The iPad lineup has received a price bump — and Apple has quietly killed its cheapest iPad model. Apple’s 9th-generation iPad used to cost $329 but has been discontinued. At the same time, the company has reduced the 10th gen iPad’s starting price by $100, which means it’s now priced at $349. As a result, getting the cheapest iPad means you’ll now spend $20 more than before.
The 9th gen Apple iPad was launched in 2021 with the A13 chipset and Apple’s Center Stage feature but retained the same old design with the already-old Lightning port and home button. With Apple moving to a USB-C port on all devices to comply with EU laws, it was inevitable for Apple to discontinue the 9th gen iPad this year. The iPhone SE remains the only Apple product with a home button and a Lightning port still available in the company’s lineup.
The 10th gen iPad replaced the 9th gen iPad as the entry point into Apple’s tablets. It was always weird for the company to continue selling the older model when it announced the 2022 iPad with an all-new design, more colors, a better processor, and a USB-C port. At $449, it was an expensive deal and an awkward price between the $599 iPad Air and the $329 iPad 9th gen. However, with a $100 price cut, it’s finally got to the “right” price of a base iPad.
While this means the cheapest iPad is now $20 more expensive than before, the $349 price tag for the 10th-gen iPad is pretty incredible.
As a refresher, the 10th gen iPad features a 10.9-inch LCD panel, which is great for media consumption, browsing, and other basic tasks. You can choose from 64GB and 256GB storage variants on both WiFi and Cellular models. The tablet is powered by the now-old but still capable A14 Bionic chipset, a 12MP camera for your scanning and photo needs, and landscape stereo speakers.
While this is an overall positive change for the iPad family, it’s still worth pouring one out for the recently deceased 9th gen iPad. It was the go-to cheap iPad choice for many years and the go-to recommendation for cheap tablets in general. We won’t complain about the 10th gen iPad taking its spot, but we also won’t forget the role the 9th gen model played for so many years.
So long, 9th gen iPad. May you rest easy.
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