Apple Debuts New 9.7-Inch iPad With A9 Chip to Replace iPad Air 2, Starting at $329

[Yebubbleman]

I find it really interesting that they removed the anti-reflective coating and the lamination. It might not have been a coincidence that I went through a good three or so iPad Air 2 units that all had defective screens (the LCD would ripple in places under very normal pressure), so I wonder if this finally became a widespread enough issue that they just stopped caring (as they likely used a different process on the 9.7" iPad Pro altogether).

I'm also VERY curious to see benchmarks so as to further know where this thing lands performance-wise (in more concrete terms than Apple's marketing page would say) compared to both the iPad Air 2 and the 9.7" iPad Pro. I know it's faster than the iPad mini 4, but more detailed specifics on that, especially compared to the Air 2 and the 9.7" Pro would also be interesting.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

I don''t know when the last time was you set foot into an advertising agency, a graphic design studio, a web designer studio, an art director's office etc...they are full of iMacs, Macbook Pros and Mac Pros.

My experience in the industry is vastly past your own. I agree, it's all iMacs and MacBook Pros. We've seen almost no Mac Pros or even their previous counterparts. Last time they were popular was the G5 days which was long ago.

I was responding to the comment that the pros use iMacs, MacBooks (not Pros), and Mac Pros. The truth is that they only use 1 of those machines mentioned, which is the reason I called out the comment in the first place.

 

[Spock]

I'm in the same situation..would you consider the Air 2 assuming you can get hold of one still?

I might if it were lower cost, I really would just like Touch ID. Almost every time I pick up my iPad I touch to unlock it like my iPhone and realize I can't do that.

 

[Radon87000]

Be careful. You seem susceptible to AND - Apple Narcissist Disorder. It was first spotted with the introduction of the Apple Watch. It is a disorder where someone believes that every product that Apple produces should meet their needs even if Apple's intent was to target that product at a particular niche.

You continue to defend your criticism of the new iPad without taking into account who the target market is... and without having seen one in person. And you are annoyed that a rumor is still just that, a rumor. Essentially, you are complaining about a product that Apple created that is not for you and DIDN'T create one that IS for you. It's all about you.

It never made sense (at least to me) for Apple to produce a 10.5 iPad (Pro or non) at this point in time. If they do, they would most likely have to discontinue the 9.7 Pro... which they're not going to do.

It's been 3 years and counting since Apple last released an 9.7 iPad I actually want.


And I have no doubt a bezelless OLED 10.5 iPad is on the cards considering they are eliminating bezels on the iPhone as well. Just a question of when. The 9.7 Pro won't be discontinued but will become the new lower cost iPad
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Honestly as long as performance is decent I'd probably rather go with slightly heavier and no screen coating and save the seventy bucks. Obviously there are people who disagree.

Best Buy has the iPad Air 2 on sale for 299. You were saying?

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Apple doesn't own anything related to the tablet market.

Really at a loss to this. Your statement is correct technically, but I don't get the hoopla.

This is a budget device. It is not the successor to the Air 2. The iPad Pro is the successor to the Air 2. This budget device is still better in every aspect than the Air 2 except for the display technology. This is only possible because of the economies of scale involved in the components being used in multiple devices over time. Indeed, for a budget, introductory device, this compares favorably to anything any other tablet maker has to offer in that same category.

Something had to give in order to price this at a 20% discount over the Air 2, which was the flagship iPad when it was released, and still make it better performance-wise.

To reiterate, this is not a successor device, it is a budget category device. The only reason people are upset is because Apple hasn't done this previously. They have made only successor devices and continued to sell older models as the budget category. As pointed out by @sracer this has started to change, first with the iPhone 5C, then the iPhone SE. Now it is starting to happen in the iPad realm as well.

Actually surprised they didn't give the mini the same treatment and start it at $299 instead.

Apple is obviously on their way to delineating between non-pro and pro models, which is just their moniker for budget and premium. This is new for their iDevices, but has been the staple of their MacBook line for a long time.

 

[Abazigal]

I find it really interesting that they removed the anti-reflective coating and the lamination. It might not have been a coincidence that I went through a good three or so iPad Air 2 units that all had defective screens (the LCD would ripple in places under very normal pressure), so I wonder if this finally became a widespread enough issue that they just stopped caring (as they likely used a different process on the 9.7" iPad Pro altogether).

I'm also VERY curious to see benchmarks so as to further know where this thing lands performance-wise (in more concrete terms than Apple's marketing page would say) compared to both the iPad Air 2 and the 9.7" iPad Pro. I know it's faster than the iPad mini 4, but more detailed specifics on that, especially compared to the Air 2 and the 9.7" Pro would also be interesting.

Why not just use the existing iPhone 6s benchmarks? I doubt that it would differ all that much.

 

[44267547]

My experience in the industry is vastly past your own. I agree, it's all iMacs and MacBook Pros. We've seen almost no Mac Pros or even their previous counterparts. Last time they were popular was the G5 days which was long ago.

I was responding to the comment that the pros use iMacs, MacBooks (not Pros), and Mac Pros. The truth is that they only use 1 of those machines mentioned, which is the reason I called out the comment in the first place.

Interesting comment. Which would make sense why you're frequently disgruntled on these threads, likely because you're an Apple loyalist all these years through what Apple used to be, more so during the G5 Era, etc. Ultimately, I categorize you as a true fan of Apple who is not approving their current path under the Cook helm, which you alleviate your frustration on these threads by disparaging against other forum members who DO appreciate some of their current products, which don't align with your own views. With a quick glance at your post history, it clearly reflects that.

 

[recoil80]

Why not just use the existing iPhone 6s benchmarks? I doubt that it would differ all that much.

The display resolution is different, iPad needs to draw more pixels, so we need GPU benchmarks with A9 on the new iPad.
If you're talking about CPU we can look at SE or 6s benchmarks, but we don't know if the clock speed will be the same so there may be some differences even with those benchmarks.

Anyway Air 2 is fast enough today, with iOS 10, but we don't know how future proof it will be compared to the new iPad. That's my only concern and the only reason I haven't decided yet wether to buy a refurbished Air 2 or the new model

 

[Abazigal]

The display resolution is different, iPad needs to draw more pixels, so we need GPU benchmarks with A9 on the new iPad.
If you're talking about CPU we can look at SE or 6s benchmarks, but we don't know if the clock speed will be the same so there may be some differences even with those benchmarks.

Anyway Air 2 is fast enough today, with iOS 10, but we don't know how future proof it will be compared to the new iPad. That's my only concern and the only reason I haven't decided yet wether to buy a refurbished Air 2 or the new model

If anything, the A9 on the iPad will likely be clocked slightly faster since battery life is no longer a concern.

And I don't think there aren't many apps which come anywhere close to taxing the A9 chip or 2 gb of ram. I agree that it will run smoothly now but I really can't speak for iOS 11 or even 12.

 

[oldmacs]

I really hope the new iPad Pro (smaller model whether its 9.7 or 10.5 ) is not too far off. I'm starting to itch for an upgrade from my iPad 2.

 

[Radon87000]

Apple, an OLED iPad is a Day 1 buy. Make it happen.

 

[oldmacs]

Apple, an OLED iPad is a Day 1 buy. Make it happen.

I'd buy it if it was the exact same as the current Pro 9.7 but with 4GB of ram and an A10x! Bonus points for 3D Touch, Newer Touch ID, better battery life

 

[Radon87000]

I'd buy it if it was the exact same as the current Pro 9.7 but with 4GB of ram and an A10x! Bonus points for 3D Touch, Newer Touch ID, better battery life

That is my dream iPad along with a 10.5 screen with no bezels but the same size as the 9.7. Its sad how the iPad line keeps getting old tech from the iPhone. Its been almost 3 years since the iPhone 6 launched and we are still stuck on 1st gen TouchID on the iPad. I also wish they increased the resolution of the 9.7 tablet as you can see the blurry text once you look at the Mini. Ironically the cheapest tablet which is the Mini has the sharpest text of all the iPads

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Yes the cellular chip costs them about $2-3 more. Its the same with more memory. Its all profit. I agree $50 would be better especially with the lower end models

It isn't the hardware that costs lots of money, it's the patent fees required to connect to wireless networks, transceive data, and connect to GPS satellites.

 

[metsjetsfan]

It isn't the hardware that costs lots of money, it's the patent fees required to connect to wireless networks, transceive data, and connect to GPS satellites.

Thats a good point. But arent those shared costs with carriers. Because many people buy the cellular version but never activate it, ever. The chip is made by qualcolm so there shouldnt be too much additional costs on HW but not sure.

 

[milo]

Best Buy has the iPad Air 2 on sale for 299. You were saying?

Not in stock online or in any stores near me. You were saying?

 

[MstrHrm]

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.

I had an iPad Mini. Before that had gen 3 and a gen 2 iPad. Those went to the kids. My personal preference after using them all is the full sized iPad is best rather than Mini because can be used in more ways.

 

[iGeek2014]

I had an iPad Mini. Before that had gen 3 and a gen 2 iPad. Those went to the kids. My personal preference after using them all is the full sized iPad is best rather than Mini because can be used in more ways.

That's why I don't miss my iPad Mini 2-whilst it was great for carrying around the screen size wasn't ideal once iPhone 6 Plus came out.

I know some people still prefer the smaller form factor of the Mini but things like Split Screen viewing etc it wouldn't work for me, personally.

 

[9081094]

Apple, an OLED iPad is a Day 1 buy. Make it happen.

Take a look at the Galaxy book... Apple will be the last brand to go all oled, like the iPhone.

 

[Design1stCode2nd]

For those commenting on this "new" ipad or an Air 2 do any of you know if the Best Buy trade-in credit they are offering ($150) is only good for the new model? I plan to trade in my original ipad Air but I'm seeing the Air 2 is now $30 cheaper.

Can someone also quantify the real difference between the Air and the Air 2 in screen quality? What does the laminated screen really get you other than a bit thinner (I know it has an anti-reflective coating as well)

 

[ValO]

For those commenting on this "new" ipad or an Air 2 do any of you know if the Best Buy trade-in credit they are offering ($150) is only good for the new model? I plan to trade in my original ipad Air but I'm seeing the Air 2 is now $30 cheaper.

Can someone also quantify the real difference between the Air and the Air 2 in screen quality? What does the laminated screen really get you other than a bit thinner (I know it has an anti-reflective coating as well)

The difference between the ipad air and air 2 was buildquality and feel. With the ipad air i had a " hollow" feel pressing the screen, like i could make a dent in the screen. Ipad air 2 felt more like the iphone, a more solid feel.

 

[scott5626]

Apple should have named this iPad SE.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Why not just use the existing iPhone 6s benchmarks? I doubt that it would differ all that much.

You'd be surprised. First off the CPU isn't always the same. Second off, the A9 in the iPhone 6s doesn't push as many pixels as are in the 9.7" iPads.

 

[sracer]

Apple should have named this iPad SE.

I very much agree. Over the last year or two, Apple has done themselves a disservice by poorly naming products. What could've been an overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception to the 12.9 iPad Pro if they had named it "iPad Plus", they drew premature comparisons to the Surface Pro.

Same with the 2017 iPad. Having set a precedent of sorts with the iPhone SE, the 2017 iPad SE would've been enthusiastically received as well. (except for the Apple Narcissists(tm) who believe every Apple product that doesn't meet their specific need is a failure)

I think it goes to show that Apple isn't too concerned with customer perception.

 

[rellimie]

They really are working to unify their product lines as far as naming goes.

macOS
iOS
tvOS
watchOS

MacBook Air (will probably be eliminated soon)
MacBook
MacBook Pro 13
MacBook Pro 15

iPad Air (Gone)
iPad
iPad Pro 9.7 (will probably be eliminated soon)
iPad Pro 10.5
iPad Pro 12.9

iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8 Pro (maybe?)

iMac 24
iMac 27
iMac Pro (maybe?) <<<<<<<<<<< Boom! Drops mic.

Mac Pro - Dead/dying
Mac mini - Dead Dying - Maybe replaced with a iMac 21? or maybe the iMac 24 becomes just iMac and then they release two iMac Pro models sending professionals to the bridge.

Called it. That is all.
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/04/04/apple-says-new-imacs-coming-this-year/