Apple launches iPad Pro with Apple Pencil and a smart keyboard

Apple has finally launched a bigger version of the iPad at the press event in San Francisco, after months of speculation. The iPad Pro features a 12.9 inch display and Apple CEO Tim Cook referred it as the ""biggest news in iPad since the iPad."

The new iPad Pro continues to have the same design as of the iPad Air 2 with a slightly larger display. It supports split view multitasking where two apps can run side by side. The tablet has a new LED-backlit display with a 2732x2030 pixel resolution and is powered by Apple's A9X 64-bit tri-core 1.5GHz processor. It is paired with 2GB of RAM and will be available in 64GB and 128GB internal storage variants.

Apple has added an 8MP rear camera and a front facing HD camera for Facetime. Apple claims to offer 10 hours of battery life through the 9410mAh non-removable Li-Po battery. The new iPad Pro is 6.9mm thin and weights 712 grams.

Apple has introduced Force Touch to the iPad Pro that understands the difference between tap, press and deep press. The fingerprint sensor is also a part of this new tablet.

Just like the previous iPads, even this one will be available in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi with cellular variants. While there is no word on the Indian pricing yet, the iPad Pro Wi-Fi only 64GB iPad Pro will cost $799 and the 128GB variant will cost $949. The Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB variant with built-in 4G LTE will cost $1079.

Apple has also announced two new hardware accessories for the iPad Pro. First is the smart keyboard dock and the second accessory is the Apple Pencil, a new stylus for the iPad Pro. While the company continues to believe that touch is the preferred input, the Pencil can be used along with the finger touch at the same time. The Apple Pencil has been priced at $99 and the Smart Keyboard will be available separately for $169.