Apple sells various iPads, and it’s pretty easy to confuse yourself with the naming, generation, model number, and whatnot. Here, we’ll focus on the cheapest iPad line you can buy: the 10.2-inch iPad. At the moment, Apple sells the eighth generation of this variant, but it refreshes this iPad line every year.
We’re inching closer to a ninth-generation iPad as we’re in the second half of 2021. The current iPad 8 isn’t perfect, and it could certainly use some improvements and new features. So, let’s look at the top features we’d like to see on the Apple iPad 9.
1. The iPad 9 Should Offer More Base Storage
One of the biggest complaints about the eighth-generation iPad is that it offers too little storage space for today’s standards. You could argue that one could use iCloud and store all the content online, but the fact is, you lose 5–7GB of that base 32GB space to iPadOS and other system files. Come on, Apple, it’s 2021, and you could easily double the storage on the iPad without affecting your profit margin.
Basically, you get roughly 25GB of usable local storage on the 32GB iPad, which is not good enough for most people, unless you plan to use it as a streaming machine. Even the smaller iPad mini comes with 64GB of base storage. Therefore, we’d like to see Apple bump the storage space of the base variant from 32GB to 64GB, which should make a huge difference for prospective buyers.
2. The iPad 9 Should Have a Better Display
We’re not asking for a bigger screen or an all-screen design, like the more expensive iPad Pro or iPad Air, because that would be unreasonable for a device in its price range. However, we need the basic stuff, like a laminated display that almost all smartphones and tablets have today. The glass is glued to the LCD in a laminated display, but since the iPad 8 doesn’t have this, you’ll notice an air gap between these layers.
A laminated display will certainly improve the drawing experience on the iPad, as the input would feel more precise due to the lack of air gap. Additionally, we want the iPad 9’s display to support P3 wide color gamut, just like most other Apple devices. It’s no longer a premium feature as it has been around for years, and it could greatly improve the color accuracy of the screen.
3. The iPad 9 Should Have a Powerful Processor
For the last two generations of the 10.2-inch iPad, Apple used the A12 Bionic chip to power the device. That’s two years in a row with the same CPU performance, which is unusual from a company like Apple. Hence, we’d like to see a serious bump in the processor department this time.
We would love for Apple to bring last year’s A14 Bionic chip to its cheapest iPad model, but that seems highly unlikely. However, the A13 Bionic chip that powered 2019’s flagship iPhones is still quite powerful and pretty reasonable to expect this year. It should be enough to significantly boost the gaming performance on the budget iPad and provide better power efficiency.
4. The iPad 9 Should Have a Much Better FaceTime Camera
Can you believe that the iPad 8 from 2020 features a 1.2MP selfie camera? It can’t even handle 1080p or 60FPS video. Even the older, smaller iPad mini features a better camera. Considering that video calling is now more popular than ever, Apple has no excuses if it sticks to the same selfie camera with the iPad 9.
We feel that Apple could use the same 7MP selfie camera as the iPad Air 2020 model. It should allow you to make 1080p FaceTime calls and record footage at 60FPS without breaking a sweat.
5. The iPad 9 Must Support Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.0 devices started coming out in 2017, but the 2020 iPad 8 still uses Bluetooth 4.2. We get that the iPad 8 is a budget-oriented device, but adding Bluetooth 5.0 support in 2021 will barely cost Apple anything.
Bluetooth 5.0 supports eight times the bandwidth, four times the range, and can transfer data at twice the speed of Bluetooth 4.2. That’s a huge difference in a world filled with AirPods and other wireless Bluetooth peripherals.
Additionally, it’s prime time to bring Wi-Fi 6 support to the budget iPad. This wireless technology has been around since 2019, and we’d love to take advantage of those faster Wi-Fi speeds while browsing.
6. Support for Apple Pencil 2 on the iPad 9
While the original Apple Pencil that came out in 2015 still works great, it lacks a couple of quality-of-life features, like wireless charging and the ability to stick to the iPad with magnets. The charging experience on the first-generation Apple Pencil is hideous, as it sticks out from the iPad’s Lightning port.
The Apple Pencil 2 currently only supports the modern-looking iPad models, like the newer iPad Pros and the 2020 iPad Air. You cannot use the first-generation Apple Pencil on these iPads if you plan to upgrade later on either. Hence, we really wish Apple would bring Apple Pencil 2 support to the budget iPad 9, although it does seem unlikely.
7. The iPad 9 Should Not Cost More
All the features that we just mentioned above for the same price as the eighth-generation iPad would be a huge win for both Apple and its customers. Of course, Apple wouldn’t enjoy the profit margin that it currently has, but it could easily sell more of these iPads to make up for it.
After all, who would say no to a $329 iPad with A13 Bionic, 64GB of storage, and Apple Pencil 2 support? In fact, we think Apple could try to hit the $299 sweet spot with the iPad 9 to squeeze more sales.
This Is the Budget iPad We Deserve
We think we were fairly realistic with our expectations for the ninth-generation iPad. While we’re not counting on Apple to update its design anytime soon, basic features like a laminated display, improved selfie camera, and 64GB of storage are reasonable to expect from a device that comes out in 2021. If previous years are any indication, you can expect Apple to release the iPad 9 in the fall, along with the Apple Watch and the next iPhone.