Apple iPad
The iPad is a tablet computer developed by Apple Inc. It was first released in 2010 and runs on the iPadOS operating system. iPads are available in a variety of sizes and models, including the iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
iPads are popular for their portability, long battery life, and versatility. They can be used for a variety of tasks, including browsing the web, checking email, working on school or work assignments, and entertainment.
The iPad has been praised for its software and has been recognized as one of the most influential inventions of 2010. It has a market share of 34.6% and is used in the business, education, healthcare, and technology sectors. ( Source Wikipedia )
There are two variants of the iPad: one with only Wi-Fi and one with support for cellular networks. Accessories include the Apple Pencil, Smart Case, Smart Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, Magic Keyboard, and several adapters.
Apple has introduced a new generation of the Apple iPad with improved internal components each September—each labeled by Apple as a ‘Series’, with certain exceptions.
Source: OFSGadgets
Apple iPad Models Evolution Timeline 2010-2023
Apple iPad Release in 2010
2010: Apple releases the first-generation iPad, with a 9.7-inch display, A4 processor, and 16GB of storage.
Apple iPad Release in 2011
2011: Apple releases the iPad 2, with a faster A5 processor, dual cameras, and a thinner and lighter design.
Apple iPad Release in 2012
2012: Apple releases the iPad (3rd generation), with a Retina display, A5X processor, and up to 64GB of storage.
2012: Apple releases the iPad mini, with a 7.9-inch display, A5 processor, and up to 32GB of storage.
Apple iPad Release in 2013
2013: Apple releases the iPad Air, with a 9.7-inch display, A7 processor, and up to 128GB of storage.
Apple iPad Release in 2014
2014: Apple releases the iPad mini 2, with an A7 processor, Retina display, and up to 128GB of storage.
2014: Apple releases the iPad Air 2, with an A8X processor, Touch ID, and a thinner and lighter design.
Apple iPad Release in 2015
2015: Apple releases the iPad mini 3, with an A7 processor, Touch ID, and a new Retina display.
2015: Apple releases the iPad Pro, with a 12.9-inch display, A9X processor, and Apple Pencil support.
Apple iPad Release in 2016
2016: Apple releases the iPad mini 4, with an A8 processor, Touch ID, and a Retina display.
2016: Apple releases the iPad Pro 9.7-inch, with an A9X processor, Apple Pencil support, and a Smart Connector.
Apple iPad Release in 2017
2017: Apple releases the iPad (5th generation), with an A9 processor and a brighter Retina display.
2017: Apple releases the iPad Pro 10.5-inch, with an A10X Fusion processor, ProMotion display, and True Tone technology.
2017: Apple releases the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation), with an A10X Fusion processor, ProMotion display, and True Tone technology.
Apple iPad Release in 2018
2018: Apple releases the iPad (6th generation), with an A10 Fusion processor and a brighter Retina display.
2018: Apple releases the iPad Pro 11-inch, with an A12X Bionic processor, Liquid Retina display, and Face ID support.
2018: Apple releases the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), with an A12X Bionic processor, Liquid Retina display, and Face ID support.
Apple iPad Release in 2019
2019: Apple releases the iPad (7th generation), with an A10 Fusion processor and a brighter Retina display.
2019: Apple releases the iPad Air (3rd generation), with an A12 Bionic processor, Liquid Retina display, and Touch ID support.
Apple iPad Release in 2020
2020: Apple releases the iPad (8th generation), with an A12 Bionic processor and a brighter Retina display.
2020: Apple releases the iPad Air (4th generation), with an A14 Bionic processor, Liquid Retina display, Touch ID in the top button, and a new design.
Apple iPad Release in 2021
2021: Apple releases the iPad (9th generation), with an A13 Bionic processor and a brighter Retina display.
Apple iPad Release in 2022
2022: Apple releases the iPad (10th generation), with an A14 Bionic chip, 12MP ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, and support for 5G connectivity.
2022: Apple releases the iPad Air (5th generation), with an M1 chip, 12MP ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, 5G connectivity, and a new design.
2022: Apple releases the iPad Pro 12.9-Inch (6th generation), with an M2 chip, 12MP ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, 5G connectivity, and a new design.
2022: Apple releases the iPad Pro 11-inch (5th generation), with an M2 chip, 12MP ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, 5G connectivity, and a new design.
2022: Apple releases the iPad Mini (6 generation), with 12MP ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, 5G connectivity, and a new design.
Apple iPad Timeline, Generations, Models & Evalution based FAQs
The Apple iPad releases can be traced back to 2010 with the introduction of the first Apple iPad. Here is a comprehensive timeline of Apple iPad releases:
iPad 1st generation: 9.7-inch display, A4 processor, 256 MB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage
iPad 2: 9.7-inch display, A5 processor, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage
iPad (3rd generation): 9.7-inch display, A5X processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage
iPad mini: 7.9-inch display, A5 processor, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of storage
iPad Air: 9.7-inch display, A7 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage
iPad Pro: 12.9-inch display, A9X processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of storage
iPad Pro 11-inch: 11-inch display, A12X Bionic processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB of storage
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation): 12.9-inch display, A12X Bionic processor, 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB of storage
iPad Air (4th generation): 10.9-inch display, A14 Bionic processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of storage
M1 iPad Pro: 11-inch or 12.9-inch display, M1 chip, 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB of storage
iPad Air (5th generation): 10.9-inch display, M1 chip, 8 GB of RAM, 64 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of storage
M2 iPad Pro: 11-inch or 12.9-inch display, M2 chip, 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB of storage
The design of the Apple iPad has evolved over time to become thinner, lighter, more powerful, and with a smaller bezel. It has also introduced a number of new features, such as the Retina display, True Tone display, Liquid Retina display, Apple Pencil, and M2 chip.
Here is a summary of the key features and improvements in each Apple iPad generation from 2010 to 2023:
iPad (1st generation): 9.7-inch LED backlit display, A4 chip, up to 64 GB storage, 5 MP rear camera, VGA front camera
iPad 2: Faster A5 chip, thinner and lighter design, front-facing camera with 720p video recording capabilities
iPad (3rd generation): Retina display with four times the resolution of the previous generation, faster A5X chip, 5 MP rear camera with 1080p video recording capabilities
iPad (4th generation): Faster A6X chip, front-facing camera with 1.2 MP resolution
iPad Air: 64-bit A7 chip, thinner and lighter design, front-facing camera with 1.2 MP resolution
iPad mini: Smaller, 7.9-inch display, slower A5 chip, but still offered a great experience for users who wanted a more portable tablet
iPad Air 2: Thinnest and lightest iPad to date, faster A8X chip, 2 GB RAM, 8 MP rear camera with 1080p video recording capabilities
iPad mini 3: Faster A7 chip, Touch ID sensor
iPad Pro (1st generation): 12.9-inch display, powerful A9X chip, 4 GB RAM, 12 MP rear camera with 4K video recording capabilities
iPad Air 3: Faster A9X chip, Touch ID sensor
iPad mini 4: Faster A8 chip, 2 GB RAM
iPad (5th generation): Faster A9 chip, 2 GB RAM
iPad Pro (2nd generation): Faster A10X Fusion chip, 120 Hz ProMotion display, True Tone display
iPad (6th generation): Faster A10 Fusion chip, 32 GB storage option
iPad mini 5: Faster A12 Bionic chip, True Tone display, support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation)
iPad (7th generation): Faster A10 Fusion chip, 128 GB storage option
iPad Air (4th generation): New design, faster A14 Bionic chip, Liquid Retina display, support for the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Magic Keyboard
iPad mini (6th generation): New design, faster A15 Bionic chip, Liquid Retina display, support for the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Touch ID in the top button
iPad (8th generation): Faster A12 Bionic chip, 128 GB storage option, support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation)
iPad Pro (5th generation): New design, faster M1 chip, Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, support for 5G, Thunderbolt/USB 4 port
iPad Air (5th generation): New design, faster M1 chip, Liquid Retina display with ProMotion, support for 5G, USB-C port
iPad (9th generation): Faster A13 Bionic chip, support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation)
iPad Pro (6th generation): Faster M2 chip, Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, support for 5G, Thunderbolt/USB 4 port
iPad (10th generation): New design, faster A14 Bionic chip, larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, higher-quality 12-megapixel rear camera, support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation)
Here are some tips on how to identify the different Apple iPad models by their appearance:
Screen size: iPad models come in a variety of screen sizes, including 7.9 inches, 9.7 inches, 10.2 inches, 10.9 inches, 11 inches, and 12.9 inches.
Design: iPad models have different design elements, such as the shape of the bezels, the presence of a home button, and the location of the front-facing camera.
Color: iPad models are available in a variety of colors, such as silver, space gray, gold, rose gold, blue, green, and purple.