Amid the excitement of Apple’s new iPad range, which includes a complete refresh of the iPad Air and iPad Pro subcategories, Apple didn’t mention that it’s killing the 9th-gen iPad – the last device in Apple’s iPad product range that features the home button.
So let’s take a moment of silence to the iPad Home Button, you served us well, but it’s time to say goodbye.
The 9th-gen iPad was originally released in September 2021, and when it came out, it was an exceptionally competitively priced tablet. The device started at $499 when it released, although in 2022, it received a price bump up to $549, when the iPad 10th gen got revealed – the first of the mainline iPad range to ditch the home button. Now, the only device in Apple’s entire product range with the home button is the 2022 iPhone SE.
To make up for the now missing entry-level device, the 10th-gen iPad has been brought down to $599 (it was previously $749).
So, now that the iPad range has been cleaned up a bit, here’s how it stands. The ‘iPad’ is the entry-level device, which starts at $599. After that, there’s the iPad Mini, a smaller variant of the iPad that bridges the size gap between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the standard iPad, for $829. There’s then the newly announced iPad Air, which starts at $999, and then the top-of-the-line iPad Pro, at $1,699.
Let’s go through the entire iPad product range, so you know which one is right for you.
The iPad (10th-gen)
The iPad represents Apple’s mainline tablet – the variant that doesn’t have any special quirks and fills the ‘what if iPhone but bigger?’ need that some people have. After Apple’s 2024 ‘Let Loose’ event, the iPad is now priced at $599, with the device featuring a fingerprint sensor on the standby button, a 10.9-inch size, and your choice between 64GB and 256GB storage. The back and selfie cameras are both 12MP. It was last refreshed in 2022.
The iPad Mini
The iPad Mini is exactly what it says on the tin – it looks like the standard iPad, but it has been squished down into a smaller, 8.3-inch model. It’s available in 64GB and 256GB storage sizes, and it has a slightly beefier chipset than the standard iPad – A15, over the iPad’s A14. Its front and back cameras are both 14MP, and there’s a side-mounted fingerprint reader on the standby button. It starts at $829, and was last refreshed in 2021.
The iPad Air
Apple’s iPad Air is the next in the range, representing a thinner, more powerful device than the standard model. It includes the Apple M2 chip that was previously used for Apple’s computers, and has two sizes – 11-inches and 13-inches. It’s available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities, with 12MP cameras on the front and back. There’s also a fingerprint reader on the standby button. The iPad Air starts at $999, and will be available from May 15.
The iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is Apple’s ‘no holds barred’ device, and is the most powerful model in the entire range. With 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB models available, the iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s all-new M4 chip (the first device to feature the M4 chip). Both the front and back cameras are 12MP, and unlike the other models, it has Face ID, in place of the fingerprint reader. It’s available in 11-inches and 13-inches, and starts at $1,699. The device will be available from May 15.
That’s the entire range
In a way, Apple’s current lineup kind of mirrors its iPhone lineup – you’ve got the iPhone 15 (iPad), which represents the base level of features and experience, followed by the conveniently sized iPhone 15 Plus (iPad Mini), which is designed to cater for people after a slightly different form factor.
There’s then the iPhone 15 Pro (the iPad Air), which steps performance up quite a bit, but not quite as much as the iPhone 15 Pro Max (the iPad Pro), which has some features that separate it from the next model down – albeit that the iPad Pro’s extra features are the more impressive display and extra processing power, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s major difference was size and a periscope camera.
Image: Gizmodo Australia