Apple significantly raised the price of its tenth-generation iPad

Today, Apple introduced a novel Apple Pencil for its iPads, distinguished by its USB Type-C port. Coinciding with this announcement, the tech giant also released a fresh edition of the iPad 10th Gen WiFi + Cellular, specifically tailored for the Chinese market.

What sets this version apart is its eSIM capability. It's noteworthy that in China, the original cellular model was confined to just a physical SIM card slot. This contrasted with the global variant, which wasn't as restricted. Thus, this eSIM feature makes the newly released iPad 10th Gen WiFi + Cellular distinct for the Chinese audience. However, despite this new addition, the device still maintains its physical SIM card slot.

Apple significantly raised the price of its tenth-generation iPad

Yet, this innovation comes at a cost. The price tags for the 64GB and 256GB memory configurations are set at ¥4,799 ($655) and ¥5,999 ($820) respectively. For perspective, the initial model without the eSIM feature was priced at a more modest ¥3,599 ($490) for the base version and ¥4,799 ($655) for the higher-end variant. This marks a substantial increase of ¥1200 (36%) without significant enhancements.

The updated Apple Pencil with its USB-C feature, on the other hand, appears rather basic. It lacks functionalities like pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing/charging, and the convenient double-tap tool switch. Yet, its redeeming quality is its affordability, coming in at just $79. The added bonus is the convenience of charging via a USB Type-C port.

The iPad 10th Gen WiFi + Cellular is already available for purchase in China. However, a peculiar limitation is that at its launch, the eSIM is only compatible with China Unicom. Meanwhile, the Apple Pencil equipped with USB-C is set to be globally accessible from early November.

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