Apple Discusses M1 iPad Pro in New Interview, Including Lack of XDR Display on 11-Inch Model

Apple marketing employee Scott Broderick and display engineer Vincent Gu recently spoke with Apple Bitz XL podcast host Brian Tong about the new iPad Pro, including the M1 chip and the Liquid Retina XDR display.


While the Apple employees dodged many of the questions asked in the interview, they did reveal that the new 11-inch iPad Pro's lack of a Liquid Retina XDR display is at least partly due to weight considerations. The latest 11-inch model weighs 1.03 pounds, while the 12.9-inch model weighs 1.5 pounds, in part due to the heavier XDR display.

"What we know about the 11-inch user is that they just love bringing a super powerful iPad with them in a portable one-pound design," said Broderick. "They just love the form factor of that. Whereas the user who is embracing the 12.9-inch display, they were looking for the largest canvas to do their most creative work on that product, and that made sense to bring that XDR technology to the 12.9-inch display for the iPad Pro."

The interview also discusses the capabilities of the iPad Pro's newly added Thunderbolt support, the new Center Stage front camera feature that automatically keeps users perfectly framed during video calls, and more.

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

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Top Rated Comments

goonie4life9 Avatar
49 months ago
Yowza, their comment about the XDR display is some top quality spin! I wonder what they’ll say when they add it to the 11-in iPP in the next update.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FasterQuieter Avatar
49 months ago
This is painfully boring to watch. They are so constrained in how they speak.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haincha Avatar
49 months ago
I was going to upgrade from the 2018 iPad Pro 11" model, but without the XDR screen, I will hold off another year until it's there. My current iPad Pro is still in good shape and not really running into any issues with it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G46&Fbnth5 Avatar
49 months ago
They wanted to keep the price lower.
Next generation of Pro 11’ will have the XDR display.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
49 months ago
The new Xdr display has massive shadow issues I would not get it, I’m returning mine, also m1 will always be over kill, this interview was kinda pointless they never answer any questions
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
49 months ago
… or they couldn’t source more XDR displays.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)