iPad · Pro

2018

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)

Reduces chassis volume by 25% while maintaining a 12.9-inch canvas, introducing Face ID in any orientation, USB-C, and Apple Pencil 2.

Announced
2018-10-30
Family
iPad
Branch
Pro
Historical weight
Paradigm shift

Key specifications

Apple verification ↗
Display
12.9" Liquid Retina, 2732×2048, ProMotion
Chip / CPU
Apple A12X Bionic · 2.49 GHz
Memory
4 GB (up to 6 GB)
Base storage
64 GB
Ports & charging
USB-C, Smart Connector
Weight
631 g
Dimensions
280.6×214.9×5.9 mm
Original OS
iOS 12.1
Launch price
$999
Released
November 7, 2018
Discontinued
March 2020
Graphics
Apple 7-core GPU
CPU cores
8

Generation delta

What changed?

Introduced

8
  • 25% chassis volume reduction

    Shrinks bezels dramatically, reducing device height by 25.1 mm (from 305.7 mm to 280.6 mm) and width by 5.7 mm (from 220.6 mm to 214.9 mm) while keeping the same 12.9-inch screen size.

    Display
  • 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display

    2732 x 2048 resolution at 264 ppi with rounded display corners; ProMotion 120Hz adaptive refresh, True Tone, P3 wide color, and 600 nits brightness.

    Display
  • Face ID on iPad

    TrueDepth camera system engineered for multi-orientation facial authentication.

    Camera
  • USB-C connector

    Replaces Lightning with high-bandwidth USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2, 10Gbps), enabling 5K external monitor connection and reverse charging.

    Ports
  • Apple Pencil (2nd generation) compatibility

    Magnetic attachment, wireless inductive charging, and double-tap tool selection.

    Connectivity
  • Rear-mounted Smart Connector

    Re-architected connection interface for Smart Keyboard Folio.

    Ports
  • A12X Bionic chip

    7nm SoC with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and 8-core Neural Engine.

    Silicon
  • 1TB storage tier with 6GB RAM

    Largest internal solid-state storage capacity offered on an iOS/iPadOS device at launch.

    Storage

Changed

4
  • Thickness reduction

    Thickness reduced from 6.9 mm on the 2nd generation to 5.9 mm.

    Product
  • Weight reduction

    Weight dropped from 677 g / 692 g to 631 g (Wi-Fi) / 633 g (Cellular).

    Connectivity
  • Camera upgrades

    12MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture and Smart HDR; 7MP TrueDepth front camera with Portrait mode.

    Camera
  • Four-speaker audio

    Redesigned four-speaker system with two woofers and two tweeters.

    Audio

Retired

4
  • Physical Home button and Touch ID on 12.9-inch line

    Superseded by Face ID and gestural navigation.

    Sensors
  • Lightning connector on 12.9-inch iPad Pro

    Superseded by USB-C.

    Ports
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack

    Removed from the chassis.

    Product
  • Apple Pencil (1st generation) compatibility on Pro line

    Replaced by Apple Pencil 2.

    Input

Retained

2
  • 12.9-inch diagonal display area

    Preserves the 2732 x 2048 canvas resolution at 264 ppi.

    Display
  • 10-hour battery life

    Powered by a 36.71-watt-hour battery.

    Power

Technology DNA

Ideas carried by this generation.

Canonical predecessor

iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (2nd generation) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)

Other lineage references