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Apple Unveils New Low-Cost 10.2-inch iPad Starting at $329

Honestly, I think Apple could have saved themselves a bunch of trouble and new production tooling costs by just updating the 2018 iPad 9.7 internals with an A11 processor and maybe drop the base prices to $299 or $269, with education discount.

The smart connector doesn't make much sense to me because a Smart Keyboard Cover will cost almost half the price of the device. Crazy for a budget iPad. For this device, most people are better off buying an inexpensive case and bluetooth keyboard from Logitech or Amazon.

Also, increasing the screen size on the base iPad to 10.2 will just confuse customers that might be considering the 10.5 Air.
 
The $329 iPad is great. But the extra $130 for wi-fi/cel (not even including the service) is just a disgusting money grab in 2019. I mean come on.
 
nutmac said:
They mentioned thumb drive. USB-C? Or are they expecting us to use Lightning to USB adapter?
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The webpage shows one of the “lightening” flash drives. They work pretty well, maybe better if Apple finally supports them directly.
 
Pelea said:
The only problem is the price. This needs to be priced at $499 or so, otherwise it will feel like a cheap plastic device
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Except it’s still an aluminum device regardless of the price so I really don’t comprehend this comment at all. How is the price going to affect how the device ‘feels’? It’s going to be exactly the same size, weight, and made of the same material regardless of what Apple charges for it. They’re certainly not going to give it the same price as the new Air. That would be crazy.
 
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AvisDeene said:
Allow me to be delusional and hope Apple puts in 4GB so the new OS would run like butter when multitasking, though, I just want more RAM for future proofing and more layers in apps procreate.
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Apple “future proof” a device? More like planned obsolescence I think. If the A10/RAM runs just fast enough now but will start to lag significantly soon then update it next year to A11 maybe? Keep it two to three CPU’s behind from now on to remain the budget device.
 
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Wait, is there any change in CPU or RAM? From what I saw they haven't changed. If so, that's a great waste.
 
The A10 is still holding up pretty well. I run a lot of processor intense apps on an iPad 6 and it doesn’t choke. In a way Apple introducing a “new” A10 iPad is acknowledging that the A10 is still holding up for a few more iOS cycles. It has always seemed that iOS puts things in the mud, not the hardware. The last few versions have focused on optimization and that is a good thing.

But I never would have guessed that a new iPad would use the previous generation’s processor. I thought that would end after mini 2 to mini 3.
 
I am a bit confused. As far as I know, last year Apple replaced the lightning port with the usb-c. Now it goes back to Lightning?
 
hajime said:
I am a bit confused. As far as I know, last year Apple replaced the lightning port with the usb-c. Now it goes back to Lightning?
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Apple only put USB-C on the Pro Models last year. For example, the Air 3 released in the Spring has lightning.
 
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Spock said:
Are you all talking about the iPad Air 2? Because I have an iPad 2 and it’s so slow it’s just about useless. I have an iPad Air 2 as my current iPad and if this new iPad has a laminated display I’m on board.
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No, I am talking about the original iPad 2. Mom just putters around playing games on it. I use mine as a Kindle reader - I've pretty much ignored anything else that Apple has tried to pawn off on the platform. It is nothing more than a media consumption device.
 
terisarusHecks said:
Agreed. I’ll wait to see if the iPad Pro gets upgraded in a month. Edit: I’m still on a mini 2 which is massively slow loading apps. I am hoping the pro 11” will get the A13 cpu next month.
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Rumors have placed the iPad Pro in 2020. ( as recently as a week ago)

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/09/02/2020-ipad-pro-rear-3d-sensing-time-of-flight/

The iPad Pro is probably getting a A13X. Which most often Apple rolls out at a different time than the mainstream A-series update of that generation. Last 2018 rollout with A12X at same time as A12 was in part because there was no A11X ( A10X -> A12X transition ). iPad's getting its own OS variant now seems more likely that the iPad Pro keeps its own A-series processor ( and not just be a big screen iPhone. )

New 10.2" with several radio variations can soak up lots of iPad model variations if the modem is different for each. ( if Apple can shave some costs out of the system by doing more model SKUs on cheaper modems, then they'd probably do that. )
 
Howard2k said:
The A10 is a disappointment but the market placement makes some sense.

It's clearly not designed as an upgrade from the 6th gen device. It's targeted at those folks who have older iPads but want to cheaply get into iPadOS. With a free subscription to AppleTV+ (or whatever it is), iPadOS, and support for pencil, it's a decent device.
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It isn't upgrades. Apple mentioned in the presentation that the entry iPad is bought by 60% of its buyers as their first iPad. Upgrades is a substantively smaller subset ( not even all of that 40% left over because some folks are buying a 2nd/3rd/etc iPad for another person/location. ).

The major issue is that lots of students buy these for education and that makes the highly price sensitive (well at least relative against the middle and upper segments of the iPad line up). Apple was/is getting their butt kicked by Chromebooks. While there is a wider range of more expensitve than $329 Chromebooks now, Apple can't budge much off the price point. ( The bulk edu discount demanded is going to be much lower than $329. )

Same for folks just trying to get to the ecosystem on a decent sized screen. ( almost as ancient iPod touch not a good option. )

It isn't just the A10. The camera, TouchID , and much of the other relatively inexpensive internals are already coupled to the A10 also. The A11 and certainly the A12 cost more.

The user base that originally paid around $400+ for an iPad probably will look in that same price range for an upgrade replacement. ( Some won't if their usage is limited. Or iPhone soaking up more of their budget. etc. So yes, there will be some that buy this, but that won't be the primary target market. )
 
Would this be a worthy upgrade from the iPad Air 2? I am currently using an iPad Air and Air 2. The Air running on iOS 12 is very slow and often lags when switching between apps. Whereas the Air 2 is still holding up quite well.
 
Mainsail said:
....
The smart connector doesn't make much sense to me because a Smart Keyboard Cover will cost almost half the price of the device. Crazy for a budget iPad. For this device, most people are better off buying an inexpensive case and bluetooth keyboard from Logitech or Amazon.
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Apple is getting their butt kicked by Chromebooks that do have keyboards. iPad deployed in a school without a protective case is a disaster waiting to happen. Logistically it is much easier to slap the iPad with a smart connector in a rugged keyboard case and the keyboard "automagically" pairs itself.

for example the EDU $99 Rugged Combo 3 https://9to5mac.com/2019/09/10/logitech-10-2-ipad-keyboard-folios/


Also, increasing the screen size on the base iPad to 10.2 will just confuse customers that might be considering the 10.5 Air.
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Probably not. The cost is different. That tends to "unconfuse" folks on a budget.

The colors are better on the 10.5 Air. Laminated display. ( it is like folks not seeing the difference between a decent/good TFT display and an very good IPS one. ). If on the display table in the store side by side it is noticeable if look carefully.

As iPadOS enables more multitasking things the gap in screen will have marginal enough gains for some.

Finally, most will discern there is a difference is see A12 versus A10 in the specs compare chart. If Apple bumped that to A13 vs A10 in October (or bit later) even more so.
 
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