Apple has finally redesigned its baseline iPad with a new design, all-screen display, more powerful processor, better cameras, and USB-C port. All these changes are arguably great additions to Apple"s most affordable tablet—you get a taste of more exciting and expensive iPads for only $429. But the problem is that the new design brings some questionable (some might say straight stupid) quirks.
For starters, the iPad 10 still has no fully laminated display despite having an all-screen design. Besides having worse colors and no anti-glare coating, the iPad 10 does not support the second-gen Apple Pencil that charges and connects magnetically. Of course, the original Apple Pencil is still a great stylus (even though it is now six years old), and there is nothing wrong with using it for the cheapest iPad. The worst offender here is how users will pair their brand-new iPads with the first-gen Apple Pencil.
Apple has ditched the Lightning port for USB-C, but the original Apple Pencil still uses a "male" Lightning connector to pair and charge. You need to physically plug the stylus into the iPad, otherwise you"ll get no charging and no connection. The Apple Pencil was a laughing stock in 2016, and now people have even more reasons to ridicule this device. If you want to pair the original Apple Pencil with the new iPad 10, Apple will charge you an extra $9 for a USB-C-to-Lightning adapter.
The new adapter is not a problem for those buying the iPad 10 with the first-gen iPad—Apple will give these customers the adapter for free. But if you plan to upgrade from older entry-level iPads and already have the Apple Pencil, get ready to pay Apple $9 to keep using your gadget. Yikes.