Apple resurrects iPad 4 as ageing iPad 2 is laid to rest

After almost exactly three years of faithful service, Apple has retired the iPad 2 and replaced it with the fourth-generation iPad with Retina display.

Now that the iPad 2 has received its gold carriage clock and marching orders, there are no more iPads on sale that rock the 30-pin connector of yore.

All the iPads now use the smaller Lightning cable to charge - but 30-pin fans can still pick up an iPhone 4S to get their wider-charging-port fix.

Shake up

Apple took the iPad 4 off sale back when it unveiled the iPad mini, choosing to keep the thinner, lighter iPad 2 at the bottom of its range instead of the heavier Retina-toting model.

Should you get an aging iPad 4 or a newer iPad Air? We've pitted the two against each other to help you decide.

The company also shook up the iPhone range today with the addition of an 8GB iPhone 5C - find out more about that here.