iPad updated with A16 chip, still lacks Apple Intelligence

AppleInsider

Sneaking in underneath the new iPad Air, Apple also updated the iPad, adding more storage and the A16 for the same starting price as the previous model.

2024 new iPad 10th generation

In almost an afterthought, Apple also boosted the iPad. Apple is still calling the new iPad with A16 the 10th generation for the most part, but the internal changes are notable.

Most obviously, the new iPad 10th generation has the A16 processor. Apple says that compared to the previous generation, the updated iPad with A16 is nearly 30 percent faster.

And, compared to the iPad with the A13 Bionic processor, Apple says that users will see up to a 50 percent improvement in overall performance.

Everything else remains the same. The screen is unchanged, as are the color options. Connectivity remains the same, with the same Wi-Fi, the same Bluetooth, and USB-C.

And, Apple Intelligence isn't on the new iPad. Whether or not this is an advantage or a disadvantage is left as an exercise for the reader.

The new iPad starts with 128GB of storage, and is also available in 256GB and a new 512GB configuration. Available in blue, pink, yellow, and silver, Wi-Fi models of the new iPad are available with a starting price of $349.

Cellular models start at $499, the same price as the previous model. Education pricing starts at $329.



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hagen

The new iPad is 11th gen. I bought some 10th gen to update our family a month or so ago. I'm surprised they left the baseline iPad as the only product without Apple Intelligence. But this update leaves me feeling just fine about not having bothered to wait.

mike wuerthele

Hagen said:

The new iPad is 11th gen. I bought some 10th gen to update our family a month or so ago. I'm surprised they left the baseline iPad as the only product without Apple Intelligence. But this update leaves me feeling just fine about not having bothered to wait.

We tend to agree, but Apple seems to be reworking the naming, and is inconsistent about it.

For now, we're going to call it the 2025 iPad.

jwdawso

I assume the cellular option is not the C1. I am hoping that as Apple’s modem is integrated into iPads that the option price will go down. 

apple4thewin

Man was hoping for an A17 Pro or an A18, not really for Apple Intelligence (although a good added feature) but for the gaming accessibility.

mike wuerthele

jwdawso said:

I assume the cellular option is not the C1. I am hoping that as Apple’s modem is integrated into iPads that the option price will go down. 

I'd think Apple would have made a big deal about it if it were. We'll know for sure when the teardown arrive, but given that it's just a processor upgrade, we're not expecting anything other than Qualcomm.

tht

Mike Wuerthele said:

jwdawso said:

I assume the cellular option is not the C1. I am hoping that as Apple’s modem is integrated into iPads that the option price will go down. 

I'd think Apple would have made a big deal about it if it were. We'll know for sure when the teardown arrive, but given that it's just a processor upgrade, we're not expecting anything other than Qualcomm.

For iPads, with cellular take-up rates likely below 10%, I wouldn't be surprised that Apple doesn't mention them. I see no need to mention what the cellular modem is at all for the iPad. 

When you look at the cellular support between the iPhone 16e and 2025 iPad (and 2025 iPad Air), the 16e band support is a superset of the band support of the iPads:



There are bands that are not supported by the iPads. Like 5G n53 is the GlobalStar band. The iPad is not advertised to support sat-com, and therefore, Apple likely eliminated support for it, or does not it advertise support for it.

Same thing with GSM/EDGE. GSM/EDGE is basically a last ditch band for voice calls at this point. Since iPads don't have the phone app, no need to support it and those bands on the iPad.

fidonet127

Some people don't want AI ok? AI takes additional space, increased CPU load and eats more of the battery. 

fastasleep

Mike Wuerthele said:

Hagen said:

The new iPad is 11th gen. I bought some 10th gen to update our family a month or so ago. I'm surprised they left the baseline iPad as the only product without Apple Intelligence. But this update leaves me feeling just fine about not having bothered to wait.

We tend to agree, but Apple seems to be reworking the naming, and is inconsistent about it.

For now, we're going to call it the 2025 iPad.

For what it's worth, the URL slug on Apple.com refers to it as the 11: https://www.apple.com/ipad-11/

Also your caption for the photo say "2024 new iPad 10th generation" btw.

fastasleep

Fidonet127 said:

Some people don't want AI ok? AI takes additional space, increased CPU load and eats more of the battery. 

So turn it off — you don't have to use it.

It's a little strange to have an outlier like this in the product lineup, since every other iPad, iPhone, and Mac support it now (aside from the iPhone 15 which is still for sale for some reason).

opinion

I thought about ”making the best products”, ”enhance the lives of those who use them” and ”making things easy to use”. Just to pick the right Apple product today is a jungle and that is not a good start from a user perspective. Didn’t Apple have the situation with a bit of a mess of products in 1997?

paulmacintosh

Apple is still also selling its first generation Apple Pencil as an optional accessory with this new 10th gen (11th gen) iPad. The first gen Apple Pencil pairs and charges via a lightning connector, but this iPad has USB C - so nobody will be able to pair it with this 2025 iPad! The second gen Apple Pencil with USB C, which is cheaper than the OG Apple Pencil, is the only viable pencil accessory. Sometimes, you must wonder what is going on in the minds of Apple’s product teams. 😆

fidonet127

fastasleep said:

Fidonet127 said:

Some people don't want AI ok? AI takes additional space, increased CPU load and eats more of the battery. 

So turn it off — you don't have to use it.

It's a little strange to have an outlier like this in the product lineup, since every other iPad, iPhone, and Mac support it now (aside from the iPhone 15 which is still for sale for some reason).

You know it would be good to not jump to conclusions. I don’t and have never cared if AI was there or not. It is create to say just turn it off, however people who cared, have turned it off and yet it came back. 

pscooter63

paulmacintosh said:

Apple is still also selling its first generation Apple Pencil as an optional accessory with this new 10th gen (11th gen) iPad. The first gen Apple Pencil pairs and charges via a lightning connector, but this iPad has USB C - so nobody will be able to pair it with this 2025 iPad! The second gen Apple Pencil with USB C, which is cheaper than the OG Apple Pencil, is the only viable pencil accessory. Sometimes, you must wonder what is going on in the minds of Apple’s product teams. 😆

Actually, Apple has a USB-C (male) to Lightning (female) dongle that fills the bill, in the event retailers have only the 1st gen Pencil in stock.  Yes, the dongle is breathtakingly priced… but desperate folk cope nonetheless.

lwio

Base level iPad is fine with us. It’s to replace the ancient 32gb iPad Pro. Only to be used for YouTube, games, some online shopping and browsing. 128gb will do the job too.