Apple has made at least one surprise announcement during its California Streaming launch event - a new iPad is now available.

A new model of the standard Apple iPad has been updated with the A13 Bionic processor, offering 20 per cent faster CPU and GPU performance.

It also gets a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera on the front, with the Center Stage feature from the iPad Pro. This makes sure the camera is always targeted on the user, even when they move around.

Apple iPad 9th Gen - Tag
Apple iPad (2021)

The Apple iPad (9th generation) offers much the same design as its predecessor. It has support for Apple Pencil, Apple's Smart Keyboard and it is significantly cheaper than the iPad Pro models, as well as cheaper than the iPad Air. It's the entry-level iPad and great for those on a budget.

It works within several video apps, such as Zoom, not just FaceTime.

Truetone has also been added to its 10.2-inch Retina display, which is a first for an entry-level iPad.

As with the previous model, the first generation Apple Pencil is supported on the new iPad. Battery life is similar - claimed to last all day.

New iPad makes surprising appearance during Apple event photo 7
Apple

Apple has opened pre-orders for the new iPad already, with shipping to start next week. It's priced at $329 for the base version with 64GB of storage. Schools can purchase it a bit cheaper.

UK pricing starts at £319 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model.

In all honesty, we weren't expecting any iPad launches during the streaming event, just iPhones, maybe a new Apple Watch, and AirPods 3. Still, it's a very welcome surprise.