iPad Generations List: Every Apple Model from 2010 to 2026

This is your definitive, chronological tour of the iPad. We’ll walk through every generation, what Apple shipped, the big firsts, and how each model pushed tablets forward. Bookmark it for reference and collecting, or to spot the exact iPad you own. Before you start Naming is messy. Apple mixes “iPad,” “iPad Air,” “iPad mini,” and “iPad Pro,” plus year/generation numbers. We’ll spell out each clearly. Ports & Pencils change a lot. 30-pin → Lightning → USB-C; Apple Pencil (1st) → Pencil (2nd) → Pencil (USB-C) → Pencil Pro. Sizes shift. Classic 9.7-inch gave way to 10.2, 10.5, 10.9, 11, 12.9, 13 inches—and a tiny 7.9/8.3-inch mini. Chips leap. A-series to Apple silicon (M-series) with desktop-class features. The iPad Timeline, Every Generation, In Order 2010 — iPad (1st generation) The original iPad landed like a new kind of computer: a 9.7-inch multi-touch slab running iPhone OS 3.2 on Apple’s A4 chip. No cameras, a 30-pin dock connector, and a 1024×768 IPS screen—but a bold idea: web, email, books, and apps in your hands. It sold millions and cemented the tablet as a mainstream device.  2011 — iPad 2 A landmark refinement: 33% thinner, lighter, now with front and rear cameras, the new A5 chip, and the magnetic Smart Cover that woke the iPad when opened. Same 9.7-inch resolution, much faster feel. This design ethos—thinner, lighter, smarter—became iPad’s north star.  2012 (Spring) — iPad (3rd generation) “The new iPad” debuted the Retina display at 2048×1536—stunning at the time—powered by A5X for the heavier graphics load. It also added LTE options. Short life, huge impact: Retina became the baseline for Apple screens.  2012 (Fall) — iPad (4th generation) A fast mid-year pivot brought the A6X chip and, crucially, Lightning replacing the 30-pin connector—aligning iPad with the iPhone 5 ecosystem and opening an era of smaller, reversible cables.  2012 — iPad mini (1st generation) A beloved 7.9-inch form factor appeared with an A5 chip and a 1024×768 display. The mini made iPad one-handable and travel-friendly; its size would become a cult favorite for reading and fieldwork.  2013 — iPad Air (1st generation) The “Air” name said it all: a dramatically lighter 9.7-inch chassis with A7 (64-bit), ushering in desktop-style architectures on iPad. Sleek, efficient, future-proof.  2013 — iPad mini 2 (Retina) The mini caught up with Retina and A7 performance, shrinking few-compromise iPad power into a small body. (Mini 3 in 2014 added Touch ID but kept similar internals.) 2014 — iPad Air 2 The first laminated display with anti-reflective coating, a big visual upgrade, plus the A8X chip and Touch ID. Air 2 stayed relevant for years—many still consider it a classic.  2015 — iPad mini 4 A meaningful update with a thinner build and A8; it became the long-lived “good enough” mini while Pro development accelerated. 2015 — iPad Pro 12.9 (1st generation) iPad grew up—literally—with a 12.9-inch display, quad speakers, A9X, and two accessories that redefined the platform: Apple Pencil (1st gen) and Smart Keyboard. Creative pros and note-takers took notice; latency and precision changed the conversation about tablets.  2016 — iPad Pro 9.7 A smaller Pro introduced True Tone and a color-sensitive ambient sensor—Apple’s screens started adapting to your environment. Cameras also leapt ahead here. 2017 — iPad (5th generation) Apple rebooted the entry iPad: affordable 9.7-inch model with A9. No Pencil support yet, but it set a template for the value tier.  2017 — iPad Pro 10.5 & 12.9 (2nd gen) ProMotion 120Hz arrived, making iPad feel instantly smoother—scrolling, gaming, Pencil latency, everything. It’s one of the biggest “you can feel it” upgrades in iPad history.  2018 — iPad (6th generation) The budget iPad finally gained Apple Pencil (1st gen) support, opening digital handwriting and art to schools and casual creators without Pro prices.  2018 — iPad Pro 11 (1st) & 12.9 (3rd) The design reset: USB-C, Face ID, edge-to-edge “Liquid Retina,” no home button, and Apple Pencil (2nd gen) that snapped on magnetically to pair/charge. This set today’s Pro identity.  2019 — iPad mini (5th) and iPad Air (3rd, 10.5-inch) Both moved to A12 and Pencil (1st) support; Air gained Smart Keyboard compatibility, becoming the “most iPad for most people” mid-tier.  2019 — iPad (7th generation) A new 10.2-inch size and Smart Connector brought keyboard support to the base iPad—great for typing and students. 2020 — iPad Pro (A12Z, 2nd-gen 11-inch / 4th-gen 12.9) Refined Pros with LiDAR for AR and a Magic Keyboard with trackpad, steering iPad toward laptop-style workflows.  2020 — iPad (8th) and iPad Air (4th, 10.9-inch) Entry iPad jumped to A12, while Air 4 adopted the Pro-like design, USB-C, and Apple Pencil (2nd)—a huge value shift that blurred the Pro line from below.  2021 — iPad Pro (M1), iPad (9th), iPad mini (6th) The Pros moved to Apple’s M1 with Thunderbolt; the 12.9-inch added mini-LED XDR for HDR punch. The base iPad got A13 and Center Stage. The mini 6 was reborn: 8.3-inch, USB-C, and Pencil (2nd) support—tiny, powerful, modern.  2022 — iPad Air (5th, M1), iPad (10th), iPad Pro (M2) Air gained M1; the 10th-gen iPad switched to USB-C with a landscape camera (but awkwardly used Pencil (1st) via an adapter). Pros with M2 added Apple Pencil hover—a nuanced but meaningful creator feature.  2024 — iPad Pro (M4, Ultra Retina XDR OLED) & iPad Air (M2, 11- and 13-inch) The Pro made its biggest leap since 2018: tandem OLED (“Ultra Retina XDR”), the M4 chip, the thinnest Apple product ever, and the debut of Apple Pencil Pro (squeeze, barrel roll, haptics). The Air moved to M2 and gained a 13-inch size. Apple dropped the 9th-gen iPad and lowered the 10th-gen price. 2024 (Fall) — iPad mini (7th, A17 Pro) Mini caught up with a big internal jump, adopting A17 Pro and the latest Pencil options while keeping the 8.3-inch portability fans love.  2025 (Spring) — iPad Air (M3) A swift spec bump to M3 kept Air squarely in the “sweet spot” for performance-per-dollar, alongside the modern Magic Keyboard and Pencil lineup. 2025 (Spring) — iPad (11th Generation) The iPad (11th generation) is Apple’s latest refresh of its most popular tablet. Powered by the A16 Bionic chip, it offers faster performance, improved multitasking, and better efficiency compared to the previous A14-based iPad. Spec Comparison YearModelChipPortApple Pencil SupportKey Highlights2010iPad 9.7″ (1st gen)A430-pin—First iPad; 1024×768 IPS display2011iPad 2A530-pin—First with cameras; Smart Cover support2012iPad (3rd gen)A5X30-pin—First Retina display (2048×1536)2012iPad (4th gen)A6XLightning—Lightning replaces 30-pin connector2012iPad mini (1st, 7.9″)A5Lightning—First iPad mini2013iPad Air (1st)A7 (64-bit)Lightning—First 64-bit iPad; thinner design2013iPad mini 2A7Lightning—First Retina mini2014iPad Air 2A8XLightning—First laminated + anti-reflective display2015iPad mini 4A8Lightning—Slimmer, more powerful mini2015iPad Pro 12.9″ (1st)A9XLightning1st genFirst Apple Pencil; quad speakers2016iPad Pro 9.7″A9XLightning1st genTrue Tone display debuts2017iPad (5th gen)A9Lightning—Budget iPad line returns2017iPad Pro 10.5″ / 12.9″ (2nd)A10XLightning1st genFirst ProMotion 120Hz display2018iPad (6th gen)A10Lightning1st genPencil support comes to base iPad2018iPad Pro 11″ / 12.9″ (3rd)A12XUSB-C2nd genFace ID, no Home button, new design2019iPad mini 5A12Lightning1st genA12 performance in mini2019iPad Air 3 (10.5″)A12Lightning1st genSmart Keyboard support2019iPad (7th gen, 10.2″)A10Lightning1st genSmart Connector on base iPad2020iPad Pro (A12Z)A12ZUSB-C2nd genAdds LiDAR, Magic Keyboard with trackpad2020iPad Air 4 (10.9″)A14USB-C2nd genBrings Pro-style design to Air2020iPad (8th gen)A12Lightning1st genValue refresh2021iPad Pro (M1)M1USB-C / Thunderbolt2nd genFirst with M-series chip; mini-LED XDR (12.9″)2021iPad (9th gen)A13Lightning1st genCenter Stage front camera2021iPad mini 6 (8.3″)A15USB-C2nd genAll-new design, modernized mini2022iPad Air 5M1USB-C2nd genM-series comes to Air2022iPad (10th gen, 10.9″)A14USB-CUSB-C / 1st gen via adapterLandscape front camera2022iPad Pro (M2)M2USB-C / Thunderbolt2nd genIntroduces Pencil hover2024iPad Air (M2, 11″ / 13″)M2USB-CPencil Pro / USB-CFirst 13″ Air; Pencil Pro support2024iPad Pro (M4, 11″ / 13″)M4USB-C / ThunderboltPencil ProUltra Retina XDR OLED; thinnest iPad yet2024iPad mini 7A17 ProUSB-CPencil Pro / USB-CMajor internal leap for mini2025iPad Air (M3)M3USB-CPencil Pro / USB-CSpec bump; keeps pace with Pro features2025iPad (11th gen)A16 BionicUSB-CPencil (1st gen) / USB-CMagic Keyboard Folio support; Smart Connector Conclusion From a 9.7-inch “big iPod touch” to an M4-powered OLED slate with a pro-grade stylus, iPad never stood still. The early years chased thinness and Retina clarity; then came Pro accessories and 120Hz; today, Apple silicon and OLED push the tablet squarely into laptop territory for many workflows. Whether you value a featherweight mini, a balanced Air, or the bleeding-edge Pro, there’s a clear through-line: every generation made the computer more touchable, more portable, and, bit by bit, more capable. FAQs Which iPad first supported Apple Pencil? The 2015 iPad Pro 12.9 introduced Apple Pencil (1st gen). Pencil support expanded to the budget iPad in 2018, then to Pencil (2nd) in the 2018 Pro redesign, and to Pencil Pro in 2024 on the new Pro/Air. Which iPad first used USB-C? The 2018 iPad Pro line. Air switched in 2020, mini in 2021, and the 10th-gen iPad in 2022. What’s the thinnest iPad? The 2024 iPad Pro (M4)—Apple’s thinnest product to date—despite packing tandem OLED and a huge performance jump. Do all iPad Pros have 120Hz ProMotion? All modern Pros (2017 and later) do; the 2015/2016 Pros pre-date ProMotion. Is the iPad mini still alive? Yes. Mini 7 (2024) upgraded to A17 Pro, keeping the compact 8.3-inch form while adding modern Pencil options.