88 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2019
FEATURE REVIEW: 10.2-INCH iPA DWhen I first saw the new
7th-generation iPad (go.
macworld.com/7ipd), I
wondered why Apple even
bothered to release an updated model this
year. Sure, the 10.2-inch display reveals a
slight boost in size over last year’s 9.7-inch
iPad, and the latest model finally has a
Smart Connector, but for all that, this iPad
has the same cameras and A10 processor
as last year’s model, the form factor hasn’t
changed significantly, and it’s even ever-
so-slightly heavier. Both models still only
come in 32GB and 128GB configurations,
and both deliver around 10 hours of
battery life. Let’s get this out of the way
now: If you have last year’s 9.7-inch iPad, I
see no reason to “upgrade” to this one.
But after a few days with the new iPad,
I think I get Apple’s line of thinking. The
agreeable $329 starting price, the extra
viewing room, the theoretical options
afforded by the Smart Connector, and the
general excellence of everything under
the hood combines to make this the best
and most approachable entry-level Apple
device. This was also true of the older
baseline iPad models, but by including the
Smart Connector, Apple ensures that this
comfortably-sized tablet comes with