Device hub · Tablets · Desk research
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (6th generation) is the March 2018 $329 leftover last 9.7-inch Retina slate: first Pencil on the entry line, A10 Fusion, Lightning, no Smart Connector.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad (6th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad (6th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
iPad (6th generation) is the March 2018 $329 leftover last 9.7-inch Retina slate: first Pencil on the entry line, A10 Fusion, Lightning, no Smart Connector. Buy leftover if you want the 9.7-inch Pencil iPad. Skip it if you want 10.2-inch Smart Keyboard (7th gen) or USB-C (10th gen / A16).
Who it is for
- Leftover / refurb shoppers who still want the last 9.7-inch Home-button iPad with Lightning, a 3.5 mm jack, and the first Pencil on the entry line.
- People comparing 6th vs 7th gen on canvas (9.7 vs 10.2), Smart Connector (absent vs present), and Newsroom recycled-aluminum wording (7th gen first).
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants the current base iPad. That is iPad (A16) at /tablets/ipad-a16/.
- Buyers who want a Smart Keyboard Smart Connector. That starts at iPad (7th generation).
- People who want USB-C or 5G. That starts at iPad (10th generation).
Key differentiators
- Newsroom: first entry iPad with Apple Pencil (1st generation) support.
- Last 9.7-inch Retina base iPad. 7th gen jumps to 10.2-inch and adds Smart Connector.
- A10 Fusion + M10. 32GB or 128GB. Gold / Silver / Space Gray.
- Support 111957 buttons/connectors list has no Smart Connector. Do not copy 7th-gen Smart Keyboard onto this leftover.
Caveats
- Peak nits are not on Support 111957. Do not invent 500 nits from later 10.2-inch sheets.
- 10-hour battery lines are Apple claims from Support 111957 testing footnotes (March 2018).
- In-box USB Power Adapter wattage is not printed. Do not invent 12W.
- RAM is not published. Do not invent 2GB from a teardown.
- Apple product photography is not hosted here.
Tablet-category specs
Same rows on every tablet page (iPad Pro / Air / mini, Galaxy Tab S, Pixel Tablet).
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 9.7-inch (diagonal) Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch | Apple Support 111957 |
| Display type | Retina; LED-backlit IPS Multi-Touch (not Liquid Retina) | Apple Support 111957 |
| Display resolution | 2048 × 1536 at 264 ppi | Apple Support 111957 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| Refresh rate | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| Display features | Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. True Tone / P3 / full lamination / antireflective coating are not on the Support 111957 display block we pulled. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Sold size(s) | One size: iPad (6th generation), 9.7-inch | Apple Newsroom, 2018-03-27 |
| Dimensions | 240 × 169.5 × 7.5 mm (9.4 × 6.6 × 0.29 in) for Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular | Apple Support 111957 |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 469 g (1.03 lb); Wi-Fi + Cellular 478 g (1.05 lb) | Apple Support 111957 |
| Finishes | Silver; Gold; Space Gray | Apple Support 111957 |
| Chassis / enclosure | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| Chip / processor | A10 Fusion with 64-bit architecture and embedded M10 coprocessor. Newsroom: 40 percent. | Apple Support 111957; Apple Newsroom 2018-03-27 |
| Memory (RAM) | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| On-device storage | 32GB or 128GB Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular (no microSD) | Apple Support 111957 |
| Operating system | Support 111957 still names iOS 12 on the OS row we pulled. Quote the live signed iPadOS on apple.com/ipados — do not freeze 2018 launch software as the only possible image. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Pencil / stylus | Supports Apple Pencil (1st generation). Not in the box. Newsroom: $99 (US) separately. First Pencil support on the entry iPad. Pencil (2nd generation) / USB-C / hover are not on Support 111957. | Apple Support 111957; Apple Newsroom 2018-03-27 |
| Keyboard / cover (OEM) | No Smart Connector on the Support 111957 buttons/connectors list. Do not write Smart Keyboard onto this leftover. Bluetooth keyboards are a separate accessory story, not a Smart Connector row. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Biometrics | Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor in the Home button | Apple Support 111957 |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers (buttons/connectors list) | Apple Support 111957 |
| Microphones | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi models: none. Wi-Fi + Cellular: LTE (Support band list); nano-SIM (supports Apple SIM; includes Apple SIM). Data only. Not Gigabit-class LTE wording and not 5G. No eSIM row on 111957. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 4.2 | Apple Support 111957 |
| Ports / expansion | Lightning connector; 3.5 mm headphone jack; nano-SIM tray on cellular SKUs. No Smart Connector on this leftover. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Rear camera | 8-megapixel camera, ƒ/2.4; 1080p HD video recording | Apple Support 111957 |
| Front camera | 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD, ƒ/2.2; 720p HD video | Apple Support 111957 |
| Battery (OEM) | 32.4Wh. Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web, video, or music; cellular models up to 9 hours web on cellular | Apple Support 111957 |
| Charging (OEM) | Lightning to USB Cable and USB Power Adapter in the box. Adapter wattage is not printed on Support 111957. | Apple Support 111957 |
| Durability / ingress | Not published | Apple Support 111957 |
| Location / GNSS | Wi-Fi: digital compass, Wi-Fi, iBeacon. Cellular models add Assisted GPS and GLONASS | Apple Support 111957 |
| US MSRP (launch) | 32GB Wi-Fi $329; 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular $459 (Newsroom 27 March 2018). Education start $299. Pencil $99. | Apple Newsroom, 2018-03-27 |
| Price band | Previous entry Apple tablet ($329 US launch before Pencil) | Derived from Apple launch prices |
| Announced | 27 March 2018 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Newsroom 27 March 2018: available to order that day; shipments starting that week. Current base iPad is A16. | Apple Newsroom, 2018-03-27 |
iPad (6th generation) extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other tablets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| First Pencil on the entry iPad | Newsroom 27 March 2018. Pencil 1st gen sold separately. Smart Connector / Smart Keyboard start at 7th gen. | Apple Newsroom, 2018-03-27 |
| Last 9.7-inch base iPad | 7th gen is the first 10.2-inch entry iPad. Do not mix 2048 × 1536 rows with later 2160 × 1620 sheets. | Apple Support 111957; Apple Support 111911 |
| Later leftover sibling | iPad (7th generation) is live at /tablets/ipad-7th-generation/ — first 10.2-inch Retina, first Smart Keyboard on the entry line, 483/493 g, still A10 Fusion. | Apple Support 111911 |
Overview
iPad (6th generation) is the March 2018 Home-button 9.7-inch base iPad — the first entry iPad Newsroom says includes Apple Pencil. Current base sell-in is iPad (A16). This hub stays so leftover shoppers have a tablets-v1 record instead of mixing 9.7-inch / no-Smart-Connector rows with later 10.2-inch sheets.
We have not used this iPad.
Display, chip, ports
Retina IPS, 2048 × 1536, 264 ppi. Nits are not on Support 111957. Chip is A10 Fusion + M10. Storage is 32GB or 128GB. Ports: Lightning + 3.5 mm. No Smart Connector.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — Apple introduces new 9.7-inch iPad with Apple Pencil support — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad (6th generation) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from iPad (7th generation)?
6th gen is the last 9.7-inch entry iPad (2048 × 1536, no Smart Connector, 469/478 g). 7th gen is the first 10.2-inch entry iPad with Smart Keyboard support.
Does 6th gen have a Smart Connector?
No. Support 111957 buttons/connectors list has Lightning, 3.5 mm, and Home-button Touch ID — no Smart Connector.
Official product page: iPad (6th generation). Tech specs: iPad (6th generation) specs.