I have to return the iPad Pro 12.9 I had on loan and, against the advise of my bank account, purchase my first new tablet since I was in college several years ago because I'm leaving TechRadar.
After using iPad Pros for years, I'm accustomed to tablets with large screens, powerful processors, and futuristic-looking designs. I don't miss the old iPads' thick bezels, physical Touch ID keys, or rounded rears (like the one pictured above).
I'm hesitant to buy a premium iPad, though, given how much they cost. iPad Pros are astronomically costly, even when used or on sale, and I am unable to justify purchasing one.
Even the iPad Air, which is the iPad Pro's "cheap alternative," is expensive. Even if it costs less and has a smaller display and less storage, it is still very expensive. Since the iPad Air (2020) is a little older, I've also been considering it. However, the base model only offers 64GB of storage, and when you upgrade to 256GB, the tablet becomes astronomically costly once more.
The speculations regarding the next iPad (2022) surfaced just as I was considering switching to an Android tablet (even though many of my most-used apps are iOS-only).
A brand-new iPad?
Every year, Apple typically releases a new entry-level iPad that is less expensive than the Pro or Air iPads but has an outdated design, a smaller screen, and a weaker CPU.
It's one of them that I purchased for university many years ago, but due to their numerous flaws, I hadn't thought of purchasing one this time.
Recent speculations, however, indicate that Apple may be considering a complete makeover of its most cheap tablet lineup to bring them into alignment with the Pro, Air, and Mini lines.
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A makeover like this would probably involve flattening the edge of the iPhone, relocating the front Touch ID button to the edge, switching to a USB-C connector from a Lightning one, and making the bezels between the screen and the edge of the device slimmer.
The change might also result in a larger screen, or it might have a smaller tablet overall but the same display dimensions as the one from 2021.
An admirable (and alluring?) change
This action would address some of my main complaints about the base-model iPad.
Faster charging would be possible with a USB-C port. Additionally, I wouldn't have to purchase an adaptor in order to use peripherals like my external storage. This modification should also make the Apple Pencil 2 and more recent keyboard accessories work with the slate.
I could use the tablet more effectively for note-taking and sketching if the screen were larger. Although I wouldn't have the 12.9 inches of space I'm accustomed to, every inch counts.
I hoped the revamp wouldn't result in a price increase. However, given that the iPad Air's update to a fresher design came at a higher price, I'm not persuaded on that front.
I'm not saying that I would have to get a new and improved entry-level iPad since I would need to examine what had changed and how much it would cost. But given how expensive Apple's other tablets are, I'm hopeful that the base model will save me.
