The new iPad Pro represents the first major generational redesign of the product since iPad was introduced to the world in 2010. The brief for this website was to boldly communicate how radically everything about iPad has changed, while still making it feel like an approachable and viable replacement for the everyday laptop computer.

The page features a horizontal scrolling narrative inspired by Wes Anderson-style tracking shots. This is an unconventional, bold approach that can still be navigated as easily as a traditional vertical scroll. Mirroring the intuitive nature of iPad, there are no unnecessary affordances or instructions, the user simply scrolls in whichever direction feels natural and the site responds. The desktop, tablet, and phone (in landscape orientation) version of uses purpose-built code that allows for natural scrolling in any direction. Product photography was chosen to highlight the new all-screen design, paired with copy set in bold type that explains each major innovation in human terms. A bespoke mobile experience for users in vertical orientation was also created so that users on phones could follow the story intuitively with a familiar vertical structure. This website challenges conventions while remaining approachable and human.

Leading up to the launch of the new iPad Pro, there was a renewed momentum behind the product on the strength of iOS 11, which brought many long-requested features specifically to iPad, and the affordable 9.7-inch iPad announced in March 2018. We knew there was a sizable audience who already used and loved iPad awaiting major innovation in the category, as well as a wide group of people who, for the first time, would be considering iPad a their primary computer. apple.com has such a wide reach that we needed to create an experience that wowed even people who were familiar with the previous 8 years of iPad technology, while explaining the benefits in an approachable way for someone who might buy iPad Pro instead of a similarly-priced (but less capable) Windows laptop.

The iPad Pro launch website went live moments after the end of the Apple Special Event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on October 30, 2018. The event was themed around creativity and also saw the announcement of the new MacBook Air and Mac mini. It lives on apple.com alongside Apple’s other products and services, and is localized for over 130 locales.

The iPad site had 24 million visits the first week of launch with traffic up 42% from the previous iPad release earlier in the year. Even though the navigation model was unconventional, users found it easy to engage with the story, with 20% more visitors reaching the end of the story than the previous generation. iPad Pro units nearly sold out on the first day of pre-orders and iPad revenue for the quarter grew 17% year over year.