Category: iPad

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iPad Air (original, WiFi+Cellular, 2013)

When the iPad Air was released, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, commented:

“…the new iPad Air is another big leap ahead. It is so thin, light and powerful, once you hold one in your hand you will understand what a tremendous advancement this is. iPad Air with its 9.7-inch Retina display weighs just one pound and packs the incredible performance of iOS 7 running on a 64-bit desktop-class Apple A7 chip, and delivers all-day battery life in the lightest full-sized tablet in the world.”

Apple described the iPad Air as 20% thinner and 28% lighter than the iPad Generation 4 (the base iPad at the time).

The iPad Air had many available configurations with 2 colors (Space Gray and Silver), 2 wireless connectivity options (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+Cellular), and 4 storage capacities (16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB). This model is Space Gray, has Wi-Fi+Cellular, and 16GB of storage.

The iPad Air is 9.4 inches (240 mm) wide x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm) tall, and 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) thick. It weighed 1.05 pounds (478 g). Its Retina Display was 9.7 inches with 2048 x 1536 resolution (at 264ppi).

Wireless technologies included Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, and this model allowed cellular service including LTE.

The front camera was a 1.2 Megapixel FaceTime HD Camera that could record 720p HD video. The back camera was a 5 Megapixel iSight Camera with features including autofocus, face detection, tap to focus, tap to control exposure, geotagging, and HDR.

Sources: Apple, (Newsroom, Tech Specs), EveryMac

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iPad (Generation 5, 2017)

The iPad Generation 5 was released on March 21, 2017, and was described as having a “stunning Retina display and incredible performance.” It was offered in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. It was available in 32GB and 128GB configurations with WI-Fi-only or with Wi-Fi+Cellular capabilities. This example is a 32GB Space Gray Wi-Fi-only model.

In a press release, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said:

“iPad is the world’s most popular tablet. Customers love the large, 9.7-inch display for everything from watching TV and movies, to surfing the web, making FaceTime calls, and enjoying photos… New customers and anyone looking to upgrade will love this new iPad for use at home, in school, and for work, with its gorgeous Retina display, our powerful A9 chip, and access to the more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for it.”

It used a 9.7-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch Retina display at 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution (264 ppi). This iPad measured 9.4 inches (240 mm) x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm), and was 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) thick. It weighed 1.03 pounds (469 g). This iPad was powered by the A9 Fusion chip.

The back camera was 8 Megapixels with features such as Autofocus, Panorama (up to 43 megapixels), and HDR. The front FaceTime HD Camera was 1.2 Megapixels.

It used five sensors including Touch ID, a 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. Its Home button used the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.

The iPad Generation 5 originally shipped with iOS 11.

Source: Apple (Tech Specs, Newsroom)

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iPad Pro (9.7-inch, 2016)

When Apple released the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, they described the device: “Breakthrough Pro Features & Advanced Display Technologies Come to the Most Popular iPad Size.” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, added,

“iPad Pro is a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive, enabling people to be more productive and more creative. It’s incredibly fast, extremely portable, and completely natural to use with your fingers, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a new Retina display with True Tone technology, four-speaker audio system, blazing fast A9X chip, 12-megapixel iSight camera, 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, faster wireless, and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. It is the ultimate upgrade for existing iPad users and replacement for PC users.”

The iPad Pro 9.7-inch was offered in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold in Wi‑Fi-only and Wi-Fi+Cellular options with 32GB, 128GB, or 256GB storage. This is a Space Gray, Wi-Fi-only, 32GB model.

Its form factor was similar to other 9.7-inch iPad models offered by Apple. It measured 9.4 inches (240 mm) x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm), and was 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) thick. It weighed 0.96 pound (437 grams).

The primary back camera was 12-megapixel with features including Live Photos, Autofocus, True Tone flash, Panorama (up to 63 megapixels), and auto HDR. The front FaceTime HD camera was 5-megapixel with support for 720p HD video recording.

This iPad had 6 sensors, including Touch ID, a 3‐axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor, and Touch ID built into the Home button.

The iPad 9.7-inch shipped with iOS 10. As of 2023, Apple has never released another 9.7-inch iPad Pro model.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Tech Specs)

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MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)

The 13-inch MacBook Air, Early-2015 model, used the 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and was also available with a 2.2GHz dual-core Intel Core i7. It shipped with 4GB or 8GB RAM. This model uses the Core i5 with 4GB of RAM and has 128GB of flash storage.

When it was released on March 9, 2015, Apple reported:

“The updated 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air now feature fifth generation Intel Core processors up to 2.2 GHz, with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz, integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000, and Thunderbolt 2, delivering up to 20Gbps, twice the bandwidth of the previous generation. The 13-inch MacBook Air also features faster flash storage that is up to two times faster than the previous generation.”

This MacBook Air used a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display at 1440 x 900.

Apple reported that this laptop had a 12-hour battery. Its physical ports included 2 USB 3 ports, a Thunderbolt 2 port, a MagSafe 2 power port, a SDXC card slot, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Wireless technologies included 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0. It also had a front-facing 720p FaceTime HD camera.

The full-size keyboard was backlit and with an ambient light sensor, and it used Apple’s Multi-Touch trackpad.

This MacBook Air used the tapered design of previous MAcBook Air models, measuring 0.11 to 0.68 inch (0.3-1.7 cm) thick, 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) wide, and 8.94 inches (22.7 cm) deep. It weighed 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg).

According to EveryMac:

“Compared to its predecessor, this model looks effectively identical, but has a more advanced processor and architecture, more advanced graphics, twice as fast 4x PCIe storage, and Thunderbolt 2 support.”

Source: Apple (Tech Specs, Newsroom), EveryMac

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iPad (Generation 6, 2018)

The iPad Generation 6 was considered Apple’s “base” iPad when it was released on March 27, 2018. It was offered in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. It was available in 32GB and 128GB configurations with Wi-Fi-only or with Wi-Fi+Cellular capabilities. This example is a 32GB Space Gray Wi-Fi-only model.

This iPad was announced in Chicago at an education-focused event at Lane Tech High School. An Apple Press Release stated:

“The new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil give users the ability to be even more creative and productive, from sketching ideas and jotting down handwritten notes to marking up screenshots. The new iPad is more versatile and capable than ever, features a large Retina display, the A10 Fusion chip and advanced sensors that help deliver immersive augmented reality, and provides unmatched portability, ease of use and all-day battery life.”

The iPad generation 6 used a 9.7-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch Retina display at 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution (264 ppi). This iPad measured 9.4 inches (240 mm) x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm), and was 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) thick. It weighed 1.03 pounds (469 g). This iPad was powered by the A10 Fusion chip.

The back camera was 8 Megapixels with features such as Autofocus, Panorama (up to 43 megapixels), and HDR. The front FaceTime HD Camera was 1.2 Megapixels.

This iPad used five sensors including a 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. Its Home button included the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.

This was the first base-model iPad to support the Apple Pencil and the Logitech Crayon, and it originally shipped with iOS 12.

Source: Apple (Tech Specs, Newsroom)

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iPad Magic Keyboard (iPad Pro 11-inch Generation 4 and iPad Air Generation 5, white, 2021)

Apple describes the iPad Magic Keyboard as:

“…an amazing companion for iPad Pro 11-inch and iPad Air. It features an incredible typing experience, a trackpad that opens up new ways to work with iPadOS, a USB‑C port for pass-through charging, and front and back protection. The Magic Keyboard has a floating cantilever design, allowing you to attach iPad Pro and iPad Air magnetically and to smoothly adjust it to the perfect viewing angle for you.”

When it was originally released, Apple touted that the iPad Magic Keyboard provided “A Unique Floating Design, Backlit Keyboard and Trackpad Make for the Best Typing Experience Ever on iPad.”

This iPad Magic Keyboard (model A2261) attaches surprisingly firmly to the iPad with magnets and still allows you to adjust the angle without becoming unattached. Further, it “Folds into a case to provide front and back protection for traveling with iPad Pro and iPad Air.”

Other features listed by Apple include:

  • Comfortable backlit keys and a scissor mechanism with 1 mm travel for quiet, responsive typing.
  • Designed for Multi‑Touch gestures and the cursor in iPadOS.
  • Smooth angle adjustability delivers the perfect viewing angle.
  • USB-C port for charging iPad Pro and iPad Air, freeing up the port on the iPad for other accessories.

This particular Magic Keyboard is compatible with an impressive number of iPad models, including iPad Pro 11-inch (Generations 1–4) and the iPad Air (Generations 4–5).

Source: Apple (Product, Newsroom)

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USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter (2021)

Apple described the USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter as an accessory that “lets you connect devices that use a standard 3.5 mm audio plug — like headphones or speakers — to your USB-C devices.”

I was surprised to learn I needed this adapter one day when I attempted to plug my “standard” 3.5 mm headphones into my 11-inch M1 iPad Pro. I somehow missed that the M1 iPad Pro had no headphone jack.

To their credit, Apple includes a handy photo of the iPad Pro with the USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter on their product page.

Apple

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iPad packaging (Generation 9, 2021)

The iPad Generation 9 was released on September 14, 2021. Apple described the device: “The 10.2-inch iPad features A13 Bionic, Center Stage, True Tone, and now starts with double the storage, all at an incredible value.”

This packaging is from a 10-pack education purchase. It is the same envelope-like container that is included with a single iPad in retail packaging, but only one is included in a bulk 10-pack purchase. The items include the following (all measuring 4 3/16 x 6.75 inches):
Cardboard envelope
4-color pamphlet (the inside briefly describes features including Apple Pencil, Top Button, Touch ID, Lightning Connector, Control Center, and Dock and App Switcher; the back describes the Smart Connector and Tips app)
2-sided regulatory sheet
Apple stickers (2 white stickers on one sheet)

Sources: Apple (Newsroom)

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iPad Air (original, Wi-Fi, 32 GB, space gray, 2013)

The original iPad Air used a 9.7-inch Retina display. According to Apple’s press release at the time, the iPad Air was “20 percent thinner and 28 percent lighter than the fourth generation iPad, and with a narrower bezel the borders of iPad Air are dramatically thinner.”

The original iPad Air’s display was 2048×1536 (at 264 ppi). Internally, it used a dual-core 1.4 GHz A7 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was available with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of internal storage. Wireless connectivity included 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Its rear 5-megapixel iSight camera recorded video at 1080p, and its front 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera recorded video at 720p.

The original iPad Air was available in silver (silver back with white front) and space gray (dark gray back with black front). This is a 16GB space gray example that includes the original box.

Sources: Everymac, Apple

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Smart Folio for iPad Pro 11-inch (Electric Orange, 2021)

This iPad Smart Folio was released in Electric Orange along with the Generation 3, 11-inch iPad Pro. This folio was also compatible with the Generation 1 and 2 11-inch iPad Pro models. Apple describes the Smart Folio for iPad Pro:

“The Smart Folio for iPad Pro is thin and light and offers front and back protection for your device. It automatically wakes your iPad when opened and puts it to sleep when closed. The Smart Folio attaches magnetically, and you can easily fold it into different positions to create a stand for reading, viewing, typing, or making FaceTime calls.”

In addition to black and white, this version of the Smart Folio for iPad Pro was also available in English Lavender, Dark Navy, Mallard Green, and this color called Electric Orange.

Unlike previous Smart Cover models for iPad, this Smart Folio offers front and back protection using the iPad Pro internal magnets. The front cover folds to allow two different angles, and also folds with the magnets to allow a completely flat position.

Finally, since this iPad is compatible with the Apple Pencil Generation 2, the Smart Folio allows the Apple Pencil to magnetically attach to the side of the iPad for storage and charging.

Source: Apple