Apple recently announced the new iPad Pro and an optional Pencil accessory. This is a 12.9 inch iPad that is significantly larger than the iPad Air at 9.7 inches. I believe it will be used primarily by people that require more screen real estate to perform their tasks. The larger screen will allow for the split screen functionality of iOS 9 and be useful for graphic artists that perform design or digital artwork.
The pencil as an accessory is an interesting tool and needs some explanation in terms of its functionality.
1. The pencil is a drawing tool. It allows you to draw with thinner or thicker strokes which should allow for more precise sketches and drawings.
2. The pencil is not a stylus for navigation purposes. The finger is still the primary method for interfacing with the operating system.
As for the practical usefulness of a larger iPad when using the FormConnect apps, the functionality should work exactly the same. However, there is one noticeable difference with the iPad Pro compared to the smaller iPads and that’s the size and weight. The iPad Pro weighs 1.57 pounds versus the iPad Air 2 at 0.96 pound and the larger display may make it more difficult to hold in one hand when filling out a form. Below is a screen shot comparing the iPad Pro to the MacBook Air to give you an idea of how large it is. There is also an optional keyboard that is shown below that would be very useful when filling out a form on this large an iPad device.
