In announcing the fourth-generation iPad and breaking a three-year tradition of selling only one new tablet a year, Apple has caused some outrage among iPad 3 owners. But Apple needed to shorten the product cycle to add tweaks and improvements to the iPad amid a flurry of Windows 8 and Android tablets offered by other device-makers.
Marketed as "iPad with Retina display", this latest model features a faster A6X chip, an improved front facing camera, and the more compact and durable connector called Lightning which was introduced with the iPhone 5.
Benchmarks have confirmed that the iPad 4's A6X dual-core 1.4GHz processor alongside 1GB of RAM offers over two times the performance of the previous model. The new chip doesn't worsen battery life, giving users up to 10 hours of video. Although the rear iSight 5-megapixel camera remains the same, this model also features a front-facing FaceTime camera that has been upgraded to HD status to offer 720p video recording and sharper self-portraits.
Beyond that, the improvements are undoubtedly marginal over the seven month old iPad 3. It has the same 2,048 x 1,536 pixel Retina display on its 9.7-inch screen and other than its new 9-pin dock connector, is the same design, size (including 9.4 mm thickness), and weight (650 grams).
At release, the $499 iPad 4 will ship with iOS 6.0, which includes the Siri digital assistant and 200 new features. iPad 3 launched with iOS 5.1, which had YouTube and Google Maps among the pre-installed apps. iOS 6 kicked out Google Maps and replaced it with Apple's own map service which has had numerous issues. Despite this, iOS is still second to none in terms of functionality and app selection, of which there are now over 275,000 specifically designed for a tablet.
While the latest iPad doesn't offer dramatic changes, it does improve on an already amazing device. Those of you in the market for a new tablet or using an iPad 2 - this is the best 10" tablet on the market and you are sure to be enchanted. iPad 3 owners - you should probably sit this one out.
Need to know: Apple iPad 4
1. Faster A6X processor adds extra system speed and graphics power. (The Good)
2. The widest selection of tablet-optimized apps. (The Good)
3. Offers few improvements over its predecessor. (The Bad)
4. Expensive, especially if adding the LTE feature. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- David Ludlow, Expert ReviewsAs we've come to expect from an Apple product, iOS is incredibly smooth. Every single transition and operation happens incredibly smoothly and there's none of the inherent jerkiness you get with an Android device. Web browsing is an absolute pleasure, with even the most complex sites rendering quick...
- What Hi-Fi team, What Hi-FiWith this kind of processing power and all-round performance it’s easy to see why the iPad is so popular. The benchmark has been set extremely high. Let’s just hope its rivals aren’t down and out already.
- Sascha Segan, ITProPortalApple’s new iPad is quite simply the best 10in tablet out there. The iPad’s performance is head and shoulders above the competition, and it provides a premium screen and processor to match its premium price. The iPad's expansive library of tablet-focused apps is also a big tick for the Apple tablet.
- Daniel Berg, Laptop Magnull
- Louie Tran, TabletPCReviewMany would argue that the iPad 4 came out sooner than it should have, or criticize that there really isn't any difference between this and the third gen iPad... both statements aren't too far from the truth.The fact of the matter is however, with a newer faster processor on what already was one of t...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Apple iPad 4 Manual (PDF)
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