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What to Expect From Apple's 10th-Generation Low-Cost iPad: Updated Chip, USB-C and Major Design Changes

Menel said:
My iPad is 5 years old. My iPhone is 5 years old.
Please de-fragment your ecosystem so I can have the same charging cable, kthx. Fragmented ecosystems blow.
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That’s not inherently bad. We’ve had Macs with one connector and iPhone with a different one for many years, and it was a good ecosystem. The right connector for the right device.
 
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staypuftforums said:
iPhone 15 lineup is rumored to be USB-C.
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yes, and that's next year, in 2023.

In contrast, macbook/macbook pro made the jump in 2015.
Macbook air updated in 2021 or something.

ipad pro's received usb c in 2018, ipad air in 2020, ipad mini in 2021 and now 2022 for the base ipad.

No one's going to be surprised if they only update the iphone pro in 2023, leaving the regular iphone in 2024 and the SE whenever they update it next (2024/25 maybe)

Which is the point i'm making. It's nuts.

When apple introduced lightning connector superceeding the 30 pin, all products changed over; including the ipad4 which was only 6 months old at the time (just ask me how i know!), the exception to that was the ipod classics and nanos that never received a further update (iirc, could be wrong).
 
Would be very interesting to learn if:
(1: the 10th-generation iPad will use a newer version of the Apple Pencil; the 9th still uses the original
(2: Would the 10th iPad use the same kind of display as the 9th, or more like the 6th iPad Mini?
(3: Any idea what the wattage requirement is for plugging in the 10th iPad?
(4: Will iPadOS 16 offer better file management to the 10th iPad, and other late-model iPads, to make productivity with these tablets more useful?
(5: If all new iPad tablets from now on are going to use USB-C instead of Lightning, is there anything Apple can do to make sure that USB-C ports are as durable as Lightning was. (That was Lightning's biggest saving grace)
(6: Will the arrival of the 10th iPad signal a new generation of aftermarket accessories such as attachable keyboards to make using a tablet like this more like a laptop will be possible?
(7: Does the new 10th iPad camera mean there will be a flash for document scanning and photo taking? Or does it at least mean that photos and video quality will improve?
 
till said:
It's still so odd to me that the iPad has a rear camera. To me it's a wart on what could be such a nice clean design. I'm sure Apple has the data showing people really do use it, but I just can't imagine why.
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Yeah, a flush camera or no camera at all would be great. But then again, you still see the odd tourist taking pictures with their big ass iPad, so guess there is a market for it...
 
I’d love to see what Apple does with this iPad, even if I’d never buy one, just to peer into their “mind” regarding the iPad lineup.

Thanks to the M1 (and Stage Manager), it appears Apple is finally forking iPadOS so that these under-powered, under-RAMmed machines are no longer the common denominator and the Pros can get some real power software-wise.

Just imagine Apple dropping Final Cut for iPad, Logic Pro for iPad, and/or XCode for iPad (all “lite”, limited versions of their Mac counterparts) during their keynote. “Get started on iPad Pro, finish it on Mac”-type of stuff.

For M1 iPads only, of course.
 
I wouldn't really call that MAJOR design changes, more like PREDICTABLE design changes. If it came in DayGlo orange with a foldable design, and a built in stand that resembles a giraffe THEN I'd call it a major design change.
 
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I suspect that people are just a little bit rushing with these predictions and that’s actually how the 2023 iPad will look like.

For the 10th gen I don’t expect Apple to show anything else than just a rebranded Air 3 with A14/A15(4-core gpu) and Center Stage + 5G option … possibly a price increase to $349

As I said below an extremely similar post like a day or two ago…
 
frownface said:
yes, and that's next year, in 2023.

In contrast, macbook/macbook pro made the jump in 2015.
Macbook air updated in 2021 or something.

ipad pro's received usb c in 2018, ipad air in 2020, ipad mini in 2021 and now 2022 for the base ipad.

No one's going to be surprised if they only update the iphone pro in 2023, leaving the regular iphone in 2024 and the SE whenever they update it next (2024/25 maybe)

Which is the point i'm making. It's nuts.

When apple introduced lightning connector superceeding the 30 pin, all products changed over; including the ipad4 which was only 6 months old at the time (just ask me how i know!), the exception to that was the ipod classics and nanos that never received a further update (iirc, could be wrong).
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But the most popular product (the iPhone) hasn't switched. Apple had a 10 year commitment to Lightning which ends next month. There was no real reason to rush when that existed, just the opposite.

As for next year I don't see them holding back USB-C for the standard models. If anything it'll be Thunderbolt for the Pro models and "just USB-C" for the others.

And my best guess on why iPhone isn't dropping Lightning this year is that it seems to be on a 3 year design cycle.
 
MJaP said:
I wouldn't really call that MAJOR design changes, more like PREDICTABLE design changes. If it came in DayGlo orange with a foldable design, and a built in stand that resembles a giraffe THEN I'd call it a major design change.
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Well said. 👍

I often read: MAJOR DESIGN CHANGES!!!!! And then… oh, they've increased the thickness by 0.02mm and changed the radius of the corners.

*sigh*
 
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Base iPad is all I require, and my 7th gen is coming up on three years old. Might be time to give it to a family member and upgrade, provided the price stays more or less the same and they bump the RAM up a bit.
 
arkitect said:
Which is probably why it won't have support for Pencil 2.
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Well, USB-C support has previously been an indicator of Pencil 2 support, so we're all hopefull I guess. But I agree with your thinking.

That being said, if it does get it, I wonder how Apple will differentiate the Air from now on. FaceID perhaps. More RAM, better SOC. So not really worth it IMHO.
 
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Hoping it doesn’t have the same flexible back clicking issues, and LCD ripple that the GEN five iPad Air has. Speaking of those. Are they made in Vietnam? Wondering if it’s a unique toolimg issue.
 
T'hain Esh Kelch said:
Well, USB-C support has previously been an indicator of Pencil 2 support, so we're all hopefull I guess. But I agree with your thinking.

That being said, if it does get it, I wonder how Apple will differentiate the Air from now on. FaceID perhaps. More RAM, better SOC. So not really worth it IMHO.
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Perhaps the rumored flat edges are so they can add the charger for the second generation Pencil. It's unusual for Apple to create a new chassis for the base model so there's likely a practical reason for it.

I think the M1, more RAM, Stage Manager etc. and related features are enough differentiation for Apple. Maybe a non-laminated display. That and the older looking design with home button will create a clear visual difference.

M1 aside it's definitely getting more difficult to justify the base model and Air both existing without going out of their way to make it worse. Even all the iPhone SEs for example got the newest chip but the base iPad is deliberately held back so it's not too close to the mini or Air.
 
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I’m not super keen on square edges (uncomfortabl), camera bump and no headphone jack. These are all downgrades to the user experience in my view.
 
I am happy that I got an iPad 9. No rear camera bump, Lightning charge as with the bunch of my other products.

Thinking now that I should get an iPhone 14 if it has still Lightning, and in three years renewing my "fleet" of stuff with the USB-C-chargers.
 
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