Nearly a year ago, I lined out my plan for how Apple could improve the iPad lineup to make it more sensible. With the much-anticipated iPad Pro and iPad Air updates now out the way, I figured I should check in and see if my ideas panned out.

Rebrand the iPad 9 as iPad SE. On first glance, it seems like this idea didn’t go anywhere. Officially, the iPad 9 has been discontinued and is no longer a part of Apple’s lineup. But it’s still available from third-party retailers for $250, significantly lower than any iPad has ever been sold for before. I have a hunch that this is part of a low-key strategy on Apple’s part to keep this model in the channel without selling it officially, similar to what the company is doing with the M1 MacBook Air. It’s not the rebrand I was hoping for, but it has the same effect: making the 10th-generation iPad the official base model while keeping the classic version around somewhere at a steep discount.

Bring compatibility for the latest Apple Pencil to the iPad. The Apple Pencil story is still a bit confusing, but it’s getting better, and Apple did technically do this. The Apple Pencil (USB-C) introduced last fall is the new base model pencil, and it’s compatible with the base model iPad. In fact, it’s compatible with all iPads currently sold by Apple. The Apple Pencil Pro only works with the new iPad Pro and iPad Air, but I imagine the iPad mini will support the newest Pencil the next time it’s refreshed. Then, every current iPad model will be compatible with the regular Pencil, and the mid-tier and high-end models will offer a premium Pencil option as well. We’re moving in the right direction here.

Raise the base storage on the iPad Air and iPad mini. The new iPad Air starts at 128 GB of storage, double the previous generation. I have to believe the iPad mini will follow suit when it’s updated next. This is the right move, and I’m happy to see it.

Bring the XDR display to the 11” iPad Pro. Joke’s on me, because Apple didn’t bring the XDR display to the smaller iPad Pro, but the company did update both sizes of the iPad Pro to OLED, bringing their screen technologies back in sync. That’s what I really wanted; my suggestion was just too specific. The iPad Pro should have the best screen available regardless of its size, and that’s now the case.

Move the front-facing camera to the long edge on every model. Once again, this is true for every model except for the iPad mini, which hasn’t been updated since I wrote these suggestions. I believe the trend will be completed by the next-generation iPad mini.

Simplify the accessory options. The keyboard situation with the iPad was too confusing a year ago, and it’s better now, though not in a way that makes everyone happy. The company seems to be phasing out the Smart Keyboard line, leaving only the Magic Keyboard as options for new iPad models. This is a classic “be careful what you wish for” situation. I’m sad to see the Smart Keyboard Folio go and was hoping for a good/better offering across the line rather than a “better only” offering for each model. My apologies to all Smart Keyboard fans for single-handedly killing your favorite accessory with this suggestion.

Bonus points: Bring ProMotion to the iPad Air and iPad mini. This was a stretch then, and it remains a stretch now. I still hope it will happen one day, but it’s going to be some time before the screen technology in Apple’s Pro devices is advanced enough that ProMotion can shift down to the mid-tier line.

Looking back at these ideas, most of them actually came to fruition, if not in letter then in spirit. The overarching vibe when it comes to the iPad lineup seems much more positive since the Let Loose event – software complaints notwithstanding. I think the iPad is in the best place it’s ever been, and an update to the iPad mini (hopefully this fall 🤞) will only seal the deal.

Folks, I think we fixed it.