New iPad, iPad mini With Faster Performance, Improved Displays Launched

Apple at its “California streaming” event on Tuesday unveiled the new iPad — aka the iPad 9th generation — as well as the new iPad mini that is essentially the iPad mini 6. The new regular iPad is powered by A13 Bionic chip that is claimed to deliver 20 percent faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine performance over the last iPad model, while remaining the most affordable option in the iPad lineup. Apple also claimed it to be six times faster than an Android tablet. The selfie camera on the iPad 9 is also improved and is powered by Apple's Center Stage feature that was available on the iPad Pro earlier.

The new iPad also supports accessories including Apple Pencil. On the other hand, the new iPad mini 6 has received an all-new design update that looks more similar to the latest iPad Air and iPad Pro. The new iPad mini model also includes features such as Touch ID embedded in the power button, USB-C, and 5G support.

New iPad, iPad mini price, availability

New iPad price in India begins at Rs. 30,900 for the Wi-Fi only model, while the Wi-Fi + Cellular model starts at Rs. 42,900. It comes in storage models starting from 64GB and has Space Gray and Silver colour options. In contrast, the new iPad mini price in India begins at Rs. 46,900 for the Wi-Fi only model, whereas the Wi-Fi+ Cellular model starts at Rs. 60,900. It comes 64GB and 256GB storage options and features Black, White, Dark Cherry, English Lavender, and Electric Orange colours.

In the US, the new iPad begins at $329 (roughly Rs. 24,200), while the new iPad mini starts at Rs. $499 (roughly Rs. 36,700). Both new iPad and iPad mini will be available for orders in the US starting today and will go on sale from Friday, September 24. Details about the India availability of both iPad models are yet to be announced.

New iPad specifications

The new iPad comes with the same 10.2-inch display size that was available on the earlier iPad models. It, however, comes with True Tone support that helps adjust screen colour temperature according to ambient lighting. The new iPad is also powered by the A13 Bionic chip that debuted with the iPhone 11 in 2019. In addition to the new processor, there is a Neural Engine for enhanced performance.

Apple has provided an all-new camera setup on the new iPad. It comes with a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with a 122-degree field of view and supports the Center Stage feature that was first introduced on the iPad Pro. The ninth-generation iPad also includes an 8-megapixel camera sensor at the back.

The new iPad retains the Touch ID home button that was available on the previous iPad. However, it does support Apple accessories including the Smart Keyboard and first-generation Apple Pencil that were not supported by the earlier models. There is also support for third-party keyboards.

New iPad supports a list of accessories including Apple's Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil (1st Gen)
Photo Credit: Apple

Apple will ship the new iPad with iPadOS 15, which was announced at WWDC 2021 in June. The new iPadOS brings an updated homescreen and upgraded multitasking features.

The new iPad comes in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 4G connectivity and is bundled with a 20W USB-C Power Adapter.

New iPad mini specifications

Unlike the new iPad that has the same display size, the all-new iPad mini comes with a 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display that is larger than the 7.9-inch screen available on the earlier iPad mini. The new model is also powered by the latest A15 Bionic chip that is rated to deliver up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous generation. The new iPad mini comes with a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide selfie camera with a 122-degree field of view. It also includes support for Center Stage from the iPad Pro. At the back, there is a 12-megapixel camera sensor that is paired with a True Tone flash and supports Smart HDR as well as 4K video recording.

The new iPad mini includes stereo speakers. On the connectivity front, it comes with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, and USB-C port. There is also optional eSIM support to enable Gigabit LTE and 5G connectivity on-the-go.

Apple has enabled the new iPad mini with support for accessories including the second-generation Apple Pencil and Smart Folio case. The iPad mini runs on iPadOS 15 and is touted to deliver an all-day battery life on a single charge. Besides, it comes bundled with a 20W USB-C adapter.