Apple Refreshes iPad With 10.9-inch Screen, No Home Button, USB Type-C

Apple has released a completely redesigned base model iPad, with a 10.9-inch display and no home button, allowing for evenly narrow borders. The new iPad matches the current iPad Air and iPad mini with flat sides, and will be available in four colours: Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Pink. The Touch ID sensor has been moved to the power button on the top. The new model, which will be the 10th generation iPad, is based on Apple’s A14 Bionic SoC, a USB Type-C port, and its front camera placed in landscape orientation for the first time. It still works with the first-gen Apple Pencil, and a Lightning adapter will be included with all units. 

iPad (2022) price in India

The new redesigned iPad is priced starting at Rs. 44,900 for the 64GB Wi-Fi-only variant. That goes up to Rs. 59,900 if you choose to buy the 256GB option. The Wi-Fi plus Cellular options are priced at Rs. 59,900 with 64GB and Rs. 74,900 for 256GB. Education discounts are available for those who qualify. The iPad (2022) is already available to pre-order, and will go on sale in many countries on October 26.

Apple will continue to sell the 9th Gen iPad, which has a 10.2-inch display and Apple A13 Bionic SoC, now priced at Rs. 33,900 and Rs. 48,900 respectively for the 64GB and 256GB Wi-Fi-only variants, and those prices go up to Rs. 46,900 and Rs. 61,900 for the Wi-Fi plus Cellular equivalents. 

The first-generation Apple Pencil costs Rs. 9,500 in India, and the USB Type-C adapter on its own will cost Rs. 900. Apple also sells a variety of accessories including its Magic Keyboard Folio and Smart Folio.

iPad (2022) specifications and features

The Apple A14 Bionic SoC is said to allow the new iPad (2022) to offer 20 percent better performance and 10 percent better graphics than the previous model. Apple also claims 5X better performance than today’s best-selling MediaTek Android tablet, though no specific model is named. The new iPad is aimed at users who want a tablet for productivity, education, communication, and entertainment.

The new 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display has a 1640×2360 pixel resolution and is capable of 500 nits of brightness. The front-facing camera is now on top when holding the new iPad in landscape, and it has a 12-megapixel sensor and a 122-degree field of view with support for Center Stage automatic reframing depending on how many people are in front of it and in what positions. The rear 12-megapixel camera has been updated to support 4K video recording and 120fps slow-motion video. You also get stereo speakers, positioned to work optimally in landscape orientation.

A long-expected move to USB Type-C for connectivity means faster wired file transfers and faster charging, plus broad compatibility with accessories. The iPad (2022) also gets Wi-Fi 6 and optional 5G with the cellular-enabled variants. 

The new iPad will run iPadOS 16, which introduces the new Freeform productivity app and multiple new features across apps, including enhancements using on-device AI.