Alongside the new M2 iPad Pros, Apple announced an all-new 10th-generation iPad with a design resembling the iPad Pros, starting at $449.
The older 9th-generation iPad is hanging around for $329, but it’s clear Apple views this new iPad design as the future, to the point it’s even introducing some new ideas on it first.
All-new design
The iPad finally has a landscape front-facing camera! That’s right, years after most tablet makers realized people prefer to holder their tablets in landscape when they take video calls, Apple is finally catching up with the 10th-generation iPad. And both cameras have been improved too, now the front and back have 12-megapixel cameras for better photo and video quality.
10th-Gen iPad Tech Specs
- Display: 10.9-inch (2,360 x 1,640 resolution) Liquid Retina display with True Tone
- Chipset: A14 Bionic
- Cameras: 12-megapixel f/1.8 wide camera + 12-megapixel f/2.4 landscape selfie camera
- Storage: 64 GB or 256 GB
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 or 5G
- Ports: USB-C
- Colors: Blue, pink, yellow or silver
- Accessories: Apple Pencil (1st Generation), Magic Keyboard Folio, Smart Folio
The rest of the new iPad has “Pro” treatment just like the iPad mini and iPad Air before it, with flattened edges, a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina “all-screen” design (RIP to the home button), and a USB-C port for charging. Like the iPad Air and iPad mini, the 10th-generation iPad has a Touch ID fingerprint reader in the power button. Inside, the 10th-generation iPad is powered by the A14 Bionic chip from the iPhone 12 to run iPadOS 16, though without support for Stage Manger, the company’s new multitasking system.
The 10th-generation iPad also comes in actual fun colors — either blue, pink, yellow, or silver — with two storage options (64GB or 256GB) in either Wi-Fi or 5G versions.
Accessories
To accompany the 10th-generation iPad’s default horizontal orientation, Apple is selling a new $249 Magic Keyboard Folio, which looks a bit like an Apple-version of the Surface Pro Keyboard Microsoft sells for the Surface Pro 9. The new keyboard comes in two-pieces, a keyboard and a kickstand, and you can detach the keyboard part entirely so you can use the back kickstand portion to prop up your iPad while you’re watching video or playing games.
Strangely, Apple isn’t bringing the second-generation Apple Pencil to the new iPad. Instead it still supports the first-generation Apple Pencil and now requires you to use a $9 Lightning to USB-C adapter to charge it.
Price and Release Date
The 10th-generation iPad is available to order today, October 18, and will ship and be available in stores on October 26.
Here’s how prices break down for the iPad with Wi-Fi:
- 64GB: $449
- 256GB: $599
And here’s how the prices break down for the iPad with Wi-Fi and 5G:
- 64GB: $599
- 256GB: $749