As the Let Loose event wound down Tuesday, Tim Cook had one last announcement before the stream ended: the 10th-gen iPad now starts at $349, an impressive $100 price drop. What he didn’t say is the move also means the 9th-gen iPad is gone.
Apple hasn’t updated the 9th-gen iPad since September 2021, so it’s not a huge surprise to see it go away. It still had Apple’s old iPad design with a Home button and Lightning port, tapered edges, and A13 Bionic chip, with a starting price of $329. It was definitely showing its age and unless you got it on sale, wasn’t the great bargain it once was. However, it was the only remaining non-Mac device that still had a headphone jack.
It was rumored that the 9th-gen iPad could get an update later this year with a new processor, USB-C port, and updated design, but it appears those rumors won’t come to pass. Instead, Apple will push entry-level buyers to the 10th-gen model, which is clearly a superior machine.
For an extra $20, you’re getting a far better iPad with a Liquid Retina display, USB-C support, newer A14 processor, and more color options. We struggled to recommend it at its original $449 price, but with a $100 price drop, it’s fantastic value. Still, it’s sad to see the last callback to the original iPad leave this world so unceremoniously.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.