Cheapest Apple iPad to get BIG upgrades in years, challenge Samsung Galaxy tablets

Cheapest Apple iPad is rumoured to get some big upgrades this year. Apple could ditch the Lightning port entirely from the iPad lineup this year.

Apple iPad 10th Gen could get the USB-C port finally. (Representative Image: iPad 9th Gen) (Apple)

Cheapest Apple iPad is getting some serious upgrades soon! The base 10.1-inch Apple iPad has largely remained unchanged over years, and is mostly the “one last recycling attempt” for Apple's outgoing technologies. Old design, old Apple Pencil, Old iPad accessories, old chipset – that can all be said for the base iPad. However, Apple is shuffling things for the next-gen model, as suggested by rumours. The cheapest iPad is getting some serious upgrades to bring it on par with the rest of the iPad lineup.

The iPad is getting some big and much needed upgrades, as suggested by a 9To5Mac report. One of the big and frankly much needed upgrade is the USB-C port! Yes, Apple is planning to ditch the old Lightning port for good and replace it with the USB_C port. Not only will the USB-C port allow users to charge the iPad with any Mac or Android phone charger, it will also for faster data transfer speeds, and possibly the ability to connect to an external display.

Cheapest Apple iPad getting BIG upgrades

To compliment the USB-C port, Apple is also updating the chipset, but now with the newest one. In typical base iPad ritual, this model is getting the older A14 Bionic chip. It is certainly faster than the A13 chip on the current model and offers a notable performance upgrade. Having the A14 also means the iPad will now support 5G networks.

Another aspect expected to get upgraded is the display. The rumour says that Apple will offer a Retina display with the same resolution as that of the iPad Air. Hence, it is possible that the display could lose the bezels and maybe borrow the same design as the iPad Air. However, this display won't come with modern niceties such as P3 colour gamut, and the True Tone. We won't be surprised to see this iPad looking like the 3rd Gen iPad Air; If Apple can still sell the iPhone SE 3rd Gen in 2022, it can do so with the base iPad model.

Nonetheless, the iPad getting these upgrades could help Apple attract more buyers from the Samsung Galaxy Tab camp. Activity has increased in the world of tablets lately, with more brands jumping in to take a slice. We recently saw Xiaomi launch its powerful and capable Xiaomi Pad 5 tablet to take on the base iPad with a modern design, a powerful processor, and a host of accessories. The iPad getting competitive is a sign of Apple sit up and take notice.