Apple just unveiled the brand new 9th-gen iPad

Apple kickstarted its iPhone 13 event with an unexpected announcement: the 9th-gen iPad. Some reports said that Apple might update its cheapest iPad during the iPhone event so that it can start selling the entry-level model just as students are getting back to school. The new iPad 9 will be available for purchase on Tuesday, as soon as Apple’s online returns online.

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Apple’s iPad 9 is official just in time for school

Just as expected, the new iPad base model comes with improved hardware. It all starts with the speedier A13 Bionic chip, an improved selfie camera, and support for the first-gen Apple Pencil.

The iPad 9 has the same design as the previous generation. We’re looking at a 10.2-inch TrueTone display and a Touch ID home button on the front, and significant top and bottom bezels. But it’s really the hardware that counts here.

The A13 Bionic will bring improved performance, with Apple quoting 20% speed gains for the CPU, GPU, and the Neural Engine. As expected, the iPad 9 will run Apple’s iPadOS 15 right out of the box.

The new iPad works with the Smart Keyboard, and the Apple Pencil. It supports 20W USB-C fast charging and offers all-day battery life.

There’s an 8-megapixel camera on the back, but the FaceTime camera now features a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide sensor that supports Center Stage functionality, just like the iPad Pro.

The iPad 9 Wi-Fi starts at $329, just like before. But you get 64GB of storage, which is twice the memory available on iPad 8. Buy it for school and the price is even better. As before, the iPad also comes in cellular versions (gigabit LTE), but they’ll cost extra.

Apple will make the iPad 9 available for preorder on Tuesday, likely after the iPhone 13 press event. Deliveries will start next week, as the tablet will launch in stores.

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