A16 iPad, M3 Air, and Beats Headphones with Riley Hill (iPad Pros - 0220)
Mar 27, 2025
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Riley Hill, a contributor to SlatePad.org, joins to dissect the latest iPad innovations and Beats headphones. They delve into the A16 chip updates, weighing features against pricing woes. The conversation shifts to the new M3 iPad Air, highlighting its gaming potential and design shifts. Hill also shares insights on the new Beats models, focusing on their enhanced comfort and sound quality. Additionally, they discuss Apple backups, revealing user frustrations with iCloud, and offer predictions for upcoming product features.
The new A16 iPad offers enhanced storage and performance but continues to struggle with accessory compatibility, causing user frustration.
While the M3 iPad Air boasts improved graphics and storage, it lacks several premium features seen in the iPad Pro, indicating Apple's strategic differentiation.
Deep dives
The Latest iPad Updates
The episode discusses the recent updates to the iPad lineup, particularly the 10th generation base model and the new iPad Air. The base iPad now features an A16 chip, a significant storage increase to 128GB at its starting price, and a vibrant color selection. However, it still lacks Apple Pencil Pro support and requires a dongle for the first-generation Apple Pencil, which remains a source of frustration for users. Both hosts express their desire for more cohesive support for accessories across all models, reflecting on the continued confusions in Apple's accessory lineup.
Evaluating the iPad Air
The hosts delve into the specifications of the new iPad Air, highlighting its introduction of the M3 chip, the improved graphics performance, and features such as the larger storage option. There's a discussion about the new color options and the anticipated release of an updated Magic Keyboard for the Air, which is seen as a positive development. Yet, the conversation points out several missing features compared to the iPad Pro, such as ProMotion and advanced display technology, which leads to a wider debate on Apple's strategy to differentiate the iPad models. The Air is positioned as a balanced choice for many users, but the lack of additional exclusive features compared to the Pro leaves some room for improvement.
Headphone Landscape with Beats
The episode transitions into a discussion on Beats headphones, focusing on the recently released Beats Studio Pro and Powerbeats Pro 2. The hosts compare their personal experiences with various Beats models, mentioning past issues with durability but recognizing improvements in the newer models, particularly in sound quality and construction. They emphasize the practicality of the Powerbeats' design for workouts, especially for users who find other models less secure. Furthermore, they highlight how Apple is using Beats to enhance support for Android users while maintaining brand identity without compromising quality.
Apple Intelligence Features
The discussion shifts to Apple Intelligence, revealing that several anticipated features for Siri and contextual notifications have been delayed until at least the next iOS update. The hosts express disappointment over this setback, especially given the hype surrounding the new capabilities that were marketed prematurely. They speculate that changes in marketing strategies may have contributed to the unrealistic timelines and expectations set for these features. Despite the delay, the hosts remain hopeful for future improvements and enhancements to how Apple integrates intelligence within its products, indicating that building quality should take precedence over rushed releases.