iPad I tried out the iPad 10th Gen - actually like it!

[Saturn007]

I can see lots of people IRL going for the iPad 10 over the iPad 9. It has a number of plusses and advantages over the 9 for only $120 more.

Device Colors​

Larger screen​

Smaller bezels​

A14 v. A13 chip​

Better camera​

Better video recording​

USB-C​

5G cellular option​

Liquid Retina Display vs. RD​

 

[usagora]

Even if I don't normally use it myself, I have bought several $300 iPads for family so I'd say I'm still part of the target market.

For me, the main concern is whether Apple's gonna keep the $450 the entry level price point going forward ($500+ with taxes for me) once they drop the 9th gen. If so, that's gonna mean no more iPad gifting for me and stretching upgrades for as long as possible.

How soon we forget. When I bought my first base iPad (16GB iPad 2) back in 2012, it cost more ($499) than the base iPad 10 does ($449). It had 1/4 of the storage capacity and was much, much slower. It also had a smaller screen size by more than an inch and half the resolution.

I think we're getting a fair price.

 

[nStyle]

I would never pay nearly $500 for a non-laminated iPad. It’s just not happening. It’s literally pre-2014 tech. If we’re going back in time, the iPad Air launched in 2014 with a laminated display for $499.

There will be discounts I’m sure making it worth it but right now it just sits oddly in the lineup with frequent discounts on the Air happening. Even if you paid $150 more for the Air, you’re still getting a vastly superior product, especially if you value Pencil 2 support.

 

[rui no onna]

How soon we forget. When I bought my first base iPad (16GB iPad 2) back in 2012, it cost more ($499) than the base iPad 10 does ($449). It had 1/3 of the storage capacity and was much, much slower. It also had a smaller screen size by more than an inch and half the resolution.

I think we're getting a fair price.

I didn't forget.

The thing is if Apple had kept the $499 price point as entry level, there's a bunch of iPads I wouldn't have bought (upgrades from older iPads such as the iPad 3 and gifts to cousins and nieces).

The iPad 3s were hand-me-downs back when I was upgrading more frequently (2011-14). Circa 2016-17 though, I had $1000+ iPad Pros for myself (max storage + cellular) which had plenty of performance headroom. I wasn't about to hand those down and buy new ones just after a year or two of use.

It should also be noted that iPad sales peaked in 2013 and was steadily dropping. It didn't stabilize until 2017, coincidentally with the release of the $329 iPad 5th gen.

Also, 16GB is 1/4 of 64GB. 😉 Mind, I remember paying like $200 for 120GB SATA2 SSDs in 2011. Nowadays, you can get 1TB NVMe for less than half that price.

 

[itsOver9000]

Walmart had the better 10th gen iPad (iPad Air 4) on sale for $350 yesterday. 64GB looks like it's sold out now but you can still get the 256GB for cheaper than the 256GB iPad 10.

 

[nStyle]

Walmart had the better 10th gen iPad (iPad Air 4) on sale for $350 yesterday. 64GB looks like it's sold out now but you can still get the 256GB for cheaper than the 256GB iPad 10.

Pay $50 more to get 4x the storage, a laminated screen w/ P3 color support, much better speakers, Apple Pencil 2 support, slightly faster processor, faster USB-C port? Sign me up.

 

[usagora]

I didn't forget.

Then you should know what a good deal these are. 9th Gen is an even more amazing deal.

The thing is if Apple had kept the $499 price point as entry level, there's a bunch of iPads I wouldn't have bought (upgrades from older iPads such as the iPad 3 and gifts to cousins and nieces).

You are one of many millions of customers. I'm sure you're not alone, but the point is there are enough people who would still buy the iPad 10th Gen to make it more profitable for Apple than had they kept the price lower. Apple doesn't just pull prices out of a hat, as you know. They pay people to study the market and analyze these things. Could they be wrong? Of course. But I put more stock in their people who do this for a living than people on a Mac forum armchair quarterbacking it.

It should also be noted that iPad sales peaked in 2013 and was steadily dropping. It didn't stabilize until 2017, coincidentally with the release of the $329 iPad 5th gen.

I'm sure there are multiple factors involved there. I've owned 2 iPads before and honestly they were more curiosity purchases than anything. Once the novelty wore off, they mostly sat there and rarely got used. It definitely doesn't replace my Macs--not even close, and I've already got an iPhone for mobile apps. For me, price was not a factor.

Also, 16GB is 1/4 of 64GB. 😉

See, I was even being conservative!
(seriously, I did know that--it was a typo!...been making tons of those lately for some reason 🤬)

Mind, I remember paying like $200 for 120GB SATA2 SSDs in 2011. Nowadays, you can get 1TB NVMe for less than half that price.

Yes, but storage media is a different ballgame than an entire device (iPad).

 

[rui no onna]

Then you should know what a good deal these are. 9th Gen is an even more amazing deal.

You are one of many millions of customers. I'm sure you're not alone, but the point is there are enough people who would still buy the iPad 10th Gen to make it more profitable for Apple than had they kept the price lower. Apple doesn't just pull prices out of a hat, as you know. They pay people to study the market and analyze these things. Could they be wrong? Of course. But I put more stock in their people who do this for a living than people on a Mac forum armchair quarterbacking it.

More than half of iPad sales is accounted for by the entry level iPad. The 10th gen is still okay since they’re still currently selling the 9th gen.

Now I don’t know what Apple plans in the future but I think it’s a fair guess to say Apple would be selling a lot less iPads if they completely drop the 9th gen with nothing replacing it in the $300-400 price range.

Yes, but storage media is a different ballgame than an entire device (iPad).

Sure, but Apple is paying is far less for that 64GB now than they did 16GB in 2011. Hence, I don’t consider 16GB in 2011 vs 64GB in 2022 as being particularly good value or Apple being generous with storage.

 

[darngooddesign]

It’s simply ridiculous how Apple severely gimped the iPad 10 while rising prices.

Larger Screen
1GB more RAM
Faster chip
Higher res camera with a faster lens and better HDR
5G instead of 4G
Landscape front camera
Landscape stereo speakers
Same Pencil support

Check out all that gimping.

 

[usagora]

More than half of iPad sales is accounted for by the entry level iPad. The 10th gen is still okay since they’re still currently selling the 9th gen.

Now I don’t know what Apple plans in the future but I think it’s a fair guess to say Apple would be selling a lot less iPads if they completely drop the 9th gen with nothing replacing it in the $300-400 price range.

The principle I keep coming back to in these conversations is that the market will regulate itself. The people crying "greed!" about Apple's prices seem to think that Apple is going to watch itself losing profits and say, "I don't care, we're going to keep raising prices!" Obviously that's silly. Apple will adjust with the market to keep itself profitable. They're not exactly the only tablet manufacturer out there (though they're unarguably one of the best).

Sure, but Apple is paying is far less for that 64GB now than they did 16GB in 2011. Hence, I don’t consider 16GB in 2011 vs 64GB in 2022 as being particularly good value or Apple being generous with storage.

But Apple's always been high on their SSD prices, so nothing new there. And storage capacity was just one of the specs I mentioned, not my only basis for calling it a good deal.

 

[GMShadow]

The iPad 10 exists because Apple believes there's a market of people who looked at the 9, and looked at the Air, and said "I like the Air but I don't want to pay $270 more for it."

Maybe there isn't a market - we'll see. The trick will be getting people to step up to the 10, and not step down from the Air 5.

 

[chikorita157]

Larger Screen
1GB more RAM
Faster chip
Higher res camera with a faster lens and better HDR
5G instead of 4G
Landscape front camera
Landscape stereo speakers
Same Pencil support

Check out all that gimping.

It’s gimped compared to the Air 4, which the iPad 10 is based on. Stop trying to defend the iPad 10, it’s a bad value product at it’s current price point, should be priced $329 or $349. At $449, a refurbished iPad Air 4 or iPad Pro 11” 2018/2021 or an iPad Air 5 on a good sale is a better value than the iPad 10.

 

[JPack]

I’ve already replied to this thread, but my question is…

What will be the base model NEXT year? How much will it cost? That $329 price tag has been dialed in for around four years now. It’s what people expect. It’s what many people can afford. And it’s the best selling iPad.

So what now? If Apple still sells the 9th Gen next year at $329, they can go to hell. The average person won’t know their software/security updates will be extremely limited time-wise going forward.

In all likelihood, the $329 iPad will be removed from the lineup next year. The base iPad is clearly $449.

If Apple intended for a $329 and $449 iPad to coexist, they would have named either of those products differently, e.g. iPad XR or SE, similar to the Watch or iPhone lineup.

 

[darngooddesign]

It’s gimped compared to the Air 4, which the iPad 10 is based on.

The new iPad-10 is $150 USD cheaper than what the iPad Air 4 sold for new.

Obviously if you can get an older better iPad for the same price, that's the one you want unless you prioritize the landscape camera or just prefer new devices.

 

[rui no onna]

In all likelihood, the $329 iPad will be removed from the lineup next year. The base iPad is clearly $449.

If Apple intended for a $329 and $449 iPad to coexist, they would have named either of those products differently, e.g. iPad XR or SE, similar to the Watch or iPhone lineup.

Not necessarily. As far as I’m aware, Apple still sells the iPhone 12 and 13 along with the 14.

It’s still possible they may go the same route with the iPad with the 10th gen at $349 and the 11th gen at $449.

It’s entirely possible they’re testing the pricing waters and seeing how sales of the 10th gen with newer design compare with sales of the 9th gen.

 

[darngooddesign]

Not necessarily. As far as I’m aware, Apple still sells the iPhone 12 and 13 along with the 14.

I wonder if the EU mandate allows for older devices which have Lightning.

 

[Digitalguy]

The new iPad-10 is $150 USD cheaper than what the iPad Air 4 sold for new.

Obviously if you can get an older better iPad for the same price, that's the one you want unless you prioritize the landscape camera or just prefer new devices.

On Amazon the 10th gen is only $70 cheaper than the iPad air 5 with M1. Of course this is the situation now as I have said previously. iPad 10 will go down in price at some point, but currently it's pretty poor value compared to an air 5...

 

[Digitalguy]

I wonder if the EU mandate allows for older devices which have Lightning.

yes they can keep lightning devices around as long as they want

 

[FeliApple]

I agree with the sentiments echoed by many: Yes, regular customers don’t care, but we are here, and we don’t analyze iOS devices in a vacuum. In a vacuum, the 10th gen iPad has many advantages when compared to the 9th gen. Looking at it in context, it’s not the best value, currently. The Air 4 is a better value, the 2018 Pro is a better value, and its drawbacks make it so that it doesn’t make a lot of sense if looking at Apple’s released products. On the lineup? Yeah, a better 9th gen with the annoyance of the Apple Pencil adapter for more money, makes sense, but when you add the Airs and the older Pros it loses that advantage.

As Apple still sells the 9th gen, arguably that’s a better price-conscious buy, if the user doesn’t care about the screen differences (or can tolerate them). Note that I didn’t say that it is a bad product, only that it isn’t the best value.

 

[chikorita157]

The new iPad-10 is $150 USD cheaper than what the iPad Air 4 sold for new.

Obviously if you can get an older better iPad for the same price, that's the one you want unless you prioritize the landscape camera or just prefer new devices.

The iPad 10 is basically the Air 4, but worse. It’s obvious that they went out their way to mae a worse iPad from what the Air 4 is based on. They could have just take the iPad 4, remove P3 color support and call it the iPad 10. There is no need to redesign it just so it has a worse display, worse wifi, worse usb speeds, not work with any of the Air and Pro accessories and keyboard, and keeping Apple Pencil 1 support, which is idiotic. After all, like with the iPhone SE, Apple wouldn’t need to waste R&D money and can keep it at 449. The way they approached it by taking the iPad Air 4 and making it worse with a high price tag compared to the 9 makes it a bad value. If it was 329 or 349, it wouldn’t be bad.

Also, laugh as you want, the iPad 10 is objectively a bad value at its current price, and should be cheaper given that it’s a gimped iPad Air 4.

 

[dz5b609]

Nobody called it a bad product, just too expensive for what it is and therefore in a very weird spot in the lineup.

 

[Bobbuilds69]

I would never pay nearly $500 for a non-laminated iPad. It’s just not happening. It’s literally pre-2014 tech. If we’re going back in time, the iPad Air launched in 2014 with a laminated display for $499.

There will be discounts I’m sure making it worth it but right now it just sits oddly in the lineup with frequent discounts on the Air happening. Even if you paid $150 more for the Air, you’re still getting a vastly superior product, especially if you value Pencil 2 support.

Then don’t buy it… no one is making you buy one, are they???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[darngooddesign]

The iPad 10 is basically the Air 4, but worse...

Yes, and it costs $150 less than what the Air-4 sold for new.

A used iPad Air 4 is a better iPad, but then you might need to add $99 to have its battery replaced. And you might have fewer years of OS updates. Different keyboards too.

 

[nStyle]

Then don’t buy it… no one is making you buy one, are they???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

No but there’s very obviously people defending its existence like it’s their first born baby. Just adding a little perspective, do you mind?

 

[darngooddesign]

No but there’s very obviously people defending its existence like it’s their first born baby. Just adding a little perspective, do you mind?

Disagreeing with the people who say it sucks like it killed their first born baby, is not defending it like it is your first born baby.