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Yesterday defined the mess and still none of the real essentials like a big iMac, Mac Pro and coherence in the MB Pro lineup. Steve Jobs 2 required. Tim seems to have learnt nothing despite his words of hommage.
 
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I cannot get my head around them releasing a new iPad that is only compatible with the apple pencil from 2015, ignoring the one that has *only* been around since 2018. And this whole ridiculous business with the charging dongle for it, beyond belief. Who on earth is running the asylum?
If they were going to have a charging dongle…why not an induction dongle so it could use the new pencil. Strange.
 
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Apple this week expanded the iPad lineup with a new 10th-generation entry-level iPad, a new keyboard, and possibly confusing compatibility with older accessories. The new iPad, for example, does not support the second-generation Apple Pencil or the Magic Keyboard but is supported by a new "Magic Keyboard Folio" and the first-generation Apple Pencil.

ipad-Accessories.jpg

To help make it clear which accessories from Apple are supported by which iPad, we've created this guide below, organized by each iPad model currently offered in Apple's lineup and which accessories they support. The accessories listed below are considered "iPad Essentials" by Apple.

12.9-inch iPad Pro

11-inch iPad Pro


5th-generation iPad Air
10th-generation iPad



6th-generation iPad mini
9th-generation iPad



The addition of the new 10th-generation iPad means the iPad lineup is the largest it's been in recent memory and potentially confusing for customers. Price-wise, the new ‌iPad‌ joins the lineup right before the iPad Air at a starting price of $449. The ninth-generation iPad remains in the lineup at $329.

Compared to the iPad Air, the new entry-level iPad does not feature a laminated display or an anti-reflective coating, lacks support for the second-generation Apple Pencil and is powered by the A14 Bionic chip. Pre-orders for the new entry-level iPad and the new iPad Pro, now featuring the M2 Apple silicon chip, began earlier this week and will begin arriving to customers on Wednesday, October 26.

Article Link: iPad Accessories: A Quick Compatibility Guide for the Confused
the new 10th gen iPad is THE worst ever product rollout in the whole Apple history after 97 (Jobs era II). It does not separate with iPad Air, it strangely not supporting Apple Pencil 2, and stick to Pencil I, which is an actually obsolete product already! And the strange placement of smart connectors other than everyone else. This total confusion of assessor is just beyond any reasonable explanation.
 
I wonder is the new Magic Keyboard Folio compatible with the iPad Air since the iPad 10th gen is basically a watered down Air?
Nope, because to everyone’s bewilderment, even though they share the same aluminum body, Apple has moved the Smart Connector location. Bunch of 🤡 running Apple right now.
 
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He‘s been riding on Jobs’ coat tails for ten years but the wheels are now coming off. Profits will doubtless continue into orbit but in my view the company is already Apple in name only. Ive leaving was probably the harbinger.
This is just a legit question. How can the wheels be coming off when their profits are going into orbit? To me the wheels are coming off when profits plummet and sales are tanking. I don't see Apple having that problem, yet.
 
The name "iPad" is already confusing and now there are TWO "iPad". When people ask me which iPad to get and i tell them "the iPad should be enough for your needs", they usually answer with "but which iPad?! the Mini or the Air"? now add different pencils for the same looking product ("iPad" and Air") to the mix ...
 
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The mere existence of this article shows how much of a failure the iPad line is from a standardisation standpoint.

The issue is that it is not the only issue. In particular, iPad have awesome hardware (like M1 or M2 chips, great displays, sound system, etc), but are so severely limited in software that it is really depressing. After the releases of this week, I realised that I now have no excitement left for this platform...
 
This is just a legit question. How can the wheels be coming off when their profits are going into orbit? To me the wheels are coming off when profits plummet and sales are tanking. I don't see Apple having that problem, yet.
The problem is, it will catch up. No company grows forever. I’d just like to know what clowns sat around the table with iPad 10 development and decided it was a good idea to use the body of the iPad Air/iPad Pro 11, including USB-C port, but relocated the smart connectors and decide the Apple Pencil 1 was a better choice??? What a bunch of clowns And there couldn’t be a more obvious attempt at holding a feature back just for the sake of not cannibalization. Who buys this over an iPad Air?
 
So my old-school Apple Magic Keyboard is now not forward compatible? Thanks!

I guess a casualty of going from the rounded edges to curved. Surely there's a dongle they could make! So much for Apple's great environmentalism. Nice touch to replace it with a new keyboard that costs almost double. I should have bought a bluetooth keyboard. Oh well no hurry to upgrade now.

iPad Models​

  • iPad Pro 10.5-inch
  • iPad Air (3rd generation)
  • iPad (9th generation)
  • iPad (8th generation)
  • iPad (7th generation)
 
Minor gripe but why are the folio color options for the iPad mini 6 so terrible?

I wish there were more bright, vibrant colors... 😔
 
Pretty unfortunate we're at the point where 3rd party websites have to publish articles demystifying Apple's product line.
 
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I am not sure what you mean exactly, but if you mean that the lineup makes sense and all of the information is clearly stated enough, I think you're missing the point. I don't think many readers here are actually confused by the particular details as they are simple enough. I believe that the confusion is related to the consumer experience of going to buy an iPad and are being overwhelmed at the number of options based on one type of product. To me, the confusion isn't intellectual, it is philosophical.
Apple only displays compatible accessories when you order the iPad online.
 
Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) and iPad Air (5th generation) - British English. Is the product, and yes


Compatibility

iPad Models

iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)

iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)

iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)

iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)

iPad Air (5th generation)

iPad Air (4th generation)


But it doesn’t clarify whether the keyboard is the same model as last year
While the compatibility makes sense to me, if you are unsure it's easy to chat with a rep on Apple's site.
 
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I'm sure the board of directors would stand by Cook's side just like they did when John Sculley was there.
Same kind of CEO.
I just thought probably it all started when Jony Ive left Apple. Yes he did mistake on butterfly keyboard, but probably he was the one who won’t let Apple release these kind of products with messy design.
 
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the new 10th gen iPad is THE worst ever product rollout in the whole Apple history after 97 (Jobs era II). It does not separate with iPad Air, it strangely not supporting Apple Pencil 2, and stick to Pencil I, which is an actually obsolete product already! And the strange placement of smart connectors other than everyone else. This total confusion of assessor is just beyond any reasonable explanation.

I'm still hoping they say it was all a joke and will actually ship A14 iPad Airs to the buyers.
This also proves they learned nothing from the 2016 Macbook fiasco.
 
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They'll find it even more amazing when they realize that Apple Pencil is as useful as the Magic Mouse while charging, even with a 'leash.'
It only takes a couple of minutes to charge the pencil, go get a cup of coffee or drink of water or stand up, walk around, and stretch. You can even top it off it while complaining about the Pencil on MacRumors.
 
Wouldn't you achieve that by slimming down inventory rather than filling it with unnecessary choices?
Honest question, I'm curious.
It’s likely they have tons of leftover Apple Pencils 1st gen and leftover Apple Pencil digitisers for the screen, or they can get them manufactured very cheap. It helps them maintain their profit margins basically, a friend of mine in the operations world is in love with Tim Cook and keeps me informed 😅

Slimming down inventory would also help, so I’m guessing it’s more that they have the stock to move
 
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