With nearly half of all iPad now being sold to corporations rather than consumers, the odds that you're going to end up working with an iPad at one time or another are pretty steep.
Luckily, they're user-friendly, great for increasing mobile productivity and, increasingly, are capable of running the vast majority of apps you already use on your desktop or notebook. With that in mind, it's time to arm yourself with some key specs that'll help you work out which iPad is right for your line of work.
While the basics of iPad remain the same – Retina display, iSight camera for photo and video on one side, FaceTime HD camera for video calls (and conferences) on the other, industry-leading platform, device and app-level security – there are subtle differences between models, such as screen size, storage capacity and whether they are available in gold, that can make all the difference.
iPad Pro
iPad Pro is the creative user's tablet of choice thanks to its leading graphics performance, but with analysts predicting that large format tablets will be ruling the workplace by 2019, it's well worth getting to grips with iPad Pro in enterprise environments too.
But whether to opt for the larger 12.9" model, or the more recent 9.7" one? Well, if you regularly have to use your iPad as a presentation device, the three inches of extra screen space can provide some much-needed breathing room for your pitch content, especially if you deal with incredibly detailed models or documents. And while that faster A9X processor is designed to give more power to your creative apps, it'll work equally well as a way to speed up data-driven work, so if you want to fly through analytics analysis (and then have plenty of space to show off your results) iPad Pro is the way to go.
That larger screen also means you get a bigger keyboard, should typing on your regular screen leave you drowning in a sea of typos and humiliating autocorrect errors, or you can add a Smart Keyboard, a lightweight, full-size keyboard that is built into an iPad Pro cover, meaning it's there whenever you need it. Just fold back the cover, lean back your iPad (the non-keyboard portion of the cover folds into a stand) and you can set your iPad Pro up like a desktop or notebook for easier multitasking.
You can also add an Apple Pencil if you want to do slightly more detailed drawing than your finger can manage, or take notes. The iPad Pro scans for Pencil activity 240 times a second, meaning there's no lag between your hand moving and your drawing appearing on the screen, and we've yet to hear of any reviewer managing to defeat the palm rejection technology. It's also pretty quick to charge – 15 seconds of charge via your iPad Pro's Lightning port gives you enough power for 30 minutes of use.
Best for: Architects, designers, onsite contractors – anything where you need to deal with high-res, detail-heavy imagery.
iPad Pro 12.9"
- 32GB or 128GB capacity (WiFi only), 128GB (WiFi and cellular).
- 12.9" 2732x2048 resolution display.
- A9X chip with 64-bit architecture (2.5x faster than A7 chip with 5x faster graphics).
- 12MP iSight camera with 4K video recording and 1.2MP FaceTime camera with 720p HD video.
- Touch ID.
- Apple Pay.
- Available in silver, gold and space grey from November.
Prices start from £585 ex VAT.
iPad Pro 9.7"
- 32GB, 128GB and 256GB capacity.
- 9.7"2048x1536 resolution display.
- A9X chip with 64-bit architecture and M9 motion co-processor.
- 12MP iSight camera with 4K video recording and 1.2MP FaceTime camera with 720p HD video.
- Touch ID.
- Apple Pay.
- Available in silver, gold and space grey from November.
Prices start from £299 ex VAT.
iPad Air 2
Keeping the screen size of the original iPad but squeezing the internals into a tiny 444 gram machined aluminium body, iPad Air 2 is an excellent compromise between screen size and portability. (We particularly like it for any roles where you need to combine typing and form-filling admin work with visual documentation, because it's easier to handle than the Pro, but still retains the same pair of high quality cameras.)
While workers in some sectors are reporting that iPad is taking over from their desktop and notebook computers, there are plenty of tools available to help you use it as a second screen or presentation device – we highly recommend pairing it with Apple TV in your boardroom as a replacement for ageing projector setups.
iPad Air 2 has a greater internal memory than the original iPad Air, which tapped out at 32GB, which makes this form factor viable even if you're toting larger apps or bigger files. This also allows you to work in Split Screen mode, which means you can use more than one app at once side-by-side – watch a video while reading something in Safari or dig information out of your email while typing into a document, for example.
iPad Air 2 also comes with Touch ID, Apple's biometric security measure, to ensure no one can sneak onto your iPad without your index fingerprint. So if you're saving ultra-important files locally or have business secrets in your email inbox, opt for the newer model.
Best for: Retail – a flexible solution for POS displays, kiosks, ePOS and face to face sales.
iPad Air 2
- 32GB and 128GB capacities (WiFi only or WiFi and cellular).
- 9.7" 2048x1536 resolution display.
- A8X chip with 64-bit architecture (1.4x faster than A7 chip with 2.5x faster graphics).
- 8MP iSight camera and 1.2MP FaceTime camera with 720p HD video.
- Touch ID.
- Available in silver, gold and space grey.
- Prices start from £215 ex VAT.
iPad mini
If you need something even more portable, go for the ultra-light 7.9" iPad mini. Despite not being much bigger than your phone, it still manages to be higher resolution than an HD TV, and iPad mini 4 even manages to fit in Touch ID for biometric security authentication and supports Split Screen view for working in multiple apps side-by-side.
We like iPad mini for fieldwork such as repairs or surveying, as it has all the document and data management capabilities of its larger counterparts, but is slim enough to hold in one hand, making collecting video and photographic evidence that much easier.
The slightly lower price tag also makes it a popular choice for workplace schemes, as it shaves a little off the upfront cost of investing in iPad without you losing any of the core benefits.
Best for: Field sales, on-site reporting.
iPad mini 4
- 32GB or 128GB capacity (WiFi only or WiFi and cellular).
- 7.9" 2048x1536 resolution display.
- A8 chip.
- 8MP iSight camera and 1.2MP FaceTime camera with 720p HD video.
- Apple Pay.
- Touch ID.
- Available in silver, gold and space grey.
- Prices start from £312 ex VAT.
Want to know more about iPad? See the full range here or get in touch with our team by popping your details in the form below. Alternatively, you can call them on 03332 409 306 or email sales@Jigsaw24.com.
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