3: Now you will need to register your UDID with Apple for the iOS device you want to install the beta on. To find the UDID of your device, simply plug your device into iTunes, select it, and then click on the serial number for it to show the UDID, like shown in the screenshot below. Now copy this number using ctrl+c on Windows, or command+c on Mac.

Step 4: From the main Account section of the page, Click on Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles.

From the Devices section found in the left panel, click on All.

ios 10 beta install 3

Now from right hand panel, click on “+”, and then add the UDID of your iOS device.

Step 5: Once the UDID has been added, head to the Develop > Downloads section. You can find this page directly at https://developer.apple.com/download/.

Now from here, select your device from drop down to begin downloading the required iTunes-restorable iOS 10 beta firmware file.

Alternatively, you can also choose to install iOS 10 beta using OTA update method. For that, open the same download page as mentioned above directly on your iOS device, then click on ‘Download’ under iOS 10 beta and alongside Configuration Profile, and then allow it to install on your iOS device (this may require a restart). Once the profile is set, head to General > Settings > Software Update on your device and wait for iOS 10 beta OTA update to show up. Once it is available, tap on Download and Install to get onto the new firmware version.

Step 6: Coming back to the iTunes-restorable firmware download method, make sure that iTunes installed on your Windows PC or Mac is the latest version. Once you are sure it’s on the latest version, launch iTunes and also connect your iOS device to the computer.

Step 7: Now to install the beta, Mac users need to hold the Alt key, for Windows users this will be the Shift key, and then click on the Restore iPhone… button. iTunes will now prompt you to select the ipsw firmware file. Select iOS 10 beta file you downloaded earlier.

Step 8: Now sit back and relax as iTunes installs iOS 10 beta on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Be patient as this could take some time depending on the speed of your computer and the type of device you are installing it on. Once installed, your device will reboot automatically and you’ll be greeted with Hello screen of iOS 10. Happy testing!.