Apple's new iPad Pro ad says users can avoid printing in public

Apple on Tuesday released another spot in its recent series of iPad Pro ads, this time concentrated on the idea that the tablet can let people avoid using printers.

The video is based a post by a real Twitter user, @ROSESplease, in which she complains about printing personal documents at work and having to "run to the printer to get your stuff before anyone else does." The ad then notes that you can email documents directly from an iPad, using an Apple Pencil to sign them.

Like other entries in the campaign, the new ad is just 15 seconds long. This likely reflects a shift in Apple's marketing focus towards digital and social media, de-emphasizing TV.

The company has allegedly reduced its marketing budget, leading its main ad partner — TBWA\Media Arts Lab — to lay off people at offices around the globe, even its Los Angeles headquarters. Apple is also reportedly adopting a regional focus instead of trying to translate global campaigns, an early example being the "Meu Bloco na Rua" commercial for Brazil.

Less clear is why Apple would be airing iPad ads now when new models could be just a month away. The company is typically expected to deliver three new ones, including an updated 12.9-inch tablet, a new 10.5-inch size, and a budget version of the 9.7-inch form factor. There's been no indication of an iPad mini update.