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Apple Debuts New 9.7-Inch iPad With A9 Chip to Replace iPad Air 2, Starting at $329
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How does that even make sense? RAM costs next to nothing. They'd have to make a new chip just for this one line.
They implemented a non laminated and reflective display from 2013. What makes you think they didn't do the same for RAM? 32GB from 16GB costs just a few bucks more but how many years did it take Apple to make 32 standard.
This product is an iPad Air 1 with an A9 processor. Its a downgrade for Air 2 owners. The switch from a laminated display to a non laminated one is more jarring than the DCIP3 wide color iPad pro upgrade.
The A9 has 2GB ram, so they'd have to be using fault chips, disabling present RAM, or doing a separate chip run to reduce the RAM.
Considering the Air 2 already had 2 GB, releasing a new iPad with less RAM would almost certainly lead to software issues.
Its highly unlikely it has anything other than 2 GB RAM.
LOL, so Apple should have introduced the iPad Air 3 in October, 2015. Instead, they release it 18 months later, bigger, no A9X, no anti-glare coating, with a whopping $70 price cut. 6 months after the iPhone 7+ came out, why would anyone buy an iPad now with a far slower processor? Why exactly is the iPad "Pro" 9.7 still $599 when it's basically the iPad that should have come out a month after the 6S? Apple isn't even trying anymore.
Let me see if I understand this right. Just because they use a screen they already have from the iPad Air, you think they're going to produce an entirely new chip (RAM is soldered onto the SoC). I can't see how that makes any sense at all.
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Why is the iPad Pro still 600$? Because that's what the market will bear.
You have a feeling or you know? As was already said they aren't producing anew chipset just as they didn't for the se.
I sold because I thought new awesome ones were soon to be released. What I expected didn't happen. To the question of do I really_need_one, no. We don't neeeed most of the stuff we buy. However I think an iPad is the best device to read eBooks including Kindle. I've tried various products and still think iPad is best. The ONLY thing I wish it has: Bluetooth mouse support. Otherwise it is a near perfect ultralight computing device.
That said my main devices outside of my iPhone are laptops for personal and work. The iPad would be for reading, other leisure time, or for travel.
Thank you for asking.
If they went through the effort of creating an iPad Air panel 4 years after it launched and not reuse the iPad Air 2 panel and even customised the manufacturing process of the Air 2 chassis so that the chamfers do not shine at the edges what makes you think they are incapable of changing the RAM ? They could just as well disable the extra ram through software because the purpose of this model is an budget entry into the iPad lineup and Apple really wants people to get the Pro version.If Apple has cut the price by 70 dollars expect more than $70 worth of features to be cut to protect their precious profit margins
And disabling RAM through software isn't far fetched as AMD and NVIDIA do it with their cards all the time and people were able to unlock the extra capabilities through flashing the bios. And if I recall even OnePlus has done it in their phones
iPads didn't used to cost this much. Even iPad minis didn't used to cost this much. It's the cheapest iPad ever.
so this basically seems like a tech bumped ipad air 1, which is bigger and heavier and has the same -non-anti reflective display.
This costs well more than Mini's have done in my country. This costs a bit less than iPads used to cost prior to around 2012/2013. iPad 4 (which was top of the one) was $70 more. The iPad 2 was $40 cheaper and the tech in it was about the same as in this new thing.
I guess it is exchange dependent, but really this iPad is not really impressive in anyway at least in my eyes.
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I'll pay a visit to the Apple Store next week so I'll be able to compare the display with the one of my Air 2.
There is no point doing the comparison as the display is not laminated. That in itself is a huge difference as the content will now be"below" the screen rather than on top and you will be able to see the gap.
Ars Technica has said that the difference between a non laminated and a laminated display is more impactful than even the move to a DCIP3 color gamut of the pro
Thank you Tim Cook for saving me >AUD$1000 as I was ready to buy a new iPad Pro.
I guess Apple is now about pleasing the investors and maximising profits, not innovation. That's disappointing.
The Product RED iPhone is almost cool, but the white front bezel - yeah no thank you.
I guess Apple is now about pleasing the investors and maximising profits, not innovation. That's disappointing.
The Product RED iPhone is almost cool, but the white front bezel - yeah no thank you.
I think it's just because they can't use the iPad page as there are more than one iPad. Although in some areas I've seen it say 'iPad 9.7-inch" so it's a bit confusing. Especially because Apple never referred to the iPads with the screen size after the name, but a lot of people referred to them as, for example the "iPad Pro 9.7" when it's actually the "9.7-inch iPad Pro".
They may want to change the iPad mini to the 7.9" iPad but I think the vast majority of consumers have the name "iPas mini" stuck in their head now.
Cool. Have to say, I fully agree about the reading part. I use mine all the time for reading books. So often I'm tempted to buy a mini just as a dedicated ebook reader.
I guess you're right about the need - and I didn't mean it in that way, sorry if it came off as a bit of a strong question.
I don't recall last summer - were we expecting new iPads to come in the fall? What type of iPad did you have before you sold it? I always do the same, sell an iPad or iPhone as close to the launch of a new one if I'm planning on upgrading. Don't think I could go without it though unless I knew for sure someone was going on sale soon.
This is a great move for Apple. After continually losing market share to lower cost tablets, now more consumers have the option to go Apple. At the same time, they can kill the confusing "Air" brand and have a regular and "pro" model.
You can legitimately complain about the MacBook line's lack of Kaby Lake, limited RAM and absence of dGPU and of course the fact that there is still not a 4K Apple TV, updated Mac Pro, Mini or iMac, but this was a good move.
Hopefully this move signals that the Pro line of products will be worthy of the "Pro" moniker going forward. We just have to wait and see.
You can legitimately complain about the MacBook line's lack of Kaby Lake, limited RAM and absence of dGPU and of course the fact that there is still not a 4K Apple TV, updated Mac Pro, Mini or iMac, but this was a good move.
Hopefully this move signals that the Pro line of products will be worthy of the "Pro" moniker going forward. We just have to wait and see.
The UK price is £40 down from the previous price. What exactly isn't looking good here for UK customers?
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Cost of additional consumer rights in the UK. It's nice that you can get your iPad fixed for free if it breaks within say two years, but it doesn't come for free.
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My concern also. Surprised that no one had this remark before. Now we kind of know that it is an Air 1 + A9, and not an Air 2 + A9, so wonder about the 2GB RAM.
Btw I think there is no 1GB device on their market (iPhone SE is already 2GB, also the iPad mini 4), so it should be 2GB..
Also wonder why they did not come up with a "new" iPad Mini with A9. Now only the Mini has A8..
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Good question. Considering some of the other cost saving efforts in the device, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the older Touch ID.