Release of Apple iPad 10th Generation

As Tablet Rentals confirmed in our October 2022 blog, Apple was on the verge of releasing the new iPad 10th Gen which has now entered the UK market.

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1. Release of Apple iPad 10th Generation www.tablet-rentals.co.uk
2. As Tablet Rentals confirmed in our October 2022 blog, Apple was on the verge of releasing the new iPad 10th Gen which has now entered the UK market. The new iPad 10th Gen has had a big re-design from the iPad 9th Gen. Whilst, Tablet Rentals has always appreciated Apple’s innovation and creativity, which has always been first class, the team at Tablet Rentals have reservations about the new 10th Gen iPad.
3. First, the current iPad 9th Gen is a fabulous device. Its size (10.2’) was a slight increase on the iPad 9.7’, which was for years the size of the standard Apple iPad. The 10.2’ iPad also works well size-wise, before you move into the high-end tech specs of the larger iPad 11’ Pro and the iPad 12.9’ Pro – the two flagship iPads in Apple’s portfolio. Moreover, and most importantly, the iPad 9th Gen was a really good cost-effective entry level in the market; its initial price for a standard wifi device was especially appealing, although Apple has since revised their prices so the 9th Gen iPad is now more expensive than it was a year after its release.
4. The iPad 9th Gen is a slick device and at Tablet Rentals (the home of iPad rentals across the UK), we have been loving the device especially the 4G version, which has been proved extremely popular with a range of clients using technology at events and exhibitions. We would have expected Apple to base its standard-size iPad on the iPad 9th Gen and just make a few tweaks here and there; such as a tad more power, increased battery life and an improved camera. However, whilst these things have happened, the iPad 10th Gen has moved away from what we traditionally associate with as the standard-size Apple iPad. We’re not convinced it’s for the better either.
5. First, the size. The iPad 10th Gen is a whopping 10.9’ device, which is exactly the same as the iPad Air 4th and iPad Air 5th Gen. Why the need to have a device the same size as the current iPad Air? Second, is the look and feel of the iPad as it is now extremely hard to know the difference between the iPad Air 5th Gen and the new iPad 10th Gen. The home screen button on the iPad 10th Gen has now gone and a USB-C port has replaced the lightning cable. This latter point is part of all brands of tablets and devices moving to a standard USB-C cable, so perhaps this part was inevitable, although it has been introduced earlier than forecast.
6. Third, the price. This is the biggest letdown. Its entry-level price only for a 64GB iPad is an eye-watering £499.00. That is over 50% more than the entry-level iPad 9th Gen Apple released a year ago. This seems excessive as users no longer have an affordable latest standard iPad to purchase. As more and more users in a standard family are now familiar with an iPad, not having a cost-effective standard iPad which would last 4-5 years is disappointing, especially with the current cost of living crisis that so many families are experiencing.
7. There are, of course, some excellent features of the new iPad 10th Gen; such as an enhanced camera (12 Mega-pixel, 1080 camera) which has a Liquid Retina display with a 2,360×1,640 pixel resolution (264ppi) and 500 nits of brightness. Yet for such a leap up in price, the iPad 10th Gen runs on a less-powerful A14 Bionic chip, while the iPad Air has an Apple M1 chip, which lessens the justification for such a price jump.
8. This confuses the average user and buyer. Most users will write emails, have general web browsing, access a range of apps and use the photos/filming functionalities, so it’s hard to see the price justification. For £499.00 you only receive 64GB storage, which for most families/users is probably enough, but seeing as our iPhones are moving to 128GB storage and above, perhaps this is on the low size. Yet if you wish to get the new iPad 10th Gen 256GB then you’ll be shelling out a high £679.00.
9. At Tablet Rentals, we will of course add the new iPad 10th Gen to our portfolio and look forward to seeing it in action. It’s just hard to know where it sits as the 9th Gen remains the standard-size iPad, whereas the iPad Air 5th Gen is a better device than the new iPad 10th Gen, so if it confuses our team at Tablet Rentals, then it must confuse average users. If you have any questions or require any advice on what devices are best for your event, then please call the team on (0207) 683 0232 or email: info@tablet-rentals.co.uk and we’ll be pleased to assist.
10. Thank You