As the Let Loose event wound down Tuesday, Tim Cook had one last announcement before the stream ended: the 10th-gen iPad now starts at $349, an impressive $100 price drop. What he didn’t say is the move also means the 9th-gen iPad is gone.
Apple hasn’t updated the 9th-gen iPad since September 2021, so it’s not a huge surprise to see it go away. It still had Apple’s old iPad design with a Home button and Lightning port, tapered edges, and A13 Bionic chip, with a starting price of $329. It was definitely showing its age and unless you got it on sale, wasn’t the great bargain it once was. However, it was the only remaining non-Mac device that still had a headphone jack.
It was rumored that the 9th-gen iPad could get an update later this year with a new processor, USB-C port, and updated design, but it appears those rumors won’t come to pass. Instead, Apple will push entry-level buyers to the 10th-gen model, which is clearly a superior machine.
For an extra $20, you’re getting a far better iPad with a Liquid Retina display, USB-C support, newer A14 processor, and more color options. We struggled to recommend it at its original $449 price, but with a $100 price drop, it’s fantastic value. Still, it’s sad to see the last callback to the original iPad leave this world so unceremoniously.