Q: How many Ipad generations are there?

iPad (3rd generation) is discontinued.

Model Number

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5452

There are 5 iPads, including the Mini... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad

4 Generations of iPads, and one Generation of the iPad Mini variety.

The Third Generation iPad was discontinued only months after being released.

Currently on the Apple Website you can find the Second Generation iPad, and the Fourth Generation iPad referred to as the iPad with Retina Display.

Does anyone know why the 3rd Gen was discontinued? I alwasy thought it was a great purchase if you are on a budget in compairison to the other generations.

Because it was replaced by the 4th-gen unit. Apparently Apple, unlike with the iPad 2, didn't think they could offer enough of a price difference to justify keeping the 3rd-gen model in production.

Regards.

The fourth generation is basically a minor upgrade on the technical specs of the third - not sure if there was a more marketing/business-y reason for replacing it with the iPad w/Retina so soon after releasing it, but they're more-or-less the same.

There is actually quite of bit of difference in performance between the 3rd and 4th-generation iPad, both from a processor/GPU and network standpoint as well as other details such as the camera. Really only the screen is the same between the two generations.

Regards.