Besides the new iPhone SE, Apple unveiled iPad Air 2 successor dubbed as iPad Pro (9.7-inch) on Monday (March 21) in Cupertino, California.

Except the high-end camera and display technology, the new iPad Pro model houses almost same internal hardware as seen inside the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which was launched in September last year.

"iPad Pro is a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive, enabling people to be more productive and more creative. It's incredibly fast, extremely portable, and completely natural to use with your fingers, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes," Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of (worldwide marketing) said in a statement.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro boasts ultra sleek body with just 6.1 mm in thickness and weighs less than a pound (444g: LTE model; 437g: Wi-Fi only model).

Apple's new iPad Pro comes with the new Retina display having True Tone technology. It uses new four-channel sensors to dynamically adjust the white balance of the display to match the light around you for a more natural and accurate, paper-white viewing experience. The advanced Retina display is 25 percent brighter and 40 percent less reflective than its predecessor iPad Air 2, making the media content even easier to see indoors and out.

Other notable features include four-speaker audio system, 64-bit class A9X chip, 32GB/128GB/256GB inbuilt storage, 12MP iSight camera, 5MP FaceTime HD camera, and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

The company has confirmed that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes in silver, space gray, gold and a new rose gold metallic finish. It's price starts at $599 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi and $729 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular support. Price details of other two storage variants are expected to be made public next week.

Read more: Apple unveils 4.0-inch iPhone SE with 12MP iSight camera

Like iPhone SE, iPad Pro (9.7-inch) pre-order service will go live on March 24 and hit stores on March 31 in select regions including Australia, Canada, China (Wi-Fi models only), France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US.

As far as Indian market is concerned, 9.7-inch iPad Pro 32GB (Wi-Fi only) will cost Rs 49,900, whereas the 32GB storage based LTE model will set you back by Rs 61,900. The new Apple tablet series is said to be made available in early April.

Key specifications of Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch:

Model Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch
Display 9.7-inch LED-backlit screen with True Tone technology
  • Resolution: 2048x1536p
  • Pixel density: 264 ppi (pixels per inch)
  • Wide colour display
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • Fully laminated display
  • Anti-reflective coating
OS Apple iOS 9.3
Processor 64-bit Apple A9x chip with M9 co-processor
Storage capacity 32GB/128GB/256GB
Camera
  • Main: 12MP iSight camera with 1.22µ pixels, Live Photos, 4K video recording (3840x2160) at 30 fps, Autofocus with Focus Pixels, True Tone flash, Panorama (up to 63 megapixels), Auto HDR for photos, Exposure control, Burst mode, Timer mode, Æ’/2.2 aperture, Five-element lens, Hybrid IR filter, Backside illumination sensor, Sapphire crystal lens cover, Auto image stabilization, Improved local tone mapping, Improved noise reduction, Face detection, Photo geotagging
  • Front: 5MP FaceTime camera with camera with 720p HD video recording, Retina Flash, Æ’/2.2 aperture, Auto HDR for photos, Backside illumination sensor, Exposure control,, Face detection, Timer mode, Burst mode
Battery Built‐in 27.5‐watt‐hour rechargeable lithium‐polymer batteryAll models
  • Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music
  • Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

Wi‐Fi + Cellular models

  • Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using mobile data network
Network 4G-LTE (available in separate model)
Add-ons Touch ID fingerprint sensor, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO, Bluetooth v4.2, iBeacon micro-location, A-GPS.GLONASS, four audio speakers
Dimensions 240.0 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm
Weight
  • Wi‑Fi model: 437 grams (0.96 pounds)
  • Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 444 grams (0.98 pounds)
Colour options Gold, silver, space grey and rose gold
Price (Starting price)
  • 32GB (Wi-Fi only): $599 (around €532/ Rs 39,840)
  • 32GB (Wi-Fi + LTE): $729 (around €647.94/Rs 48483.93)