Second-screen iPad app Astropad has today launched a new premium version of its drawing suite called "Astropad Studio" that's been built exclusively for the iPad Pro (via TechCrunch). The new service offers users a number of advantages over the basic app -- including 40 MB/s max speed for lower latency, deep Apple Pencil integration, and more -- for a subscription plan of $7.99/month or $64.99/year.

Similar to the original app, Astropad Studio works with any Mac app via Wi-Fi or through USB and mirrors drawing tools from the iPad's screen onto a connected Mac. The company says that this connection lets users gain control of "pro-level drawing tools" on a Mac, and is aimed at creative professionals who work both in an office and from home.

astropad-studio-1
One of the biggest additions to the Studio suite of features is support for what Astropad calls "Liquid Extreme," which includes color-corrected output and retina resolution. Essentially, "what you see on your iPad is the same as on your Mac," according to the company.

Here's the complete list of exclusive features for Astropad Studio:

  • Liquid Extreme
  • 40 MB/s Max Speed
  • Unlimited shortcut sets
  • Built for iPad Pro
  • Apple Pencil Only
  • Keyboard support
  • Magic Gestures
  • Pressure Smoothing
  • Eraser Tool
  • Hover Simulation
  • 3-Button Mouse Simulation
  • Undo/Redo Gestures
  • Preview line customization
  • Unlimited Upgrades
  • Priority Support

The list features "Magic Gestures," which Astropad says is a way for users to set up easily accessible controls using a finger and Apple Pencil combination. For example, users can set up an erasing function to activate by setting one finger on the iPad's screen to instantly turn the Pencil into an eraser. Two fingers can be a right click, and so on.


The standard version of Astropad sells for $29.99 on the iOS App Store [Direct Link]. For the new app, users can try out Astropad Studio [Direct Link] with a 7 day free trial before deciding to subscribe to the service's monthly or yearly models. More information regarding Astropad Studio can be found here.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

Top Rated Comments

LordQ Avatar
108 months ago
Nope. If you have a subscription model you won't get a penny out of me.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghost187 Avatar
108 months ago
Ugh, everyone is following this drug dealer business mentality (called subscriptions) now days.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bbqthis Avatar
108 months ago
As long as the ipad pro misses the first quarter inch of each apple pencil stroke, it's useless as illustration hardware.
Which it doesn't, so it's not. Good thing we got that out of the way.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mkeeley Avatar
108 months ago
Have the one off payment version and that will have to do, no way am I paying $65/year.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KostnerGuyton Avatar
108 months ago
I got to beta test this over the past month and it is pretty awesome. I think the subscription route is ridiculous though and I won't be a part of it.
They did claim in their beta email that they won't touch the original (already pretty expensive) app, but we'll see I suppose.

This makes me want to break out the old Xcode and make a free knock-off, which maybe I will.
[doublepost=1484155699][/doublepost]I wish @Apple would just nativly support screen mirroring/secondary display with the iPad Pro with the Mac via USB C. Hopefully thats comming this year. It just doesnt make any sense for them to continue pushing lightning .
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
108 months ago
Subscription = No
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...