iPad 9 Discontinued, iPad 10 Now Starts at $349

[AF_APPLETALK]

Trading in my iPad Air 3 for one of these, mainly because I want that goofy yellow color. Cost just a tad over $200. Hopefully it's less sluggish.

Figure - might as well get the cheapest possible iPad and save the cash for a better Mac.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

Trading in my iPad Air 3 for one of these, mainly because I want that goofy yellow color. Cost just a tad over $200. Hopefully it's less sluggish.

Figure - might as well get the cheapest possible iPad and save the cash for a better Mac.

Your iPad Air 3 has an A12 chip with 3gb ram. This yellow iPad has A14 with 4gb ram so it'll be a bit faster.

The only downgrade is the lack of laminated display since the Air 3 is laminated. Otherwise its a good iPad.

 

[subjonas]

While I agree with you, the concern in schools is that often students are advised to BYO-headphones, which is always 3.5mm connector. Adapters will get lost. And most families can come up with some headphones and/or get them on Amazon for cheap. Introducing a 'USB-C only rule' adds complexity.

I'm not saying Apple should add the 3.5mm jack back into the base iPad, rather the headphone situation is a real concern for the EDU market.

I do think the headphone port should be put back in iPads. It’s a standard that isn’t going away in any foreseeable future, and its absence only causes headache for people in many scenarios. The pros of removing it might outweigh the cons for a tiny and waterproof device like a phone, but those arguments are lost for larger non-waterproof devices like iPads which are more often used for audio work which often cannot be done with wireless headphones. (Although with how big phones are now, the argument is weakening for phones too.) Apple even considered removing the headphone port from MacBooks, and may still be considering it. They sent me a survey years ago asking how often I use it, which surprised me. I use it all the time.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

Your iPad Air 3 has an A12 chip with 3gb ram. This yellow iPad has A14 with 4gb ram so it'll be a bit faster.

The only downgrade is the lack of laminated display since the Air 3 is laminated. Otherwise its a good iPad.

I know (about the display)... such a tragedy. Good to know about the RAM bump, though. Things have been getting kind of insufferable on my Air, the latest iOS update (17) really brought the thing to its knees performance-wise, and the battery lasts maybe 5 or 6 hours. I've had it for four years at this point, though, so it's about time, I guess.

I think I'm going to become one of those people who buys the cheapest iPad option, and then carelessly upgrades it every time they come out with a new model. Complete opposite of how I make purchasing decisions for Macs and iPhones.

I do think the headphone port should be put back in iPads. It’s a standard that isn’t going away in any foreseeable future, and its absence only causes headache for people in many scenarios. The pros of removing it might outweigh the cons for a tiny and waterproof device like a phone, but those arguments are lost for larger non-waterproof devices like iPads which are more often used for audio work which often cannot be done with wireless headphones. (Although with how big phones are now, the argument is weakening for phones too.) Apple even considered removing the headphone port from MacBooks, and may still be considering it. They sent me a survey years ago asking how often I use it, which surprised me. I use it all the time.

Agree w/you on the headphone jack. I use it all the time on my MBP, I would be materially harmed by its removal from my MBP. I almost never use it on my iPad, but it should just be there for everyone who does need it. Has to be a $.30 part.

 

[svish]

Glad to see a significant price cut for the entry level iPad

 

[DownUnderDan]

While I agree with you, the concern in schools is that often students are advised to BYO-headphones, which is always 3.5mm connector. Adapters will get lost. And most families can come up with some headphones and/or get them on Amazon for cheap. Introducing a 'USB-C only rule' adds complexity.

I'm not saying Apple should add the 3.5mm jack back into the base iPad, rather the headphone situation is a real concern for the EDU market.

Apple could engineer an education spec version of the tablet tomorrow with a headphone socket, but that would then cause uncomfortable conversations in the media about why no one else can have that feature. So, Apple will happily lose sales in the short term, to cost cut a part long term out of the iPad.