THE 2020 IPAD LINE: WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

WHETHER YOU’RE AN ESTABLISHED USER OR IPAD CURIOUS, HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Apple fell short of the four new iPads we expected in 2020, but it did come through with the 8th-generation iPad and 4th-generation iPad Air. So now we ask: is it worth it to upgrade? Would either of these make a good holiday gift? Is this the time to become a first-time iPad owner? Let's take a look at these new models and see if we can get some answers.

THE 8TH-GENERATION IPAD—WHAT’S NEW?

If you were given two iPads to inspect, one 7th generation and one 8th generation, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them (provided you didn't read the model numbers on the back). That's because this year's base model iPad is identical to last year's in every regard, except for one major difference.

What’s New with the 8th-Generation iPad?

First, let's go over what these two iPad generations have in common. The 7th- and 8th-generation iPads both feature 10.2-inch Retina displays and are compatible with the 1st-gen Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. Both are available in 32 or 128 GB configurations, offer all-day battery life, and include an 8MP wide-angle back camera, 1.2MP front-facing camera, and Lightning connector. They even come in the same colors— your choice of silver, space gray, or gold.

A12 Bionic Chip with Neural Engine

The difference between these two iPad generations is in processing speed and power. The 2019 iPad houses the A10 Fusion Chip, whereas this year's includes the A12 Bionic chip with Neural Engine. The A12 central processor is 40 percent faster and graphics are up to two times faster than those offered by the A10. Besides being faster than the 7th-gen iPad, according to Apple, the 8th-gen is also up to two times faster than the most popular Windows laptop, three times faster than the best-selling Android tablet, and six times faster than the top-selling Chromebook.

Who Should Buy the 8th-Generation iPad?

This model is great for the price conscious consumer. Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned in the announcement that more than half of people who purchase iPads are first-time iPad buyers, and the 8th-gen iPad would be a perfect fit for this market. Those who are new to Apple will be thrilled by the high-quality graphics and processing speed of the 8th-gen iPad. Although the latest iPad costs more than competing products, the price point isn't so high that it's insurmountable for many ready to make the switch, particularly for those eligible for the education discount.

THE 4TH-GENERATION IPAD AIR

Apple also unveiled the fourth-generation iPad Air, and it includes a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina edge-to-edge display, a first for the iPad Air family. Aside from the display, what's new about the 4th-gen iPad Air? In a word, lots. Here's everything you need to know.

“THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO APPLE WILL BE THRILLED BY THE HIGH-QUALITY GRAPHICS AND PROCESSING SPEED OF THE 8TH-GEN IPAD.”

What’s New with the 4th-Gen iPad Air?

First, let's go over what the new Air has in common with its predecessor. The 3rd- and 4th-generation iPad Air models are almost indistinguishable in size and weight, come in 64 or 256 GB configurations, and are priced the same. That's where the similarities end, though, because Apple has completely redesigned the iPad Air this time around.

I'll mention this early on, because lots of people seem really excited about it. The new iPad Air comes in the standard silver, space gray, and rose gold that we're used to, but also a few Easter egg colors. If you're so inclined, you can purchase a green or sky blue iPad Air this time around (although you'll probably put it in a case and not see the color, anyway).

The latest Air has stretched from a 10.5-inch to a 10.9-inch display without an increase in chassis size due to the elimination of the Home button. In spite of the lack of a Home button, the new iPad Air uses Touch ID (a major boon in the era of face masks). In this evolution of Touch ID, iPad Air owners can simply press their finger to the button on the top of their iPad—narrow though it is—to unlock their tablet, log into apps, or make Apple Pay purchases.

It remains to be seen whether or not Apple will extend this upgrade to future iPads and iPhones. I hope they will, especially while the coronavirus pandemic continues. After all, for those of us with Face ID devices, wearing a mask means we have to enter our passwords every time we need to access our devices!

In addition to increasing screen size, Apple has improved display quality. The 4th-generation Air has a display quality formerly limited to the iPad Pro line; a Multi Touch, True Tone, Liquid Retina Display with 3.8 million pixels and anti-reflective coating. Some of the exciting new features of the fourthgeneration iPad Air include a 12MP rear camera in addition to a 7MP front-facing one, stereo speakers when held in landscape mode, and Wi-Fi 6 performance, which is supposedly 60 percent faster than LTE connectivity.

Whether you're considering this for yourself or want to pick out an iPad-appropriate gift for someone, it's important to note that the new iPad Air is compatible with the secondgeneration Apple Pencil, the Magic Keyboard, the Smart Keyboard Folio, and new Smart Folio covers. You can also use the Air's USB-C port to connect your iPad Air to hard drives, cameras, and external monitors, opening up a whole world of options and accessories.

The other big difference between these two iPad generations is in processing speed and power. The 4th-gen iPad Air's A14 Bionic chip offers a massive performance boost beyond even the A12's impressive capabilities. This means the Air offers 30 percent faster graphics, and up to two times faster performance for complicated tasks like editing 4K videos, making this even more useful to those looking to integrate it into their home office.

Who Should Buy the 4th-Generation iPad Air?

The iPad Air offers great performance at a middle-of-theroad price. With the newest iPad Pros ringing in at over a thousand dollors, it's great to see a lower-priced option with high-end features.

There are iPad apps available for every kind of art and editing you can imagine, but not every iPad has the speed or power to make the most of them. The latest iPad Air can handle image recognition, photo editing, motion analysis, natural language learning, and more. Anyone who loves playing immersive video games or making art will be thrilled by the latest iPad Air, which offers console-level graphics and can handle up to six people in multiplayer games.

Takeaways

Both iPad offerings from Apple in 2020 offer great value at a reasonable price. The 8th-gen iPad offers a great introduction to Apple products for first-time buyers while the new iPad Air offers almost everything you could want from an iPad without the hefty price tag of an iPad Pro.

Leanne Hays is an SEO Content Strategist at iPhone Life. She loves reading and blogging, and is never without a book in her backpack or an audiobook on her phone. Short-term goals include finishing painting her house and starting an aquaponics farm, long-term goals include a bike tour of Italy and writing a novel.

Amy Spitzfaden Both is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, an award-winning novelist, and an iPhone enthusiast. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and daughter. When she’s not writing or glued to her iPhone, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and creating her own tea blends.

“IN SPITE OF THE LACK OF A HOME BUTTON, THE NEW IPAD AIR USES TOUCH ID.” “THE 2020 IPAD AIR OFFERS GREAT PERFORMANCE AT A MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD PRICE.”