Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: Ultra-Wide Camera

The latest iPad Pro doesn't have two rear cameras like before. Instead of the 12MP wide angle and 10MP ultra-wide angle, it now has only one 12MP rear camera. Apple hasn't explained why. Despite this, the iPad Pro can still shoot 4K video in ProRes and HDR photos. However, it can only digitally zoom from 1x to 5x now, with no more 0.5x wide-angle option. On the bright side, it comes with a new LiDAR sensor, TrueTone flash, and microphone.

Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: More Ports

Having ports is important for making computers more useful with accessories. But, like previous iPads, the 2024 iPad Air and iPad Pro only have one USB-C port each. Rumors of MagSafe charging didn't happen, so the port is for charging and connecting to things like SSDs, hubs, or displays. The Pro does support Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 for quick data transfers.

Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: mmWave 5G

Apple decided not to include mmWave 5G support on the iPad Pro this time, even though it's been in previous models. They didn't say why, but it's probably because of cost and limited mmWave 5G service. Without mmWave, the new iPads will likely have speeds under 1Gbps with sub-6GHz 5G only. mmWave 5G is faster than 2Gbps, so it's a big deal when it's available.

Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: Physical SIM Cards

In addition to removing mmWave 5G, Apple took out the physical SIM card slot from its new iPads. Instead, the Air and Pro come with eSIM, which uses a built-in SIM card that can be programmed with eSIM profiles you download. While eSIM is supposed to be easy, it's not as straightforward as swapping physical SIM cards when you want to switch between data providers.

Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: Apple Pencil Compatibility

The new Apple Pencil Pro is amazing because it has a haptic engine, gyroscope, and built-in Find My feature. It works perfectly with the new iPad Air and iPad Pro. But if you have an old second-generation or different Apple Pencil, you'll need to get the new one. The latest iPads only support the new Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil USB-C.

Missing Features in iPad Air and iPad Pro: Better Battery Life

The original iPad, which came out in 2010, could run for 10 hours when browsing the web on Wi-Fi. The new iPads Apple unveiled this week also promise 10 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing. This stays the same despite advancements in processor efficiency and other parts over the past 14 years.

While Apple is focusing on boosting processing power, it would be great if they also worked on extending battery life. It seems feasible for the latest iPads, especially the 13-inch models with more space inside, to offer 12 hours or more of battery life.