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A reason why I dumped my iPad Air for the 256 GB 10.5" iPad Pro was the fact the iPad Air was starting to slow down on a lot of apps. The new 10.5" iPad is essentially the 10." iPad Pro with the A12 Bionic SoC but minus a few other features.
 
I don't think it's been said in this thread yet, but looks like the cellular version includes Band 71 support for T-Mobil!
 
upload_2019-3-18_21-55-11.png


Now the line-up is 5 iPads, 5 different screen sizes.
It keeps growing.
 
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They Just need to leave the 12.9" iPad Pro as the only "pro" option, and ditch the "regular iPad" and they should be good to go.
 
iPad 5th Gen trade-in: -$140
Education Store discount: -$20
Credit card 5% cash back: -$20

This will cost me $319+tax. That's a no brainer for me. I really need the laminated glass and antireflective coating. It's my biggest issue with the old-style iPads.
 
The normal iPad should go and this new 'iPad Air' should be dropped down to the price of the iPad or maybe a little more. They should all be using the same pencil and same keyboard connector.

They can't all use the same keyboard because it is also a cover. The Mini is smaller ( hence the name Mini). As a cover it will need a different size than the others. Very similar issue for the 12" iPad Pro only in the other direction. As long as the keyboard has two functions ( keyboard and cover) different sizes will draw different keyboards.

The Mini also has a space constraint problem where the space available for "normal" sized keys gets a bit too small. That form factor is going to have to rely on bluetooth keyboards for a reasonable typing experience. Or a case that throws away the upside of being "mini".

The plain iPad model's objective is to be highly affordable. It is playing a role of trying to keep back the Chromebooks and much lower priced Android based tablets. The new pencil substantively drives costs up in both the devices ( pencil itself and in the iPad ). Space wise for the mini the internal magnets and recharge coils is probably an issue. ( Mini doesn't have lots of empty internal space.)

NkJIb33jBoEvuy2F.medium

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad+Mini+4+Teardown/48891

The "thin, light, small" design parameters basically throw out internal small for "extra stuff".

Over time Apple should work toward a consistent Pencil model ( it should be cheaper as volumes grow ) but less than a year after coming to market, it is probably not in the "paid for" and mature status.


If the rumors about taking the regular iPad to 10.2" later is true then perhaps they can match up the 10.5 and 10.2 with smart keyboard connector and covers later on. But the fact that they have tasked the plain iPad with holding the price point line and feeding off the very mature 3rd party cover market already established at price effective levels makes that more problematical.
 
Is there any particular reason for the 27% Apple tax on this item for buying in the UK?

don't forget, tax isn't included in prices in the States. Also, don't forget we get taxed 20% in the UK. so naturally it will be more expensive. If you bought it from NY for example, the tax would be 8%. so automatically we get charged 12% more. blame our governments (Labour at that point I guess?) rather than Apple. then there's Brexit. Which made the value of the pound crash over the last two years. then there's the cost of business in the UK. Thankfully we do get 1 year extra warranty here because of the protections we get from the EU but who knows if we'll keep them after Brexit.

So that's why.
 
<Irony>
Without looking ... list all iPad Models ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 .... go
</Irony>

PS: I think it's bad to introduce an iPad at every $100 price point.

By the time one has added in WiFi+Cellular variants and then storage capacities, one doesn’t so much have a product matrix as a relational database.
 
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Sounds like 4 speakers now cost $550. But in any event, if your criteria for a tablet is speakers I think you are missing the point. Doesn't anyone care about quality sound any more? You are never going to get that from a tablet. Use Airplay 2 to some real speakers. its just a matter of physics.
4 speakers now cost $800.

Dual speakers make a world of difference on a smartphone and tablet. I never connect my iPad to speakers. I use it all around my house, hotel rooms, etc.
 
i'd definitely agree that these different models are becoming confusing. from left to right: iPad Mini, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro.

if somebody asked which iPad to buy I wouldn't even know where to begin. good luck?
Screen Shot 2019-03-18 at 10.03.07 AM.png
 
The iPad Product Lineup is getting more confusing by the minute...

Is it? Are you actually confused? It might be confusing for some non-techies here on MR forums, but it’s really not that complicated for actual buyers:
  • Good: $329 entry level iPad, 32/128GB, 9.7” non-laminated display (also no P3 wide color, True Tone or ProMotion), A10 processor, 1.2 MP FaceTime camera, 8 MP/f2.4 rear camera, Pencil 1, one microphone, thin (7.5mm)
  • Better: $499 mid-tier iPad Air, 64/256GB, 10.5”, laminated display, anti-reflective coating, brighter (500 nits), True Tone and P3 wide color (but no ProMotion), faster (A12) processor, 7 MP FaceTime camera, 8 MP/f2.4 rear camera, Pencil 1, two microphones, smart connector, thinner (6.1mm)
  • Best: $799 64/256/512GB/1TB iPad Pro Expensive but worth it (for some). Biggest (11.0”), brightest (600 nits), highest resolution display with ProMotion, True Tone and P3 wide color, fastest (A12X) processor, 12 MP/f1.8 rear camera with flash, upgraded video recording modes including 4K@60fps, FaceID, USB-C, magnetically attached wireless charging Pencil 2, four speakers, five microphones, smart connector, thinnest (5.9mm)
Good/Better/Best for $329/499/799—with specs to match. Many will choose based on price, depending on their budget, even if they don’t understand all the finer details and differences in specs.

So again, is it really so complicated? Are three models just too many to choose from? Does your head explode?

One alternative is no iPad Air, if three models are just too complicated to deal with. Is it really that helpful to only the $329/$799 models, so you only have to choose from two models? Is that better for customers in general, besides you?
 
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Now the line-up is 5 iPads, 5 different screen sizes.
It keeps growing.

Not recently. This is the same since several months ago when iPad Pro 11 came out. All they did is demote the iPad Pro 10.5 (being sold as "last's years Pro model" ) that was there before, to being a "non Pro" iPad and brought the iPad Air name out of retirement. The screen size didn't change at all. ( they stripped some screen features out like Promotion)

The mini updated with no change in screen size; just screen specs (better color gamut and adjustments ).

Today is really more about adjusting the prices and positioning; not new screen sizes.
 
iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, iPad Mini.

Not hard to follow...

Performa 405, Performa HD2600, Quadra 800, Quadra 800A... not hard to follow. ;)

I wouldn't say we're at that point yet, but still, definitely heading the wrong direction. Apple proved ages ago that consumers prefer simplified product lines. Can't see much reason for the expanding nomenclature for what is essentially the same product.
 
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People complain they want more iPad choices/sizes...Apple gives them more.
Then the same people complain about it being boring or dated smh. You people will literally never be satisfied. If you cant find an iPad you want with all these choices, you dont really want an iPad...you just want to whine and complain. Simple
 
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