A beginner’s guide to Apple iPads

Although it’s given the world some pioneering products, Apple’s status as an innovator is frequently overstated.

Its iOS operating system arrived in the same year as Android, while BlackBerry devices supported email back a decade before the iPhone, and camera phones originated with Sony.

Similarly, while the Apple III computer introduced hard disc drives, other companies pioneered the likes of colour screens, multimedia, taskbars and web browsers.

One area where Apple undoubtedly has led the world is in tablets – despite short-lived earlier efforts like IBM’s 1992 ThinkPad or Microsoft’s millennial tablet PC.

At the start of the last decade, you had either a laptop computer or a mobile phone, with nothing in between.

Then Apple introduced the iPad in January 2010, showcasing a hybrid device which combined the app-powered simplicity of smartphones with the screen size of a small laptop.

With a brilliantly simple design incorporating a large screen, the iPad was an instant success story despite costing £600 and having tinny speakers and very limited storage.

Today, the iPad name has been deployed across a range of electronic devices whose names often give little indication as to their specification, size, price or power.

Our beginner’s guide to Apple iPads summarises what you need to know if you’re thinking about investing in your first Apple-branded tablet device.

Welcome to the family

The original iPad had a 9.7-inch screen, weighed less than 700 grams and could fit in a handbag.

Today, Apple will sell you four main versions, all in different colours and with varying specifications including Wi-Fi only devices, or machines with the ability to accept a SIM card.

The range now includes the Pro, Air and classic iPad, with the latter also available in a smaller Mini version,.

The latter has an 8.3-inch screen reminiscent of the original, while all other versions offer an 11-inch display. The Pro and Air can also be acquired with 13-inch screens as an upgrade.

As its name suggests, the Air majors on being lightweight while the Pro has high-end specs including an XDR display, up to 2TB of storage and a more sophisticated camera.

These are today’s models, but there are also numerous historic iterations, including four numbered versions of the iPad Mini before the fifth and sixth generation models were rebranded.

The 11-inch Pro is in its fourth iteration while the 13-inch version is six generations in. There have been five generations of Air and ten of the original iPad brand.

Then there have been standalone models like the iPad Air 2 and the 10.5-inch Pro, all of which makes choosing a case or screen protector rather complicated.

These are highly recommended, since the iPad’s glassy screen, smooth back and gently rounded corners make it highly droppable.

Regular watchers of children’s TV will see presenters wielding iPads in brightly coloured foam rubber cases; these shockproof wraparounds are vital for younger users.

Which one should I buy?

To some extent, this depends on budget. However, the Pro may be overly specified for many users, while the Mini’s screen isn’t much larger than today’s Pro-model iPhones.

While it lacks the punchy CPUs of pricier models, few people would find a standard iPad lacking, with an 11-inch Liquid Retina display and the same camera setup as the Pro.

For £500, you can buy a new iPad with cellular capabilities. Adding a protective case and screen cover gives you a powerful, versatile and highly appealing tablet – much like the original.

Of course, there are competitor products on the market as well.

Imitators have rushed to replicate the iPad’s success, from budget Acer and Amazon Fire devices through to high-end Microsoft Surface hardware.

Some of these may even suit your needs better if your smartphone is an Android device, or if you want specific features – or a wide choice, since one iPad is broadly akin to another.

However, for many people, the beginner’s guide to Apple iPads above demonstrates why this remains the best tablet device on today’s market, despite a wealth of competition.