# New iPad Pro with M1 chip + Thunderbolt - Game Changer?



## dflood (Apr 20, 2021)

Apple is targeting this at visual media content creators, but I’m wondering what impact this will have on music production? The combination of M1 chip processing power and Thunderbolt connectivity open up a lot of possibilities.









iPad Pro


The new iPad Pro has the M2 chip, 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, 11-inch Liquid Retina display, Wi-Fi 6E, 5G, and support for Apple Pencil hover.



www.apple.com


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## rnb_2 (Apr 20, 2021)

Until the software gets there, all that power seems wasted. Until Adobe puts Lightroom Classic on the iPad (that is, a version of Lightroom that doesn't default to trying to upload your raw photos to Adobe's cloud service), there's nothing out there that even taxes my 2018 11" Pro.

That said, WWDC in June may bring some changes that encourage developers in this direction, but at the moment, there's just not much out there that requires anything like this kind of horsepower.


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## nightjar (Apr 20, 2021)

Logic Pro making its way onto an iPad Pro might be handy with the needed accommodations for touch screen input.. and Apple Pencil too.


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## rnb_2 (Apr 20, 2021)

Almost forgot - StaffPad got some time during the keynote!


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## clonewar (Apr 20, 2021)

If Apple brings the full Logic Pro to the iPad I’ll buy a new one. Otherwise I agree with @rnb_2, we have to see the software capable of utilizing the M1. Having a full DAW optimized for the touchscreen would be awesome, something I’ve wanted for a while.


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## GtrString (Apr 21, 2021)

I think I will update my 2015 iPad Pro. Actually it has been really solid and still works great, and indispensable for picture and video footage, so the better graphics power is the big selling point for me. I never use my iPad Pro for anything music, though, except for the odd app on rare occasions, so I've never put it through it's paces.

For me it works instead of a laptop, which now seems too big, heavy and bulky. The Pro is also much more immediate, faster and powerful than any laptop I've owned. This is Apple's A game. I will never go back, laptops are dead in my world.


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## PeterBaumann (Apr 29, 2021)

Just doing a bit of research on the new iPad Pro 12.9" - what are people's thoughts on RAM/storage configuration options? If it weren't for the RAM bump after 512GB, I'd probably go with 256GB. The fact we don't yet know what the plan is on the software front makes it doubly difficult. Current iPad Pros have just 6GB RAM I believe and are blisteringly fast, whereas the new ones have 8GB or 16GB. The current iPads are more than capable for most tasks, but _if_ Logic is coming to iPad Pros in June I worry that I'll be kicking myself for not future-proofing the device.

I can't imagine I'd ever fill 1TB on the iPad, but perhaps people using them for audio/visual work can provide some insight into storage? Do you find it racks up quickly?


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## PeterBaumann (Apr 29, 2021)

I'm half minded to order the 256GB, wait until they do their WWDC event in June and then decide if I want the bigger model... I think the timings just about work out. Mid-late May delivery, 14 day 'intent to return period' which can be activated either way, event happens, decide whether to keep it or not and return within 14 days of the notice of intent...


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## rnb_2 (Apr 29, 2021)

I won't do anything until after WWDC. If the new OS enables some sort of "reverse Catalyst", where Mac apps can be easily brought to the iPad (as a virtual machine, maybe?), that would encourage me to upgrade. Until something like that happens, though, the iPad is an absurdly powerful hardware platform that Apple has been unable to keep pace with on the software side. The announcement of the new M1-powered Pros just makes that even clearer, so I have my fingers crossed that WWDC has some big news on this front.


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## PeterBaumann (Apr 29, 2021)

Interesting video about 8GB vs 16GB. I really can't see myself using more than 256GB local storage (TB port really opens up external storage options... potentially!) so it's pretty much a RAM consideration. I also can't see myself running big orchestral sessions off an iPad, so as long as Logic _could _run a fairly simple session without a hitch, I think I'd be happy with the lower RAM option.


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## nonchai (Jun 10, 2021)

Regarding WWDC and the constant gripes of the lack of mention of Pro App support for iPad Pro - given it now has an M1:
I think its obvious why Apple didn't - couldn't announce any iPad OS version of Logic or Final Cut etc..
Its because its not only Logic that has to be ported to ARM but also all the current plugins by 3rd parties that have to be ported to an iPadOS plugin API - currently only AUv3 is allowed.
Given the majority of Logic users don't just use Logic plugins but a whole plethora of 3rd pty apps - what use would Logic be on ipad Pro M1 now anyway - given all the other plugin vendors are nowhere near releasing native versions let alone AUv3 versions of their plugins?
Apple could make things easier by allowing VST3 format plugins onto the iPadOS platform - but I doubt they'll do this.
And other pro apps have a load of 3rd pty plugins and add-ons too which need porting. Apple has no control over when this is achieved.
It seems very obvious to me that Apple is just biding its time until all the 3rd pty add-on vendors are ready for a move to iPad. Its not down to Apple alone and never was.


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## jaketanner (Jun 10, 2021)

nonchai said:


> what use would Logic be on ipad Pro M1 now anyway


You don't have to mix on the ipad...but what if you wanted to capture a live recording, or do some editing, or whatnot...don't need any plugins for that. Garageband manages to be on iOS...I am sure Logic would also. (I use Pro Tool), but I do have the new ipad pro...mostly for Staffpad. 

The M1 chip had to come out prior to any third party software...this way they can all test and develop software that can take advantage of the chip...so having it in there now, just opens doors for developers to go crazy with less limitations...like the audio recognition we are gonna get to Staffpad. Well, at least they made it seem like it's because of the M1 chip.


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## rnb_2 (Jun 10, 2021)

The M1 is certainly faster than what came before, but it's not that different from the A12X/A12Z that have been in the iPad Pro since 2018. The A12Z was in the Developer Transition Kit that was sent to developers to test their initial Apple Silicon Mac apps, so it's not like much was impossible before the M1. The extra memory no doubt helps, since 4GB was standard for most of the 2018 line, and 6GB for the 2020. I think we're at the point where putting the pro apps out there is necessary to push developers to get things compatible with the platform.


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## nonchai (Jun 10, 2021)

jaketanner said:


> You don't have to mix on the ipad...but what if you wanted to capture a live recording, or do some editing, or whatnot...don't need any plugins for that. Garageband manages to be on iOS...I am sure Logic would also. (I use Pro Tool), but I do have the new ipad pro...mostly for Staffpad.
> 
> The M1 chip had to come out prior to any third party software...this way they can all test and develop software that can take advantage of the chip...so having it in there now, just opens doors for developers to go crazy with less limitations...like the audio recognition we are gonna get to Staffpad. Well, at least they made it seem like it's because of the M1 chip.


<The M1 chip had to come out prior to any third party software...this way they can all test and develop software that can take advantage of the chip...so having it in there now, just opens doors for developers to go crazy with less limitations.>

Agreed - or to be precise - an M1 iPad Pro specced as it is - had too exist in order to entice companies such as Native Instruments or Spitfire etc etc to see that this platform can now support their ( DSP and storage-space-heavy ) products


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## lastmessiah (Jun 12, 2021)

Logic won't be on the iPad. Garageband is already "Logic for iOS".


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## nonchai (Jun 12, 2021)

lastmessiah said:


> Logic won't be on the iPad. Garageband is already "Logic for iOS".


No it isnt.

A "Logic For iOS" would be a DAW in which any Logic project created on a Mac can be imported and continued to be worked on and transferred to and fro between an iPad and Mac without issues and with all the features a Mac Logic user might need. With the caveat of course that all the plugins that the project created on the Mac are available on the iPad.

Which means - as I wrote earlier - that its not really going to be beneficial to offer Logic for iPadOS until the most commonly used plugins on Mac have been ported to iPadOS.

And for this a Rosetta2 won't do - unless Apple decides to allow plugins ( or iOS extensions ) other than AUv3 to run on iPadOS.

My guess-bet is that there'll be an improved version of AUv3 which presents all the benefits of VST3 or goes even further - so that developers of plugins won't feel their users would lose out but dispensing with VST3.


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## givemenoughrope (Jun 12, 2021)

Let me know what Cubase is available for Apple Watch


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## lastmessiah (Jun 12, 2021)

nonchai said:


> No it isnt.
> 
> A "Logic For iOS" would be a DAW in which any Logic project created on a Mac can be imported and continued to be worked on and transferred to and fro between an iPad and Mac without issues and with all the features a Mac Logic user might need. With the caveat of course that all the plugins that the project created on the Mac are available on the iPad.
> 
> ...


What I meant is that Apple regards GarageBand as its Logic analogue on iOS. GarageBand and Logic share the same code base and are just different images of the same application. And GarageBand does allow you to export or transfer projects to Logic, though I’m not sure about the reverse.

The design language of iOS is always touch-optimized first and foremost. A full-featured Logic desktop application on the iPad would not be possible without compromising on this design language, so Apple simply won’t do it. Third parties have released things like Auria that don’t follow this paradigm, but Apple will not release something fiddly and archaic like that under its own name.


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## InLight-Tone (Jun 12, 2021)

givemenoughrope said:


> Let me know what Cubase is available for Apple Watch


Cubasis 3 is on the iPhone, pretty close...


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## nonchai (Jun 12, 2021)

lastmessiah said:


> What I meant is that Apple regards GarageBand as its Logic analogue on iOS. GarageBand and Logic share the same code base and are just different images of the same application. And GarageBand does allow you to export or transfer projects to Logic, though I’m not sure about the reverse.
> 
> The design language of iOS is always touch-optimized first and foremost. A full-featured Logic desktop application on the iPad would not be possible without compromising on this design language, so Apple simply won’t do it. Third parties have released things like Auria that don’t follow this paradigm, but Apple will not release something fiddly and archaic like that under its own name.


<What I meant is that Apple regards GarageBand as its Logic analogue on iOS. >

No they don't. Apple regards GarageBand as its Mac GarageBand analogue on iOS. GB has been around for ages on Mac.

< GarageBand and Logic share the same code base and are just different images of the same application.>

Yes they share some common code under the hood - but the GUI for GarageBand had to be crafted very specifically for a multi-touch interface. And the codebase for Logic is way more massive and complex than for GB. Obviously.


<And GarageBand does allow you to export or transfer projects to Logic, though I’m not sure about the reverse.>

Yes. Its one way - from "little brother to "big brother" only. Not the other way. This is why a full Logic port is necessary and will happen. The GUI will - again - as for GB iOS - have to be crafted for multitouch but I expect that what will happen is that the next Logic on Mac - will actually reflect as much as possible of GUI look and feel of the iPadOS Logic as possible.

This has been happening already to other MacOS apps so I'd expect it to be the case with the next Logic.


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## givemenoughrope (Jun 12, 2021)

InLight-Tone said:


> Cubasis 3 is on the iPhone, pretty close...


I've been dinking around with that and a piano patch via the bs-16i sampler. It beats looking at facebook anyway.


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