Apple’s 10.2-inch 2019 iPad
Image: Apple, Inc.

Apple announced on Sept. 10, 2019 the 7th-generation iPad during the keynote of its annual event held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, CA. Apple’s 10.2-inch 2019 iPad expands on the confluence between the user and the device to create a memorable experience.

This iPad appears to have all the ease of use and versatility that users have come to know from Apple’s flagship tablet device. The new iPad, coupled with Apple’s iPadOS and almost two million apps to choose from, provides users the ability to stay active with work, catch up on great reads, stay entertained while traveling, or all the above–all day long.

The iPad 7th generation cheat sheet will be updated as new information about this Apple mobile device is released. This article is also available as a download, Apple iPad (7th generation): A cheat sheet (free PDF).

SEE: All of TechRepublic’s cheat sheets and smart person’s guides

What is the new iPad (7th generation)?

The new iPad stays true to its iPad roots, but with all the ease of use and versatility that users have come to know and expect from the latest in Apple’s iconic line of tablets. As Apple’s tagline states, “Like a computer. Unlike any computer.”

The mobile device runs Apple’s new iPadOS, a derivative of iOS that focuses on the iPad over its smaller iPhone sibling. The change goes deeper than changing the name, as the rebranded OS will focus exclusively on expanding feature sets while introducing new ones tailored to the iPad’s advanced multitasking capabilities.

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What new features come with the 7th generation iPad?

One of the most lauded features included in the new iPad are the larger, 10.2-inch retina display, which is an upgrade from the previous 9.7-inch screen and offers more screen real estate, brighter colors, and razor-sharp resolution. Business users and creatives will appreciate the added support for a full-size keyboard and pencil to meet all your productivity needs from anywhere, anytime.

Flexing the muscle under the hood, the A10 Fusion chip blends power and efficiency seamlessly whether users are running multiple applications side-by-side for collaboration between remote teams, shooting and editing the next blockbuster video in high definition, or gaming wirelessly on Apple Arcade.

But what about security? The 7th generation iPad has a Touch ID biometric fingerprint reader, all-disk encryption to keep data stored safely from prying eyes, protected communications with iMessage and FaceTime, and an eye toward privacy for comprehensive protection–even when transferring data to and from iCloud, including backups.

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What are the specs for the new iPad (7th generation)?

  • Finish: Silver, Space Gray, or Gold
  • Capacity: 32 GB or 128 GB
  • Size and Weight: 9.8in x 6.8in x 0.29in/1.07lbs. (Wi-Fi model); 9.8in x 6.8in x 0.29in/1.09lbs. (Wi-Fi + Cellular model)
  • Display: 10.2″ Retina LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • Chip: A10 Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture and Embedded M10 coprocessor
  • Rear camera: 8MP camera with 1080p HD video recording at 30fps
  • Front camera: 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera
  • Security: Touch ID
  • Cellular/wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; dual-band (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz); HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 4.2, and Gigabit-class LTE on cellular models
  • Battery: Built-in 32.4-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
  • Operating system: iPadOS
  • SIM: Supports Nano-SIM and eSIM

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Who is the target audience for the new iPad (7th generation)?

Apple’s new iPad is aimed at anyone who wants to work (and play) while on the go. The device is light, it has a large capacity battery that can keep things going all day, it has desktop-class web browsing, and it has an ever-expanding catalog of applications in the App Store that allows for universal usage of the new iPad, including productivity, creative, education, legal, medical, and more. Additionally, the iPad 7th generation has built-in accessibility features and a deep integration with iPadOS.

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What Apple peripherals does the new iPad (7th generation) support?

The new iPad will support the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. The former allows users to pair the pencil with the new iPad and use the device to write, draw, sketch, and paint directly on the iPad’s surface to create and modify design elements or text naturally just like with paper and pen. The Smart Keyboard performs double duty as a protective case that completely protects the glass screen from nicks and scratches; more importantly, it adds a full-size keyboard for typing emails, term papers, or editing just about any document just like if you were working from a laptop.

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Image: Apple, Inc.

How does the new iPad compare to the iPad Pro?

New iPad iPad Pro
Finish Silver, Space Gray, or Gold Silver or Space Gray
Capacity 32 GB or 128 GB 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, or 1 TB
Size and Weight 9.8in x 6.8in x 0.29in/1.07lbs. (Wi-Fi model); 9.8in x 6.8in x 0.29in/1.09lbs. (Wi-Fi + Cellular model) 9.74in x 7.02in x 0.23in/1.03lbs. (11-in. model); 11.04in x 8.46in x 0.23in/1.4lbs. (12.9-in. model)
Display 10.2″ Retina LED-backlit display with IPS technology 11-inch (2388 x 1668) or 12.9-inch (2732 x 2048) Liquid Retina LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Chip A10 Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture and Embedded M10 coprocessor A12X Bionic chip with Neural Engine and Embedded M12 coprocessor
Rear camera 8MP camera with 1080p HD video recording at 30fps 12MP camera with 4K video recording at 30fps
Front camera 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera 7MP FaceTime HD camera
Security/wireless Touch ID/802.11a/b/g/n/ac; dual-band (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz); HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 4.2, and Gigabit-class LTE on cellular models Face ID/802.11a/b/g/n/ac; dual-band (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz); HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit-class LTE on cellular models
Battery Built-in 32.4-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery Built-in 29.37-watt-hour (11-in. model) or 36.71-watt-hour (12.9-in. model) rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Operating system iPadOS iPadOS

What are the top alternatives to the new iPad (7th generation)?

These are some of the best competing tablets that have a similar look, feel, and performance to the new Apple iPad.

Microsoft Surface Go
Microsoft’s Surface Go or Microsoft’s Surface Pro includes a high-resolution, 10″ multi-touch display, a 64 or 128 GB SSD, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (and optional cellular) antenna, 4 or 8 GB of RAM, Dual-Core CPU, 5MP front-facing camera, and 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p video recording capability, and a number of ports to connect devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or USB flash drive or SDXC card. The tablet weighs less than one and one-half pounds, runs Microsoft Windows 10, and supports Microsoft’s wireless pen, mouse, keyboard, and type cover accessories.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1
Samsung has several tablet devices in its lineup that go head-to-head directly with the new iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 includes a monstrous Octa Core processor, Wi-Fi and cellular antennas, along with the newest Bluetooth 5.0 spec, an HD screen paired with 5MP (front) and 8MP (rear) cameras with HD video recording capabilities, 32 GB of internal storage and a MicroSD slot capable of supporting up to 512 GB of external storage, a 3.5mm port, USB 2.0 port, 4K video playback, a whopping battery, and a tiny footprint of just over one pound. Samsung’s tablets run the latest version of Android P and are fully supported by the company.

Google Pixel Slate
For the Google Pixel Slate, Google has partnered with Intel to deliver a tablet computing experience backed by its Android OS and powerful Intel CPUs. The Google Pixel Slate includes 8 or 16 GB of RAM and 64, 128 or 256 GB of SSD storage, a 12.3″ display with a high 3000×2000 resolution, and a battery capable of 12 hours of use and fast charging capability, delivering 2 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging. Dual 8MP cameras front and back capable of 1080p video recording, Wi-Fi connectivity, a fingerprint sensor for added security, two USB-C connectors, and supporting 4K video output. In addition, there is support for Google’s Pixel Slate Keyboard and Pixelbook Pen accessories for typing on the go.

Lenovo Yoga
The Lenovo Yoga runs a full version of Microsoft Windows for enterprise-level users and consumers. This is a big deal for users who need access to corporate networks and resources that require devices are fully compliant with domain services.

Lenovo’s Yoga sports a Quad Core Intel Core i7 processor, 13.3″ screen size with FHD or UHD resolution, up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of SSD, and battery life rated up to 11.5 hours. Security-focused users will appreciate the fingerprint sensor, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 communications, an audio jack, USB 3.0 port, and two Thunderbolt USB-C ports. The device’s only middling point is the 720p front-facing camera, which is not up to par with the average 1080p resolution many cameras support.

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How can I buy the new iPad (7th generation), and how much does it cost?

The 7th generation, 10.2-inch iPad is available now. You can visit Apple Stores or order the iPad from Apple’s online store; third-party retailers that are part of Apple’s Authorized Reseller Program carry the new iPad as well. Apple has set the entry-level price tag at $329.

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