Apple releases new information about 2021 iPad Pro’s XDR Display, Thunderbolt Support, 5G and more


As Apple has begun shipping their new iPad Pro models out to their customers, they have released new support documents that provide information about its new features such as the Liquid Retina XDR display, the Thunderbolt bolt, 5G data usage and Center Stage.

With the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple introduced their first ever iPad display that is powered by Mini-LED technology. In a new document, Apple details the following:

To achieve Extreme Dynamic Range required an entirely new display architecture on iPad Pro. The all new 2D mini-LED backlighting system with individually controlled local dimming zones was the best choice for delivering the extremely high full-screen brightness and contrast ratio, and off-axis color accuracy, that creative professionals depend on for their workflows.

The Liquid Retina XDR display can support up to 1000 nits of full-screen brightness. It can also support up to 1600 nits for highlights in up to 40 percent of the screen area when the rest of that image is black or at brightness up to 600 nits.

They also talked about the Apple Silicon M1 chip’s processing power for running these displays

Additionally, custom algorithms run on the advanced display engine of the M1 chip, working at the pixel level to control the mini-LED and LCD layers of the display separately, treating them as two distinct displays. These proprietary algorithms coordinate the mini-LED and LCD layers across transitions to deliver the optimal visual experience. Transitional characteristics of local dimming zones, such as a slight blur or color change while scrolling against black backgrounds, are normal behavior.

The new iPad Pro models feature Thunderbolt and USB 4 capable ports, and about their power delivery for accessories, Apple said:

iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) also support a wide ecosystem of high-performance Thunderbolt and USB4 accessories. Some accessories can request higher power from your iPad, which might affect battery life. To extend battery life, remember to disconnect these accessories from iPad Pro when you aren’t using them. Refer to your accessory manufacturers’ specifications for more information.

The 2021 iPad Pro models are the first ever to feature support for 5G connectivity. In the iPadOS, Apple introduced the ability to use 5G for more high-speed network requirements with the “Allow More Data on 5G” setting.

Allow More Data on 5G: Enables higher data-usage features for apps and system tasks. These include higher-quality FaceTime, high-definition content on Apple TV, Apple Music songs and videos, and iPadOS updates over cellular. This setting also allows third-party apps to use more cellular data for enhanced experiences. This is the default setting with some unlimited-data plans, depending on your carrier. This setting uses more cellular data.

And lastly, they also released a support document that provides instructions on how to use the iPad’s new Center Stage feature in apps.

The new support documents are available as follows:

Via