Why the iPad Event Was So Disappointing

Apple this week revealed new iPad Pros, iPad Airs, a new Pencil and Magic Keyboard. But the flashy presentation — which even unveiled upgraded Apple silicon, the M4 chip — I’m left feeling like Apple lost sight of what its customers really want.

The new 2024 iPad Pro, by all means, looks to be a high quality machine, but something felt off in this “Let Loose” streamed event. Apple got tangled up in the wrong details by making products more expensive and accessories a confusing compatibility mess. If you’re keeping score, the new Air is heavier than the Pro, the new Pencil has zero backward compatibility, and the new Magic Keyboard is only for the new iPad Pros. The new Pro is the thinnest and most expensive iPad ever, but it’s also got the most powerful AI chip — so it can cosplay as a MacBook? Perhaps Apple’s presentation was aimed more at Wall Street than Main Street.

Watch this: Apple’s iPad Pro Event Was a Flop

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In this week’s episode of One More Thing, embedded above, I explain all the ways the Apple event missed the mark in this new batch of iPads. It also left us cringing from its “Crush!” ad, which Apple has now apologized for hitting the wrong tone. 

But there is hope for the iPad lineup — and perhaps Apple would do well to remember a lesson from Steve Jobs and thin down the product line to go back to basics.