| Cult of Mac

OtterBox updates sleek, transparent folio case to fit 2020 iPad Pro

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OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 for 2020 iPad Pro
The OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 both protects the 2020 iPad Pro and acts as a stand.
Photo: OtterBox

The latest iteration of the OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 Folio Case got a design tweak for the 2020 iPad Pro. This case offers a clear, scratch-resistant design as well as drop protection.

The updated version takes into account the significant camera enhancements in the latest iPad Pro.

AppleCare+ for iPad Pro includes coverage for new Magic Keyboard

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AppleCare+ accidental damage coverage can apply to keyboards under the right circumstances.
An iPad’s AppleCare+ accidental damage coverage plan protects these keyboards too.
Photo: Apple

The just-released iPad Pro Magic Keyboard costs more than some iPads, and it’s possible to get AppleCare+ repair insurance for it. Just not directly.

Purchasing AppleCare+ adds accidental damage coverage to an iPad, as well as some Apple-branded accessories. That includes keyboards, like the very expensive one that debuted last week.

iPad Pro’s LiDAR Scanner isn’t accurate enough for 3D printing

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Esper is a proof-of-concept app to demonstrate the LiDAR scanner in the 2020 iPad Pro
The LiDAR scanner in the latest iPad makes a 3D map of its area, as demonstrated by Esper from Lux Optics.
Photo: Sebastiaan De With/Lux Optics

The 3D scanner built into the 2020 iPad Pro is intended for augmented-reality applications. Tests by the developers of the Halide camera app found that LiDAR built into this new tablet is well-suited for scanning furniture-size objects, but not anything smaller.

New Logitech keyboard case brings trackpad to regular iPads

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Logitech-Combo-Touch-iPad
Logitech Combo Touch is like the Magic Keyboard for regular iPads.
Photo: Logitech

Logitech Combo Touch adds both a keyboard and a trackpad to inexpensive iPad models, because it’s not just Apple’s professional-grade models that can use mice and trackpads. Plus, there’s a flexible kickstand, and the keyboard is removable.

In addition, the Logitech Slim Folio Pro, a more basic keyboard case for the 2020 iPad Pro, is also available now on the Apple Store.

Surprise! Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro launches early

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iPad-Pro-Magic-Trackpad
The Apple Magic Keyboard isn’t like any other iPad Pro accessory.
Photo: Apple

Apple began taking orders for the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro on Wednesday, about a month before the expected launch. This is Apple’s first iPad case with a built-in trackpad, and it sports an eye-catching design that leaves the tablet seemingly floating above the keyboard.

No, the 2020 iPad Pro doesn’t have Apple’s spatially aware U1 chip

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2020 iPad Pro with official wallpaper
A great iPad. But not a U1 chip in sight.
Photo: Apple

Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber said Monday that he has confirmed “with a little birdie” that there is indeed no U1 chip in the new iPad Pro.

The U1 Ultra Wideband chip debuted with the iPhone 11. It allows the iPhone to detect its exact position relative to other devices in the same room. That gives it a sense of spatial awareness for things like targeted AirDrop by pointing one iPhone at another to share a file.

2020 iPad Pro microphone has ‘hardware disconnect’ for added security

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Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for the 2020 iPad Pro
It stops software from listening in when you think your iPad is asleep.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest iPad Pro has the ability to disconnect its microphone when the device is not in use for increased security. The disconnect happens at a hardware level so software cannot override it — but there’s a catch.

The feature only works for you if you have the right accessories.

No, Apple is not throttling its A-series chips for easy upgrades later

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2020 iPad Pro builds on the 2018 model.
The 2020 iPad Pro offers an additional GPU core, but its chip hasn't changed.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A new investigation into Apple’s improved A12Z Bionic chip inside the 2020 iPad Pro reveals that it features exactly the same GPU found in the A12X Bionic for 2018 iPad Pro units. The one big difference is that an additional eighth core is now enabled, making it slightly faster.

Many fans are now criticizing Apple for what seems, at first glance, as intentional throttling. It is assumed Cupertino is disabling features in its newest chips, only to enable them later and market them as improved — even though they’re essentially the same on the inside.

Could it be that this is a scheme to make quick and easy cash? Actually, no. This is standard practice across the semiconductor industry. Others like Intel and Nvidia use exactly the same approach — and there’s a very good reason for it.

Here’s the real reason why an A12Z is just an A12X with unlocked potential.