The 9th Gen iPad is here with A13 Bionic Chip

During its conference keynote today, Apple announced the latest version of its most popular iPad, the ninth generation of the Apple iPad. While it looks like every other iPad, the 9th Gen iPad features Apple’s own A13 Bionic processing chip, as well as a new 12-megapixel front camera that supports the Center Stage feature that was introduced to the iPad Pro last year.

Apple maintained the same classic iPad design with the classic home button and large bazels. The 10.2-inch display also maintained the same size and resolution with the addition of the True Tone feature that automatically adjusts the screen brightness according to the lighting.

Apple says that the A13 Bionic chip makes the new iPad 20 percent faster than the previous generation. The Neural Engine in the chip allows for machine learning capabilities such as the Live Text feature that will be able to recognize text in photos and allow users to take action.

The new iPad will ship with iPadOS 15 which was announced earlier this year and will bring new features and capabilities to all iPad users. Apple mentioned those new features in their blog post:

Multitasking is even more intuitive, making features like Split View and Slide Over easier to discover, easier to use, and more powerful.
New widget layouts for the Home Screen and App Library offer simple ways to personalize the iPad experience and organize apps.
Notes goes systemwide with Quick Note, and offers new ways to collaborate and organize, whether typing or writing with Apple Pencil.
The Translate app comes to iPad with new features that make conversations easier and more natural, including Auto Translate and face-to-face view.
Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognize text in a photo and allow users to take action. For example, a snapshot of a storefront may reveal a phone number and the option to place a call.
Focus lets users automatically filter notifications based on what they’re currently doing, such as working, reading, exercising, playing games, or sleeping.
FaceTime calls feel more natural with spatial audio and a new Portrait mode. And now, Group FaceTime provides the option to display participants in same-size tiles in a new grid view.

The new 9th Gen iPad will be compatible with the 1st generation Apple Pencil and the Apple Smart Keyboard. It will be available in silver and space gray, and prices start at $329 for the base storage that is now 64GB. It’s available for preorders now with shipping starting next week.