But what caught my attention most was the iPad's front-facing TrueDepth camera, and more specifically, the new Center Stage feature.

For those who did not attend the Apple event, Center Stage is a new feature that uses the iPad Pro's camera to digitally track subjects as they move in front of the camera.

This means that when you are on a FaceTime call with friends and family, you can prop your iPad up on a table and not worry about adjusting it when you want to get up and move around.

Now, this is not a particularly groundbreaking feature; you can already find something similar in smart displays such as the Google Nest Hub Max, Facebook Portal, and Amazon Echo Show 10.

However, Center Stage has an advantage over other devices in that it is not limited to one or a handful of video chat apps. [For example, Google devices are limited to Google Duo, Google Meet, and Zoom; the Echo Show 10 can use Alexa, Chime, Skype, and Zoom; the Facebook portal is Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Workplace, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Webex, and Zoom, making it the most comprehensive of the smart displays.

According to the iPad Pro's main page on Apple's website, Center Stage will work with FaceTime as well as other video conferencing apps, so presumably all such apps installed on the iPad Pro will support this feature This probably means that all such apps installed on the iPad Pro will support this feature. This means that not only FaceTime and Zoom, but also Discord, Twitch, and other best-of-breed apps that replace Zoom should be able to use this feature. However, developers will need to enable this feature in their apps. [Nest Hub Max has a 127 degree viewing angle, Portal has a 114 degree viewing angle, and Portal+ has a 140 degree viewing angle.

Having used this feature on a smart display, I can tell you that it really comes in handy when your in-laws call you while you are cooking dinner and want to see their granddaughter dancing around the kitchen. Holding the phone and turning it back and forth is really tiring.

Now all we need is for Apple to add Center Stage to the upcoming iPhone 13.