Delta pilots are getting M1 iPad Pros with 5G thanks to AT&T partnership

iPad Pro 2021 review
iPad Pro 2021 review (Image credit: Daniel Bader / iMore)

What you need to know

  • AT&T has announced a new partnership with Delta that will give pilots a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
  • Each iPad will be kitted out with an AT&T SIM for 5G connectivity.

AT&T has today announced that it is partnering with Delta to give its pilots a brand new 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro for use in the sies. The tablets will also be kitted out with an AT&T 5G SIM card for a "seamless device experience."

The move means that pilots will be able to run Delta apps in the cockpit — although they hopefully won't be playing the latest and greatest Apple Arcade has to offer while they're flying!

The pilot's role spans far beyond what happens at 30,000 ft. Flight data and aircraft load information are essential for every trip and delivered directly to each pilot's EFB. Today, EFB apps on iPad are custom-built specifically to take advantage of the powerful hardware, helping pilots make efficient use of this information.Innovative uses of sensors and other technology have made an increasing wealth of data available to pilots through their apps. Delta pilots depend on reliable, high-performing cellular connectivity when Wi-Fi is not available to download this critical data. The AT&T 5G network can help pilots download data at speeds comparable to Wi-Fi, even while in transit to the airport or at the gate.

We already knew that the new iPad Pro was pretty great, but now we also know that it's apparently the best iPad for pilots, too!

Apple's latest iPad Pro comes equipped with the speedy M1 chip, while the larger 12.9-inch version also has a fancy new mini-LED screen producing improved contrast and brightness — something that could presumably be useful in the cockpit.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.