2021 iPad announced with A13 Bionic chip, Center Stage, True Tone and more

iPad

Apple’s latest entry-level iPad has been unveiled at its virtual “California Streaming” event. The tablet features upgraded internals with the same design from iPad (2020) as well as a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, True Tone, twice the storage of the previous generation, and support for iPadOS 15.

2021 iPad

2021 iPad announced at “California Streaming” with upgraded internals

“iPad has never been more essential for working, learning, and communicating, and we’re excited to bring one of the biggest updates ever to our most popular iPad,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the powerful A13 Bionic, more engaging video calls with Center Stage, and double the storage, the new iPad delivers advanced capabilities, versatility, and simplicity at an incredible value.”

Design & Display

The new iPad features a similar design to its predecessor which means that it will support most third-party accessories as well as the first-generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. The tablet comes in silver, grey color variations and features a 10.2-inch 1620 x 2160 LCD screen. The display also features True Tone which uses advanced sensors to adjust the color and intensity of a screen to match the ambient light.

2021 iPad

Performance & Battery Life

The tablet features the A13 Bionic chipset. While it may not be as robust as the M1 chip on iPad Pro, the chip is as powerful as the iPhone 12 lineup. The tech giant says the new iPad will provide 20% faster computer and graphics processing as well as a stronger neural engine to make features such as Live Text work more efficiently.

2021 iPad

Apple has not specified the battery capacity the tablet features nor its battery life or charging speed. The tech giant does say the new iPad has “All-day battery life.”

Camera

The front-facing camera on the device is now a 12MP Ultra Wide camera and features Center Stage. Center Stage, a face-following digital zoom feature, uses the Ultra Wide camera and machine learning to change the way users participate in video calls. As users move around, the camera automatically pans to keep them centered in the frame. The rear camera is the same 8MP lens that was featured on last year’s iPad. The feature works in FaceTime as well as third-party video conferencing apps.

2021 iPad Center Stage

Cost & Availability

The updated entry-level iPad will be available at  $329 for 64GB storage. It is set to go on sale starting Friday, September 24.

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About the Author

Asma is an editor at iThinkDifferent with a strong focus on social media, Apple news, streaming services, guides, mobile gaming, app reviews, and more. When not blogging, Asma loves to play with her cat, draw, and binge on Netflix shows.