Apple has announced the new iPad Pro models will come with the same 8-core M1 chipset as the most recent MacBook Pro and also newly announced iMac family.

They will also be available with increased internal storage capacity - up to 2TB - plus Thunderbolt and USB4 support for the USB-C port.

That means both variants are capable of up to 40Gbps wired transfer speeds and 10Gpbs Ethernet connectivity.

Another major new addition is 5G support on cellular models (via eSIM), while the front facing camera has been changed to include a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. This also comes with what Apple calls Center Stage, whereby the camera follows you around the room while you are moving around during a video call. It pans to keep you in shot - much like the Portal TV device from Facebook.

The rear camera has been upgraded to include a similar array to the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, including LiDAR.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes with a few extra bells and whistles on top. It has a Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display. This includes 10,000 miniature LED bulbs behind the LCD substrate to create much better HDR contrast and colour saturation. Indeed, Apple claims it produces images as good as its Pro Display XDR monitor.

The 11-inch iPad Pro will also be released at the same time, starting at £749 / $799 - the same price as the previous version.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch - M1 chip (2021)

Walmart

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be priced from £999 / $1099.

They will be available for pre-order from 30 April and will be available from the second half of May.