Apple Unveils 10th-Gen iPad With Complete Redesign, 10.9-Inch Display, USB-C, and More

[renai-spirit]

It’s a good update, but the huge price hike where I am means that I just bought a refurb (official Apple Store refurb) 2020 11” iPad Pro 128gb instead of the base 10th gen iPad (64gb), for only $30 more. And $20 cheaper than the 9th gen iPad with 256GB.

The higher RAM and storage in the Pro will keep it going just as long as this new model, and longer than the just superseded 2021 iPad.

 

[mrochester]

It’s a good update, but the huge price hike where I am means that I just bought a refurb 2020 11” iPad Pro 128gb instead of the base 10th gen iPad (64gb), for only $30 more. And $20 cheaper than the 9th gen iPad with 256GB.

The higher RAM and storage in the Pro will keep it going just as long as this new model, and longer than the just superseded 2021 iPad.

Buying second hand is nearly always a better option 👍

 

[renai-spirit]

Buying second hand is nearly always a better option 👍

Offical Apple Refurb, so not even second hand!

 

[mrochester]

Offical Apple Refurb, so not even second hand!

I’d call apple refurb second hand. It’s as new, but not new.

 

[hippopotamusglorypig]

Glad to have just sold my old 2018 Pro yesterday! I love the iPad, but I couldn't take it anymore. I'll probably come back to the platform in three years or so, when the base model comes back to Earth in price. It will likely still be the only iPad worth buying, given the rate of progress of the platform.

I’d call apple refurb second hand. It’s as new, but not new.

And they are known to use lower tier suppliers to bring refurb models up to spec, though the user is probably unlikely to notice.

 

[*~Kim~*]

Or $0.75/month for 12 months??? If you can't pay $9 up front for this thing, please don't buy an iPad either.

I suppose Apple wants people to think that it’s cheaper than an iCloud upgrade.

I thought adapters were so bad that they had to remove them from boxes. No one has this adapter and yet they still have to pay for it. They should have left lightening or made a Pencil 1 with USB C… it’s not a legal requirement for everything to move yet. Unless this is a sign they still plan to be selling it in 2024. Not sure if refurbished products are covered by the rules.

 

[revs]

And they are known to use lower tier suppliers to bring refurb models up to spec, though the user is probably unlikely to notice.

Got a source on that? Surely Apple use the same parts they use on everything else and don't have some special box of lower quality items for refurbs.

 

[lostPod]

...yeah...I think my next tablet will be a Galaxy Tab S8. I'm so done with the iPad lmao

Also rest in peace headphone jack

If I could get photoshop or affinity on the S8 I would be in a happy place. I have an S7 and the design applications aren’t cutting it.

 

[lostPod]

This line-up is kinda confusing. At first blush, is Apple trying to phase out the iPad Air?

I’m thinking the same. I switched from iPad Pro to iPad Air. This seems like a dumbed down version that makes a bigger gap between iPad Pro.

 

[kazmac]

Hmmm… If I need another iPad with a similar non-laminated display & Apple 1st gen pencil, I’ll buy a 9th gen 256gb model on sale instead.

 

[Warped9]

When you compare the specs of the iPad Air and the 10th Gen there really isn’t much to separate them. M1 and laminated display are the two things I recall. Any other differences are extremely marginal. Oh, yeah, the colour options are somewhat different.

I really can‘t get Apple’s reasoning here. The 9th Gen was/is a great bang-for-the buck tablet that really undermined Samsung’s offerings for a 10in. tablet—spend just a bit more (in some cases) or even spend the same and get a better device than what Samsung offers. All Samsung has to offer is expandable storage.

Now Apple just threw that away. Yes, it’s still a better device than the competition, but now you have to pay a lot more for it. It smacks of arrogance and no discernible justification because there’s nothing really new about the 10th Gen. It’s a parts bin device—largely an iPad Air, but with a couple of different pieces.


The question nagging me is: what will Apple do when the stock of 9th Gens are gone?

We’ve seen this before. Several years ago the old MacBook Air hangs around, without price reduction, after a new MacBook Air (current chassis) is introduced. When the old MBA was finally discontinued the then new MBA got a price reduction to its present cost where it remains even after the significant upgrade with the M1. Now a new MBA with M2 is introduced while the current M1 MBA remains available. I suspect history will repeat itself when the current M1 MBA is eventually discontinued and the M2 MBA slots into its place with a likely price drop.

Are we going to see this scenario play out again between the 9th and 10th Gen iPads?

 

[mrochester]

When you compare the specs of the iPad Air and the 10th Gen there really isn’t much to separate them. M1 and laminated display are the two things I recall. Any other differences are extremely marginal. Oh, yeah, the colour options are somewhat different.

I really can‘t get Apple’s reasoning here. The 9th Gen was/is a great bang-for-the buck tablet that really undermined Samsung’s offerings for a 10in. tablet—spend just a bit more (in some cases) or even spend the same and get a better device than what Samsung offers. All Samsung has to offer is expandable storage.

Now Apple just threw that away. Yes, it’s still a better device than the competition, but now you have to pay a lot more for it. It smacks of arrogance and no discernible justification because there’s nothing really new about the 10th Gen. It’s a parts bin device—largely an iPad Air, but with a couple of different pieces.


The question nagging me is: what will Apple do when the stock of 9th Gens are gone?

We’ve seen this before. Several years ago the old MacBook Air hangs around, without price reduction, after a new MacBook Air (current chassis) is introduced. When the old MBA was finally discontinued the then new MBA got a price reduction to its present cost where it remains even after the significant upgrade with the M1. Now a new MBA with M2 is introduced while the current M1 MBA remains available. I suspect history will repeat itself when the current M1 MBA is eventually discontinued and the M2 MBA slots into its place with a likely price drop.

Are we going to see this scenario play out again between the 9th and 10th Gen iPads?

I suspect Apple continue to actively manufacture the 9th gen iPad as the base iPad, with the 10th gen iPad slotting above it in the product tier. Eventually the 10th gen iPad will become the base iPad once the 9th gen is discontinued.

 

[Bodhitree]

I’ll just keep using my iPad Pro (2015) until it can go no more, and then we will see where we go.

Increased prices do make me wonder about going all-Pixel eventually, I don’t want to spend 5000 euros on new Apple gear every time I upgrade my set.

But I’m sad about the times Apple would actually compete on price and features. They seem to have so much money these days that they feel they can just charge what they like.

 

[renai-spirit]

We probably won’t see an update to the base (10th gen) iPad in 2023 - perhaps an 18 month gap this time. Once the Air and Pro receive their next updates (including design changes to the Pro) the overall lineup will make more sense, I think.

(Really need the Air to start at 128gb. 64gb is the new 16gb)

 

[BorisDG]

We probably won’t see an update to the base (10th gen) iPad in 2023 - perhaps an 18 month gap this time. Once the Air and Pro receive their next updates (including design changes to the Pro) the overall lineup will make more sense, I think.

(Really need the Air to start at 128gb. 64gb is the new 16gb)

64GB is absolutely fine if you use the iPad for what is supposed. I don't think you will take photos with it. It's mainly multimedia device.

 

[cola79]

Interestingly, 2014s £329 is worth £409 today.

But hardware from 2014 isn't worth 409 today. And you can't offer last year's technology for a higher price than when it had it's debut. These are multimedia toys, not historical and rare Oldtimers.

 

[mrochester]

But hardware from 2014 isn't worth 409 today. And you can't offer last year's technology for a higher price than when it had it's debut. These are multimedia toys, not historical and rare Oldtimers.

The point I was making is that you would expect the base iPad to cost £409 today, but it actually currently costs £369.

You definitely can offer yesterdays technology at a higher price than when it was debuted, that’s exactly what Apple have just done!

 

[JapanApple]

This line-up is kinda confusing. At first blush, is Apple trying to phase out the iPad Air?

air is what I want but the prices are way too high. I own past air but this is just terrible marketing.

 

[renai-spirit]

64GB is absolutely fine if you use the iPad for what is supposed. I don't think you will take photos with it. It's mainly multimedia device.

We share photos and videos (ie. “multimedia”) of our kids to their grandparents - I think that’s using the iPad for what it’s supposed to be used for - and over 3-4 years 64GB is definitely not enough.

I’m using an iPhone XS with 64gb and regretted not springing for the extra storage not too long after purchase. For any kind of longevity (grandparents will hang onto iPads for 5+ years; I used to upgrade my phone every 2years but now every 4) 64 simply isn’t viable in 2022, especially given increasing file sizes from better cameras on devices. Imho.

 

[mrochester]

We share photos and videos (ie. “multimedia”) of our kids to their grandparents - I think that’s using the iPad for what it’s supposed to be used for - and over 3-4 years 64GB is definitely not enough.

I’m using an iPhone XS with 64gb and regretted not springing for the extra storage not too long after purchase. For any kind of longevity (grandparents will hang onto iPads for 5+ years; I used to upgrade my phone every 2years but now every 4) 64 simply isn’t viable in 2022. Imho.

Isn't this what the 'optimise iPad storage' option is for?

 

[hippopotamusglorypig]

Got a source on that? Surely Apple use the same parts they use on everything else and don't have some special box of lower quality items for refurbs.

They use BOE for iPhone panels on refurbished models, while retail units use Samsung or LG. They're an on-again-off-again supplier known for cutting corners without informing Apple.

Edit: I should hasten to add: it's not as if BOE is terrible; they're a big name in computer monitors. But they're different to the original.

We should all understand by now that Apple in its current iteration is all about optimizing the supply chain, principally for their benefit.

 

[Scarpad]

I ended up getting the 5th gen IPad Air 256gb Amazon had it for $660 with the P3, lamented screen and an m1 just the better deal

 

[*~Kim~*]

I don’t think I will upgrade again until 128GB is the base. My 64GB Mini is almost full, though some of that is downloaded video and podcasts that I haven’t got around to yet. If I were to get another 64, it would be because I got a good deal on a 10.9 model to use as a TV (mine is an old leccy guzzler, so I don’t use it much now.) Then I would keep different things on each iPad so that I effectively had 100GB to play with. And I’d run them from separate Apple ID’s as my iCloud is full (or so it says, even though it shows 4.6GB used.)

64 is fine for other members of my family. Perhaps by the time 128GB is the base, the pound will have recovered.

 

[ackmondual]

Goodbye education market? Can’t (easily) use cheapo wired headphones (while charging, without dongles).

They lost the educational market long ago to Chromebooks, roughly (I'm going to say) 10 years ago.

64GB is absolutely fine if you use the iPad for what is supposed. I don't think you will take photos with it. It's mainly multimedia device.

I wanted a 256 GB iPad, but paying an extra $150 to go from 64 GB was overkill. I would normally be fine since the iPad is just a gaming device. I had a few choice digital board games I wanted, and maybe a few other actual video games. The curveball was my iPad purchase came with a free trial of Apple Arcade, and some of those games have a footprint of 2 GB to 10 GB apiece! I initially lamented that decision, but I took a break from AA since I had travel, found a few non-AA games (on both the ipad and my Android phone), and those have been enough to keep my occupied since. While I haven't written off AA, I don't have any plans to resub anytime soon (perhaps if even at all!), so ironically enough, the smaller capacity iPad helped with that!

 

[DeepIn2U]

UK it’s £669. £100 more for the same product.

I thought you were talking about USA prices.