With 12.9-inch iPad Pro, is Apple eyeing the enterprise market?

Apple has finally broken the barrier and has put the iPad in direct competition with Microsoft's Surface Pro3. Since the launch of the touch-driven Windows 8 operating system by Microsoft, other PC makers, including HP, Lenovo, Dell and Toshiba, had taken to hybrids, but Apple had, so far, decided to keep away from the rat race. Now, with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, it has stepped into the two-in-one, or hybrid segment. In fact, over the past few years, the Cupertino tech giant had been struggling with the sale of its iPads.

The Surface Pro 3 and iPad Pro are similar - they come with pressure sensitive stylus and the covers double up as smart keyboards, which give them the look of serious work devices. However, while the Surface Pro 3 is a 12-inch device that runs on Windows 10, Apple prefers a slightly larger screen for its iPad Pro. It continues with the iOS platform that has a clear advantage over other operating systems for its security features. It has also come a long way since its 2007 launch and has evolved over the years to even support a host of third-party applications.

Now, with the feature-rich innovations, such as the Force Touch and Apple Pencil, it has packed into the iPad Pro, the company is definiteley looking at the enterprise segment. The fact that Microsoft participated in the presentation to showcase the smooth functioning of MS Office on this new tablet, also speaks volumes.

Apple Pencil

In 2007, when Steve Jobs had introduced the iPhone, he had proclaimed: "Who wants a stylus? You have to get 'em, put 'em away, you lose 'em. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus. So let's not use a stylus." So far, therefore, it had just been a play between the capacitive touch displays and your fingers. The iPad Pro has changed all that with the Pencil - an optional stylus, it has been designed to expand the versatility of multi-touch, working alongside the touch of your finger. But what makes the 'Pencil' a premium product priced at $99?

The Pencil has been designed to work on the capacitive touch display with optimal accuracy. When you use it, the system scans the input twice as often to capture more points, or strokes. High responsive sensors, which have been built on the tip of the Pencil, detect force, tilt and position. Signals are emitted from two separate points of the tip to calculate the angle and orientation, and produce dark or light strokes. It has a unique tip signature that allows it to be used simultaneously with the finger touch. This feature consumes more power. So, the iPad Pro comes with an in-built battery that lasts for 12 hours with full charge. A lighting connector is embedded in the pencil cap that is used to charge the hybrid device. The Pencil can also be used for sketching, painting and writing. It replicates the experience of a pencil on paper.

The Apple iPad Pro, with its optional accessories such as the Pencil and smart keyboard, looks promising. While Microsoft has not yet launched its Surface range of devices in India, Apple has been aggressively marketing its products, including Macs, Macbooks and iPads, without any lag. The iPad Pro is certainly an evolved device, but the price is sure to decide the fate of this new tablet in India.