Yesterday, Apple introduced a couple of new iPads to its range: the M2-powered iPad Pro (starting at $1,649) and a refreshed entry-level iPad (from $899).
There was no event to unveil them this time, with the changes so minimal that Apple figured two press releases could do the self-congratulatory talking.
But what the press releases neglected to mention for some reason was that along with these new pricey offerings, existing iPads would also be getting a price rise so as not to feel left out.
Until yesterday, you could buy the 2021 iPad mini for $849, rising to $1,099 if you fancied a more usable 256GB storage. Now those same products will cost you $999 and $1,299 respectively. Adding 5G used to add $250 to the price, but now it’ll increase your bill by $300.
It’s the same story for the iPad Air 2022, which arrived back in March. If you bought it from Apple last week, you’d be on the hook for $1,049 for 64GB or $1,299 for 256GB. Now it’s $1,199 for the former or $1,499 for the latter. And yes, the 5G tax has raised from $250 to $300 here as well.
Even the now last-generation basic iPad isn’t immune to price inflation. At the time of our 9th-generation iPad review, it cost $569 for the 64GB version and $819 for the 256GB model. Now? $649 and $949. The good news is that adding 5G only adds $250 to the price here — though that’s still $30 more than the upgrade used to cost.
If you act quickly, some sites still haven’t updated their prices. At the time of writing JB Hifi, for example, still has the iPad Air starting from $1,049, but given the store has updated all iPad minis except the pink one to the new RRP, it probably won’t be that way for long…
