The repair gurus over at iFixit have released their video breaking down (both literally and figuratively) the new Apple iPad 10th generation. As they demystify the inner workings, some solid points are made both for and against the latest iPad. For one, the iPad 10 features a USB-C port instead of a lightning port, a sign of the transition to a USB-C standard for Apple. Also new to this generation is a landscape-oriented front facing camera, perfect for conference calls.
See also: Apple’s makes their new HomePod much easier to tear down (and repair)
Unfortunately the iPad 10 also features some truly puzzling design choices, such as incompatibility with the latest Apple Pencil. It is, however, compatible with the 1st gen Apple Pencil…. the one that relies on a lightning port, which the iPad 10 does not have. An extra attachment is required to be able to use an Apple Pencil with the newest iPad, which is a big strike for many tablet enthusiasts. Other issues include the USB ribbon cable being welded to the logic board, a design no-no, and the battery requiring a lot of work to access after the device has been opened. Be sure to check out the video for the full breakdown.
