iPad equipment are extra complicated than ever

Apple launched new iPads and a bunch of latest equipment at the moment, however as a substitute of utilizing the launch as a time to simplify, realizing what works with what’s extra complicated than ever.

Let’s focus first on the Tenth-generation iPad, which obtained the most important adjustments. Its new design extra intently matches the corporate’s different current iPads, with a USB-C port, slimmer bezels, and Touch ID on the sleep / wake button, similar to the iPad Air and iPad Mini. From photos, you’d be hard-pressed to inform which is the bottom mannequin iPad and which is the Air.

The similarity to these different two iPads may make you assume this new one helps the second-generation Apple Pencil, which might magnetically stick with the aspect of tablets for charging and pairing. But it doesn’t: as a substitute, the Tenth-gen iPad solely works with the outdated Apple Pencil, and since that stylus needs to be charged from a Lightning port, which the brand new iPad lacks, you’ll want a particular dongle to hook it up.

Maybe you don’t care in regards to the Apple Pencil however as a substitute need the most recent and best in Apple’s keyboard circumstances. For the brand new iPad, you’ll be able to add on a brand new Magic Keyboard Folio, which affords a 14-key perform row for straightforward entry to issues like quantity controls.

A perform row looks as if an amazing factor to have with an iPad Air or iPad Pro, proper? Alas, the $249 Folio is just appropriate with the Tenth-gen iPad. And Apple hasn’t up to date its keyboard covers for different tablets so as to add within the perform keys even supposing the corporate additionally introduced upgraded iPad Pros. 

Apple’s complete iPad equipment ecosystem now feels fragmented and complicated, particularly when most of the current equipment already work throughout units. The second-generation Apple Pencil works with each sizes of the iPad Pro, the iPad Air, and the iPad Mini, for instance. The smaller Magic Keyboard case works with each the 11-inch iPad Pro and the iPad Air, nevertheless it isn’t appropriate with the brand new iPad although that pill is sort of the very same dimension.

No, actually, it’s a matter of millimeters. Here are their particular person measurements:

Said one other approach, if Apple had shrunk the brand new iPad only a bit, it might have been appropriate with the smaller Magic Keyboard. Presumably, that may have additionally meant the Magic Keyboard Folio with its 14 superb perform keys might have labored with the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air, too.

Apple is aware of how one can make issues appropriate throughout devices; the corporate constructed its identify on making issues that simply work. But for this iPad launch, Apple as a substitute selected to make its pill ecosystem extra fractured.