Used to be the best iPad was $499. Now it's $799. The one I bought was $1149. Apple sells older iPad hardware at a lower price point now. That is what you bought.When it comes to iPads, I don't know about the jacked up pricing part. I updated my iPad recently because the base model was a lot more iPad than the iPad 4 it was replacing and cost much less than what I paid for that old iPad 4.