Lenovo goes where no iPad Pro dares to go (yet)

You can’t deny that Apple makes the best iPads on earth, but does Apple make the best tablets? While also probably yes, Lenovo is teasing iPad Pro users with the tablet we want Apple to make — and they just might! Lenovo just made a 14.5-inch iPad Pro-like tablet with multiple USB-C ports and a more versatile take on the Magic Keyboard…

Ars Technica describes the new Lenovo Tab Extreme as an iPad Pro competitor with a Magic Keyboard clone. No argument here.

But it also makes a lot of hardware decisions Apple may have already made about a future iPad. Lenovo Tab Extreme touts a 14.5-inch display, dual USB-C ports, and a floating keyboard stand accessory with function keys. Yes, yes, and yes, please, Apple.

Of course, the damn thing does run Android. As mixed up and messy as Stage Manager and multitasking are on iPadOS 16, we’d take that over Android on a tablet any day.

And it’s hard to blame Lenovo for riffing on Apple’s Magic Keyboard. Apple originally riffed on Microsoft’s Surface keyboard case, and the Surface riffed on the iPad. Plus, Lenovo’s design includes function keys and a kickstand. Apple has only ventured into these areas with the budgetish-tier iPad 10 Magic Folio keyboard case thing so far.

Accessories aside, it’s the bigger screen size and multiple ports that we want to see from Apple on a future iPad. Fortunately, a 14.1-inch iPad with mini-LED is reportedly in development for as early as this year. No word on dual Thunderbolt port potential, but there was once an iPad prototype with two 30-pin connector ports…

As for Lenovo’s bigger iPad Pro teaser, it has no release date and a hefty price tag of $1,199. That’s probably overpriced by $1,198 for a tablet running Android.

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