Except for the update from the Apple A9 processor to the A10 Fusion chip, the internals are pretty much the same. You still get the Lightning port for charging and data exchange at the bottom, and there is still a 3.5 mm stereo jack on the upper left. A switch for wireless audio transmission would have probably been too expensive in this price-sensitive education market.

The support for the Apple Pencil is a new feature. This means the active stylus from Apple not only works with the iPad Pro 10.5 (review) and the iPad Pro 12.9 (review), but it also now works with Apple's cheapest tablet. The price of $99 is high, but (less expensive) solutions from other manufacturers work as well. A compatible stylus from Logitech, for example, retails for 49 Euros (~$60).

A quick look at the different SKUs: The base model is equipped with Wi-Fi and 32 GB storage and is available in the colors Space Gray, Silver and Gold. The model with 128 GB storage retails for $429 and there will also be a 4G model for $459 or $559, respectively (with 32 or 128 GB storage). The optional Apple Care+ package costs $69 and also covers two "accidental repairs" within two years, each subject to a $49 service fee each. This means the repair of a broken display will "cost" $118. When and where is the new iPad available? You can order it right now from Apple (online and stores) and retailers should have it in stock soon. We do not expect any special iPad offerings soon, and retailers are usually not much cheaper than Apple.