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Apple has updated its 9.7-inch iPad with support for Apple Pencil plus increased performance, starting at US$329. The new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil give users the ability to be creative and productive, from sketching ideas and jotting down handwritten notes to marking up screenshots.

The new iPad features a Retina display, the A10 Fusion chip and advanced sensors that help deliver immersive augmented reality (AR).

The new iPad's A10 Fusion chip is constructed with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, delivering 40% faster CPU and 50% faster graphics performance for multitasking and graphics-intensive apps, according to Apple. The front- and rear-facing cameras offer low-light performance and HD video recording for document scanning, moviemaking and FaceTime calls.