“AirPods 2”

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Like many early AirPods buyers, my 1st-gen AirPods’ battery life is on the wane. I have been using them on a near-daily basis for the last two-point-something years — and today, a full charge lasts (at best) 2.5 hours, down from 5 when they were new. That said, knowing that there are still true wireless earbuds from other brands out there that only offer 2 to 3 hours of battery life fresh out of the box, I’d say the performance of my well-loved OG AirPods really isn’t too shabby.

Anyway, here’s my take on the 2019 AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (price: S$299) — again, in point form:

  • The new AirPods look just like the old AirPods; each earphone also weighs the same at 4 grams. The same shape means that the thin rubber covers that I’ve been using on my old AirPods (so that they stay in my ears, damn it!) still fit on the new AirPods.
  • The new wireless charging case has the same dimensions as last-gen’s non-wireless case, but it’s 2 g heavier. That increase probably comes from the embedded wireless charging receiver.
  • With my AirPods covers, the lid still closes fine, but I can feel that it’s a hair tighter.
  • If you’ve any of those 3rd-party sleeves/cases for the charging case, they should still work with few to no modifications. The only thing to note is the LED indicator on the front of the case, which is most likely going to be covered if you’re re-using an old case. This indicator serves a few purposes: it lights up when you flip open the charging case’s lid to let you know if the case has enough charge; it lights up when you put the AirPods back into the case to tell you they’re now being charged; and it lights up when you plug in a Lightning cable or set the case down on a Qi charging mat to tell you the AirPods are being charged. My old sleeve is made of thin translucent rubber so the light just shines through.
  • The new wireless charging case supports Qi wireless charging. I don’t really care about that because I already have a lot of Lightning charging points around the house. Still, since AirPower is dead, if you want a charging mat that can accommodate multiple devices at the same time, there are several good options.
  • Anyway, regarding battery life, I’m getting roughly 5 hours — that is, back to the OG AirPods’ level when they were new.
  • The new AirPods connect way faster than the old ones: by the time I put them in my ears, they’re already connected to my iPhone. The AirPods 1 usually take a couple more seconds. With the old AirPods, there were times when they refused to connect until I manually selected them in Control Center — I’ve yet to experience this with the “AirPods 2”. The new H1 wireless chip really works.
  • The new AirPods also sound louder, which I guess is the effect of the new batteries.
  • I like the new AirPods: it’s small and thus easy to carry around, it has good battery life, and it works well with my Apple devices. If you’re getting your first AirPods, I recommend saving S$60 and get the model that comes with the non-wireless charging case.

iPhone XR Clear Case review, in point form

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  • The iPhone XR Clear Case is Apple’s first clear case for any iPhone.
  • It’s indeed very clear.
  • The sides are harder (polycarbonate?) than the flexible TPU rear, which is good because you get a precise and tight fit with no give.
  • The side buttons are covered, but there’s an opening for the ring/silent switch.
  • Like Apple’s other cases, the bottom, where the Lightning connector and built-in microphones and speaker are located, isn’t covered.
  • There’s a raised lip around the edge of the screen, so you can safely put the phone face down on the table.
  • The camera cutout also has a tiny lip, probably for extra clearance because the camera bump is taller than the thickness of the case.
  • Apple says it has applied a scratch-resistant coating to the case’s exterior and interior — mine hasn’t gotten any scratches yet, but it has picked up many fingerprints.
  • Wireless charging still works with the case on.
  • Apple doesn’t say if the case has any materials to combat degradation reactions, so only time will tell if the case would turn yellow down the road.
  • In a nut: I like the case for its perfect fit. But I don’t like that the bottom is exposed. Also, at S$59, I think it’s overpriced (by S$20).

Apple iPad Pros (2018)

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The 2018 iPad Pros remind me of the original 2010 iPad, the 2012 iPhone 5, and the still-new iPhone XR. The OG iPad for its giant-piece-of-glass design and chopping board-like heft; the iPhone 5 for its squared-off sides and sharp edges; and the iPhone XR for its all-screen display with rounded corners. All this (along with the glue that’s iOS) means that the new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are instantly familiar to me, despite being “all new”.

Display

I like the displays on the 2017 iPad Pros; I love the displays on the 2018 iPad Pros. Again, they’re instantly familiar, because all the nice bits have remained — 120 Hz ProMotion (for fluid scrolling, smooth motion content, and lag-free Apple Pencil response), P3 wide color support, and True Tone. Interestingly, Apple has published a 1.8% reflectivity number this time, which is, as far as I’m aware of, a first for the company. I’m not privy to Apple’s testing methodology, but this little bullet point in the specs jumped out at me. The best mobile phone screens today typically have a screen reflectance of 4–5%, but Apple’s iPads are well known, since the iPad Air 2, for going under 3% and continuing to improve with every generation through new display manufacturing techniques and better anti-reflective coatings. Along with the high 600 nits brightness and wide color gamut, the new iPad Pros’ displays are, based on my observations, able to maintain a high level of contrast, color saturation and accuracy, and legibility in more ambient lighting conditions than even the OLED-equipped iPhone XS. These are truly terrific displays.

Like the iPhone XR, Apple calls the new iPad Pros’ displays “Liquid Retina”, which means they’re still LCD-based. But the real technical breakthrough here is that this is an LCD that goes edge to edge. Also like the iPhone XR’s display, the new iPad Pros’ displays use pixel masking and sub-pixel anti-aliasing to render corners that follow the curves of the tablet. iPads before this feel like they’re devices with an in-set display; the new iPad Pros feel like the display is the device.

Tl;dr version: the iPad Pros’ displays are amazeballs — from both a technical standpoint and a usability standpoint.

Size and weight

Speaking of usability, I believe Apple has made the right choice in keeping the 11-inch iPad Pro’s footprint the same as its 10.5-inch predecessor, because I’ve never heard of anyone complaining the latter of being too big. But “too big” — not the screen size, but the size of the device — is a legitimate con of the 12.9-inch model for some users, so I believe Apple is also right to stick to a 12.9-inch screen size for the bigger iPad Pro and to instead use the size reduction gain from the new display unit to make the whole tablet smaller.

At 5.9 mm, the 11-inch iPad Pro is very thin, but it doesn’t feel, to me, that much thinner than the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which is already at 6.1 mm. And for the Wi-Fi-only model, only 1 gram separates the old and new.

But it’s a different story when we compare the old and new 12.9-inch models. At 5.9 mm, the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 1 mm thinner and up to 59 grams lighter. Coupled with the reduction in length and width, the weight and volume differences are immediately obvious the moment I picked up the new 12.9-inch model. It feels really great.

Face ID

I didn’t talk about the notch on the new iPad Pros because there’s no notch to talk about. But what I’ll talk about is Face ID, which is appearing for the first time on the iPad line. It works super well, and better yet, it works in any orientation. The TrueDepth camera system, which comprises of a 7-megapixel camera, dot projector, flood illuminator, and infrared camera that are required for Face ID, is hidden within the slim bezel at the top of the tablet (when you’re holding it in portrait orientation), which means you may inadvertently cover it with your thumb or palm when you’re holding the tablet in landscape mode. When that happens, a notification will pop up to tell you the camera is covered, along with an arrow that points to the obstructed camera.

The new iPad Pros’ front-facing cameras are the same 7MP, ƒ/2.2 camera module you get on the iPhone XR, so it can do Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting, Smart HDR, Live Photos, Selfie Scenes (in the Clips app), Animoji and Memoji (in Messages and Group FaceTime), and 1080p video recording up at 30 or 60 fps. It does lack the improved video stabilization and extended dynamic range feature that the iPhone XR has, though.

The iPad Pros have a single (and protruding) 12MP, ƒ/1.8 camera on their backs, but this isn’t the same camera found on the iPhone XR. So while it can do Smart HDR, there’s no Portrait mode. Also, it doesn’t seem to come with optical image stablization. That being said, I don’t know of any other tablet or 2-in-1 device that has a better camera.

Smart Keyboard Folio and 2nd-gen Apple Pencil

I write a lot on my 2017 iPad Pro 12.9-inch, and 99% of it is done with the Smart Keyboard. Sadly, because of the tablet’s physical redesign and the relocation of the Smart Connector from the side to the back, the Smart Keyboard no longer works with the new iPad Pro models, and you’ve to instead buy the new Smart Keyboard Folio, which costs S$269 for the 11-inch iPad Pro or S$299 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

I’ve two main complaints about the original Smart Keyboard: it has no backlit keys and it only props up the iPad Pro at one angle.1 The new Smart Keyboard Folio’s keys still aren’t backlit, but the cover can now prop up the tablet at two angles. I actually don’t mind the custom fabric used on the keyboard — it keeps the accessory thin and light and easy to clean. For me, the more important bit is the switch from the previous cover design that protects just the display to a folio design that now protects the tablet’s front and back fully when closed, like a book.2 Unlike other folio cases, you don’t need to insert the iPad Pro into the Smart Keyboard Folio — you simply bring both near to each other and wait for the kiss.3

Caveat: using the Smart Keyboard Folio wipes out the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s weight advantage over the previous model, including with the Smart Keyboard. The new combo weighs 1.04 kg (633 + 407 g); the old combo is 1.032 kg (692 + 340 g).

When I said I write a lot on my iPad Pro, I meant to say I type a lot on the tablet. And while I own the first Apple Pencil, it has been in my drawer for the past 18 months, maybe more. I’m not an illustrator either, so… yeah, I’m probably not the most qualified person to comment if the new Apple Pencil is better than the old one or how it compares to Microsoft’s Surface Pen.

Then again, you don’t need to be a pro to appreciate the Apple Pencil. Just try it for yourself like I did: the lag-free experience, the immediate response to any change in pressure and tilt, and the overall high inking accuracy of the Apple Pencil are repeatable and easy to understand even for the layperson, because these are the exact characteristics of something we’re so familiar with — a real pencil.

The 2nd generation Apple Pencil (S$189) is still as weighty as the original Pencil (20.7 g), but it’s now shorter (166 vs. 175.7 mm). Coupled with a new matte finish, the in-hand feel of the new Pencil is, in my view, a marked improvement over the 1st-gen Pencil. It’s still round-barreled, just that one side is flat for you to attach magnetically to the right side (or top when in landscape mode with the Smart Keyboard Folio) of the tablet.4 A pill-shaped notification will pop up to confirm that it’s attached and inform you the current charge. This action is also all that’s required to initiate wireless pairing and charging of the Pencil. Thanks to wireless charging, the new Pencil is able to lose the Lightning charging connector and its always-goes-missing cap.

You can double-tap the new Apple Pencil’s side to switch modes (e.g., between the current tool and eraser in Notes). Third-party apps are able to tap into this gesture, too. For example, the same gesture will let you zoom in and out of the canvas in Photoshop CC for iPad, which is coming out in 2019. You can also quickly create a new note or access a previous one by tapping on the lock screen with the Pencil.5

All said, the Smart Keyboard Folio gets a solid B from me and the Apple Pencil version 2 an A+.6

Other noteworthy stuff

  • No home button/Touch ID: Due to the all-screen design and the inclusion of Face ID, the new iPad Pros no longer have a home button and Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

    For the most part, the gestural interface of the also-all-screen iPhone X/XS/XR translates well to the new iPad Pros: tap-to-wake, swipe up from the bottom to go Home, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, swipe along the bottom to switch between apps — if you’ve a home button-less iPhone, you will feel right at home with the new iPad Pros. If you’ve an iPhone 8 or below, muscle memory will slow you down.

    An observation: with the tablet attached to the Smart Keyboard Folio, unlocking the device now feels, at least to me, faster and more natural than Touch ID. All I need to do is to double-tap the space bar and I’m in.

  • USB-C: The new iPad Pros have switched to USB-C in favor of Lightning. My simplest take is that Apple recognizes that USB-C makes more sense if it wants to convince pro users to connect their pro gear, such as 4K/5K monitors, 4K cameras, and docking stations, to the tablets. Pro gear that Apple doesn’t make and which are increasingly adopting USB-C. Apple thinks iPad Pro is ready for USB-C — that’s my read.

    The only 3rd-party device I’ve tried connecting to the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro I was testing is a camera to import a bunch of photos. I like that the transfer speed is fast (the USB-C interface supports the USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard (10 Gbps) but not Thunderbolt 3); what I don’t like is that the photos ended up in the Photos app. If only I could import them straight into Lightroom CC.

    External USB mass storage devices still aren’t directly supported on the new iPad Pros. The only consolation is that USB-C flash drives, like those from SanDisk, should work if they’ve an accompanying app in the App Store.

    Also, with a USB-C to Lightning cable you can turn the iPad Pros’ USB-C port into a power output port to charge the iPhone. That’s cool.

  • No 3.5 mm headphone jack: I’ve embraced wireless headphones long before the iPhone 7, so I don’t mind that the new iPad Pros lack a headphone jack. But I do wonder how many iPad-using musicians, DJs, and audio engineers already own Bluetooth headphones. If they don’t and they’re getting the new iPad Pros, they either have to buy one now or get Apple’s S$15 USB-C to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter. That’s another dongle to carry if you’re also using the Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter for the iPhone.

  • Speakers: There are speakers (tweeter + woofer pair) in each corner of the iPad Pros. They go pretty loud and sound really good. So good that I now prefer to watch videos on the tablet over my (old) MacBook Air.

  • A12X Bionic: Both iPad Pro models use Apple’s A12X Bionic system-on-a-chip, a ridiculously fast chip that will basically breeze past any app or task you can throw at it today and (very possibly) for the next three years. The Apple Neural Engine on this SoC should also dramatically improve performance for augmented reality and Core ML apps, but the absence of “killer” apps in this category means that this is more about building headroom for what’s coming down the road.

    (If you’re keen to find out how the A12X stacks up against the MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9 processor, John Gruber of Daring Fireball has the numbers in his excellent review.)

  • Battery: Apple says the iPad Pros provide up 10 hours of web-surfing time over Wi-Fi, or 9 hours if you’re doing it over a cellular connection. I didn’t do any battery tests, but based on casual observations, this sounds about right. At the very least, for my use case, the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s battery is draining at a pace similar to its predecessor.

    The new iPad Pros do come with a new 18W USB-C power adapter, and it uses USB Power Delivery to deliver a faster charging rate than the old 12W brick. But the bundled 1 meter USB-C charging cable is too short — by laptop standards. Apple’s old 29W and new 30W USB-C adapters continue to work with the new iPad Pros to enable even faster wired charging.

Conclusion

“Why iPad Pro” — Apple has created a dedicated section on its website addressing this question. Apple’s nut graf basically talks about how the iPad Pro is a computer, and then some.

I find the reference to a “computer” unfortunate but understandable. After all, human beings make sense of the world and find comfort by seeking familiarity; and in the category of computing devices with a 10 plus-inch display that you can do “work” on, the traditional PC inevitably becomes the most logical target for comparison.

I’m not here to convince you whether or not the new iPad Pros are for you — you’ve to decide that for yourself. I can only say that I dig the iPad Pro because I like and use several iPad apps that aren’t on the Mac (and if they are, they just don’t feel as nice on the Mac, maybe because they’re designed for touch first), the battery life is fantastic, and the hardware is so, so nice.

What’s not so nice, however, is the price. The 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros cost S$1,199 and S$1,499 respectively, and these are just the Wi-Fi models with 64 GB of internal storage. If you already think these prices are high, wait till you hear about the price of a maxed-out 12.9-inch iPad Pro with LTE and 1 TB storage: S$2,839. And that’s not including the Smart Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil — add both to the cart and you’re staring at S$3,327. The 2018 iPad Pros are without question high performance computers; if Apple is keen to point this out, you can be sure that it won’t shy away from pricing them as such.

Redefining how work can be done (also, ask yourself: what’s work?) is what I see as the iPad Pro’s greatest achievement — redefining the computer is just part of the natural course.

  1. This is why I got the Brydge keyboard, which is a Bluetooth keyboard with backlit keys and an aluminum body. Because of the insert-into-two-hinges design, it’s able fold and tilt like a regular laptop. Now that the new iPad Pros have very thin bezels, I’m not sure if this clip-on design would still work. ↩

  2. Remember for the original 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch iPad Pros Apple used to make a silicone case that covers the tablet’s back, and that you can pair it with either the Smart Keyboard or Smart Cover? Apple didn’t make that case for the 2017 12.9- and 10.5-inch iPad Pros. At the time, the Smart Keyboard + Silicone Case combo for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro cost S$386 (S$268 + S$118). ↩

  3. There are 102 tiny magnets in the new iPad Pros to help the accessories snap into place. ↩

  4. It should also prevent the Pencil from rolling off the table that easily. When Apple phases out the 1st-gen Apple Pencil in the future, the Apple Stores can also do away with their silly Apple Pencil cradles. ↩

  5. This good idea sounds… familiar. ↩

  6. Magnetic attachment, wireless pairing and charging, gestures to invoke shortcuts — the new Apple Pencil kind of reminds you of the AirPods, no? ↩