There's no doubt the iPad has been a massive success; something Apple CEO Tim Cook underlined during the company's press conference to announce two new models.

Apple's now sold over 225 million iPads, with the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 now sitting alongside existing models - iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina Display (now shortened to iPad mini 2).

The device has certainly come a long way from the unveiling of the original 9.7-inch iPad, gaining the first 7.9-inch mini device in November 2012.

Indeed, the only iPad without a retina display and - thanks to a $100 price cut - costing from $249, the iPad mini is now the entry level device.

In comparison a top-of-the-range 128GB iPad Air 3 with cellular connection will cost you $829.

Lighter than lighter than Air 1

As to the changes for the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, both come with the Touch ID technology that Apple will be using for its Apple Pay payment system.

The 'thinner, lighter' iPad Air 2 features the A8X chip, which Apple claims boasts a 40 percent better CPU and 2.5 time better graphics performance than the originally iPad Air, although the graphics performance will likely be as much to do with optimisations for the new Metal API in iOS 8 as the hardware itself.

The iPad Air 2 also includes the M8 motion co-processor that gathers motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and an all-new barometer which senses air pressure to provide relative elevation.

The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come in gold, silver and space grey finishes and can be ordered in 29 countries from Friday 17 October.