9.7-Inch iPad Pro: Top Features of Apple's New Smaller iPad Pro

Alongside the iPhone SE, Apple also utilised its 'Let Us Loop You In' media event to announce a new tablet: 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The new iPad Pro offers largely the same hardware specifications as its larger 12-inch iPad Pro sibling from last year in a small form-factor.

The iPad Pro is the true successor to the iPad Air 2 which was launched in 2014. When compared to the two-year-old tablet, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro offers much improved display, processor, and other capabilities. Here are the top five features of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Improved display
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro features a True Tone, "Pro" Retina display, the company said. When compared with the screen of the iPad Air 2, the display on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is 25 percent brighter and 40 percent less reflective, the company said. In addition, the display dynamically adjusts the white balance to match the light around a user.

Camera
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro offers the same iSight camera sensor as the iPhone 6s: 12-megapixel iSight camera - an improvement over the 8-megapixel iSight camera on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and bearing a larger aperture f/2.2. The company says that users can capture videos in 4K resolution, as well as 240fps slo-mo videos. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro also offers support for Live Photos. On the front end, we have a 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera that features Retina Flash with True Tone.

Four-speaker setup
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro houses four speakers, offering clear and rich stereo sound. As we noted in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro review, the audio experience is perhaps the best thing about the tablet. Apple says that the built-in sensors automatically adjust and optimise the audio irrespective to how you're using it. Additionally, iOS 9.3 adds support for playing video encoded with Dolby Digital Plus audio streams.

Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support
Apple is trickling down the stylus and improved keyboard hardware features to the 9.7-inch tablet lineup. Users of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be able to make use of Apple Pencil, which offers impressive pressure and tilt feedback. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro also supports Smart Keyboard accessory which also doubles as the Smart Cover.

Improved processor and other innards
Much like the last year's iPad Pro, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro variant also sports 64-bit A9X SoC. The company has also added improved networking components, it noted. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro offers 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO technology, and offers faster LTE Advanced. Apple says that the iPad Pro offers up to 50 percent faster cellular connectivity.