Monday's announcement of the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro with a higher-quality screen and specialized color tools means there are now two iPad Pros on the market: a bigger, more expensive 12.9-inch model, and a smaller, cheaper, higher-quality model.
The differences in the device's screens are significant. Both have sharp displays, but the 9.7-inch has something Apple calls "True Tone," which will enable users to do accurate color work in any light setting. It also has a broader color gamut than the 12.9-inch model.
This difference isn't immediately obvious from Apple's website or marketing, but it's going to be a huge deal for one of the iPad's important consumer bases.
Artistic professionals like graphic designers and photographers are a major target for the ultra-light quasi-laptop replacement devices. iPad Pros come with powerful visual apps, a well-designed stylus, and enough storage and power to do jobs usually reserved for a PC. The introduction of True Tone makes the 9.7-inch iPad Pro the first tablet I've ever considered buying.
But it also puts artistic professionals in a bind — if they even manage to spot the difference before committing to purchase. Some work, like drawing and precision photo editing, is just easier on a bigger screen. But given the choice between working on a higher-quality small screen and a lower-quality (and pricier) big screen, it'll be hard to pick for some people.
For myself though, there's no contest. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the way to go.
