We are coming up on a full decade since the announcement of the iPad soon. I already wrote about some of the notable impacts that Apple’s tablets have had on the tech world at large during the last 10 years. Now I am going to head down memory lane and take a look at how my iPads have impacted me and how I do things at work and home.
After summing up the iPad over the last decade yesterday, now it’s time to turn to the platform’s immediate future. So what can we expect as far as new hardware and improvements to iPadOS? Here are a few completely unscientific predictions with absolutely no sources for the new year ahead.
We are just a few hours from the close of another decade and it’s a natural time to look back and see just how much things have changed in the last ten years. One of those big changes for Apple fans like myself has been the iPad.
Whether it’s an iPad, an iPhone, an Apple Watch or even a HomePod or AirPods Pro, a brand new Apple gift for Christmas is super exciting. However, if it’s something new to you, it can also be a bit confusing.
So here is a personal question for you. For those of you looking to get an iPad for yourself or someone else this Holiday season, which one do you want? Now that we have a tiered tablet lineup that covers a full range of features, sizes and price points, which one best lines up with your priorities?
The New York Times has published an interesting piece covering the tech of the last decade called The Decade Tech Lost its Way. It delves into the fast-moving path of technology in the 2010s through the words of the people who lived it made it happen. What I’ve read has been interesting and insightful and I definitely recommend taking a look at the entire article. That said, I can’t help but focus on the segment covering the development and lead up to release of the original iPad.
Apple’s new 10.2″ iPad has likely been a big seller this Holiday season. It’s a great device that’s already hard to beat at its normal retail price, but it has been the most discounted iPad model this year, making it a hot item. If you missed out on all the fun around Black Friday, there are still deals to be had.
A month or so ago, a small refresh of the iPad Pro in 2019 seemed like a given. So did an October event covering several rumored Apple products. However, as we prepare to close out the month next week, the time for invitations to such an event has come and gone with no news. Continue reading
Back in March of 2017, the iPad lineup was a total mess. You had the iPad Pros, which touted Apple Pencil support and the option of a larger screen as primary features, and had the high price tags to match. The iPad Air 2 was far too close to the 9.7″ Pro in both specs and price, crowding the top of the lineup. Then you had the iPad Mini, which was languishing at the bottom of the heap. It was still too expensive for a low-end model and was suffering from neglect.
With the announcement of the new iPad on March 21, 2017, Apple started to change all that. They created a better low-end tablet by updating the processor, but going backward from the Air 2 in terms of size and screen. The result was a more competitive entry price of $329, renewed interest and Apple finally stabilizing tablet sales, which had been in freefall for a couple of years. What we have gotten in the two years since is a slow but steady progression that keeps this value option relevant and quite popular.
9.7″ has been the main constant for the iPad since it was first released. This is where the original iPad started and there has never been a time in the device’s nine plus year run when this size wasn’t available. However, if growing rumors are true, that might soon change.
Ever since the first iPad Pro was released, Apple’s tablet lineup have been kind of a jumbled up mess. You had models that were too close together in price and specs, like the iPad Air 2 and original iPad Pro. You had the iPad Air 2 on closeout while Apple was selling the new 9.7″ iPad Pro. The two tablets looked exactly the same and were only separated by Pencil support and a few other specs.