IPad (9th generation)

The iPad (9th generation), (also referred to as the iPad 10.2-inch) is a tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple as the successor to the eighth-generation iPad. It was announced on September 14, 2021, and released on September 24. The ninth-generation iPad was discontinued on May 7, 2024, with the announcement of the iPad Air (6th generation) and the iPad Pro (7th generation). It was the last iPad to have a home button, Lightning port and headphone jack.

Features
The ninth-generation iPad has the same design as the seventh- and eighth-generation iPads, although all color options now come with a black screen bezel, and the gold option has been removed. It is compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil, and the Smart Keyboard and Smart Connector for keyboard attachments. It uses the A13 Bionic chip which was previously seen in the iPhone 11 in 2019, which Apple claims gives a 20% CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine increase in performance compared to its predecessor. It features a 10.2-inch Retina display identical to the previous models, with 1620 by 2160 pixels at a density of 264 PPI, and includes True Tone technology, meaning the display can adjust its color temperature based on the surrounding lighting temperature. A new 12 MP front camera (122 degree wide-angle) is fitted in place of the 1.2 MP camera of previous models, which features Center Stage technology that detects the user and moves the camera view accordingly during video recording and calls. The rear 8 MP camera is from the earlier iPad Air 2. The base storage is doubled to 64 GB. iPadOS 15 is pre-installed at release.

Reception
The New York Times called the 9th-generation iPad "the best tablet for almost anyone" in 2022, praising its price, performance and features. CNET gave it a 8.1/10, and praised the iPad for its performance and increased storage over its predecessor, however, criticizing it for its outdated design.