This is my 1,000th post on my Apple Collection blog!
When Apple released the iPad Generation 10, a press release noted that it featured “a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, the powerful A14 Bionic chip, advanced cameras, fast wireless connectivity, USB-C, support for the new Magic Keyboard Folio, and more.”
The iPad Generation 10 was the first base-level iPad to include an all-screen design and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. It used an A14 Bionic chip, and both the front and back camera were 12 megapixel with an Ultra Wide front camera for an “even better video calling experience.”
This was also the first base iPad to use USB-C charging. Despite the list of new technologies, the iPad 10 supported the Generation 1 Apple Pencil, released in 2015—seven years before this iPad.
Apple highlighted creative uses of the iPad 10:
“Express yourself, draw, and brainstorm on a flexible creative powerhouse. The stunning 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display makes an incredible canvas. So you can doodle, take notes, mark up documents, and a lot more with Apple Pencil.”
The iPad 10 was available during 2022–2023 at a time when online commentators noted consumer confusion in the iPad lineup. MacRumors ran an article on October 2022 expressing the sentiment with the headline, “Apple’s New iPad Lineup Causes Potential Confusion With Inconsistent Features.”
At the time, six basic iPad models were available, with several sharing similar characteristics. As of 2023, iPad Pro models were available in 12.9- and 11-inch configurations, an iPad Air had a 10.9-inch display, this iPad 10 had a 10.9-inch display, an iPad mini had an 8.3-inch display—while Apple continued to offer the 10.2-inch iPad Generation 9.
This iPad 10 is the 64GB, Wi-Fi 6 model in Blue. The anodized texture and brightness of the color add a depth to this iPad’s finish.
In 2020 Apple released four iPhone 12 models simultaneously: the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The four options offer two “regular” iPhone models in two sizes, the 12 and 12 mini; and two “Pro” iPhone models in two sizes, the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. Overall, three sizes were available: mini, “regular,” and Pro Max, since the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were the same size. The iPhone 12 models had arguably bolder color options, while the Pro models included more refined shades of Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. This example is an iPhone 12 Pro Max with 256 GB storage in Pacific Blue.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max had an edge-to-edge 6.7-inch screen referred to as a “Super Retina XDR” display with 2778 x 1284 pixels (458 ppi). The camera system on the iPhone 12 Pro Max included four separate cameras, three on the back and one on the front. Apple listed the camera specifications for the Pro Max model as follows:
Pro 12MP camera system: Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras
The TrueDepth Camera on the front gained many new features from previous front iPhone cameras. The 12MP camera had features including:
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono)
Night mode
Deep Fusion
Smart HDR 3
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 30 fps
4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Video recording features included:
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps
4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
720p HD video recording at 30 fps
Sensors included Face ID, LiDAR Scanner, Barometer, Three‑axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, and an Ambient light sensor.
Apple described the iPhone 12 Pro Max finish as “surgical grade” stainless steel with flat stainless steel sides, a glass back, and a glass front with a “Ceramic Shield” cover for increased durability. The back had a MagSafe connector for wireless charging that used a magnet to attach a wireless charger (it is unknown why the term “-Safe” was used since the charger introduced no safety features).
The iPhone 12 Pro Max used the Apple A14 Bionic processor with 6 GB of RAM and 128, 256, or 512 GB of flash storage. Wireless connectivity included 802.11ax Wi-Fi, 5G wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC (for Apple Pay). Its only wired connection was a Lightning port.
My personal iPhone upgrade pattern had been established as upgrading to “major” model releases, but skipping the “update” models. For example, I would upgrade from the iPhone 6, skip the 6s model, and then upgrade to the iPhone 7. However, beginning with the iPhone 8, this pattern was broken when the iPhone X [ten] was released along with the iPhone 8—and no iPhone 9 was released. Since the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 were released simultaneously, I never used an iPhone 8. Thus, I went from the iPhone 7 to the X, skipped the XR, and upgraded to the iPhone 11. Apple broke the pattern again by jumping from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 12, skipping what may have been called the iPhone 11S or 11R (following previous conventions).
