This Is A Deal-Breaker -- Not Happy With Apple -- October 19, 2022

Updates

October 21, 2022: was this also a deal-breaker for Apple's top designer after only three years? 

• way too many iPad versions;
• the newest tenth generation iPad is a disaster;
• the iPhone 14 not selling well; certainly nothing design-worthy;
• any progress on an Apple EV

October 21, 2022: the purpose of the original note was to highlight the fact that the "new" 10th generation iPads (there are two versions) will not support the second generation Apple Pencil. The 9th generation iPad Air -- even though it's a 9th generation and not a 10th generation will support the second generation Apple Pencil.

For those who rely on the Apple Pencil this is huge, and makes no sense that Apple would do this. 

It appears there is a reason. Apple moved the "front-facing camera lens" to the center of the new iPad and that made it impossible for the charging "station/edge" to be kept in the original position which supported the second generation Apple Pencil.

Others have noted this. See the thread at this link. "Everyone" agrees this ranks as one of the worse engineering decisions ever made by Apple. More appalling, Apple is very, very clever to obfuscate the issue on its website and in its advertisements. 

If you rely on the Apple Pencil, you want the second generation Apple Pencil, and your choices:

• the older, entry-level, 9th generation iPad; very, very inexpensive, starting at $329; or
• the brand new, M2-chip, iPad Pros; expensive, but worth every penny, with two versions:
• the large display starting at $799; or,
• the even larger display starting at $1099.

If you don't care about the Apple Pencil, then you have additional choices, but -- wow! -- the Apple Pencil is too cool, too useful, not to have! 

For another perspective, see this article at MacRumors, "iPad 10 vs iPad Air." This article does a great job comparing:

• the 10th-Generation iPad (2022); A14 Bionic chip, $449; and,
• the 5th-generation iPad Air (2022), M1 chip, $599
  

Their conclusion:

In theory, the ‌iPad Air‌ is a more compelling package with the ‌M1‌ chip, 4GB of additional memory, a dedicated media engine, ‌Stage Manager‌ for multitasking, a better display, and a much better ‌Apple Pencil‌ experience, but in practice, users are unlikely to notice much difference between the devices. Unless you have specific needs for the ‌iPad Air‌'s added features, it will be worth saving the $150 and buying the 10th-generation ‌iPad‌.

I disagree completely! The iPad Air -- despite being $150 more -- is the much better choice unless the Apple Pencil is not an issue. 

So, for my wife, either the iPad Pro, starting at $799, or the iPad Air, starting at $599.

Original Post 

When you get ready to buy an Apple iPad, check the "specs."

Even MacRumors has noted how confusing the iPad line up is. 

Don't worry so much about the chip.

Your first decision: the size -- large, medium, or small. 

Then look at what affects you most.

Do you plan on loading lots of apps? Then, check storage.

Do you like photography? Then check camera specs and landscape / portrait modes.

Do you like to use a "pencil"? This is critical. The 10th generation will only support the 1st generation pencil. The "old" 9th generation iPad supports the much, much better 2nd generation pencil.

That's a deal-breaker for me. I would not buy an iPad that doesn't support the 2nd generation pencil. 

Consider yourself forewarned.