Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's New iPad Lineup Causes Potential Confusion With Inconsistent Features

Under Steve Jobs: 1 iPad with only storage and cellular options differentiating the models
Under Tim Cook: 6 iPads with different sizes, features/specs, not including storage and cellular versions

It is this approach to products Steve wanted to get away from to streamline the company in the late 1990's and now we are back to the early 1990's. And this is only the iPad we are talking about, not the iPhone or Mac.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Ankaa, sorgo †, psxp and 4 others
I'm interested in upgrading my Ipad but ever since yesterday I'm confused. Maybe I go with the Air, even though I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for a new Ipad.
 
So, this is kind of silly, but bear with me. I am an American living in Sweden.

Right now the iPad Air 256Gb Wifi is 10990 crowns (~US$980) inclusive of tax here.

The M1 iPad Pro 11 256Gb Wifi is 10590 crowns (~US$944) inclusive of tax.

So, the iPad Air is obviously better than the iPad Pro, right? Because it's more expensive with the same amount of storage?

Also, the just-announced 2022 iPad Pro 11 256GB Wifi is 13490 crowns (~US$1202), or you could get the 2021 12.9" Pro 256GB Wifi for 14190, or about US$1265. The 2022 12.9" also got a considerable price jump over the 2021 model, and now starts at about US$1470 for the 128GB Wifi only model.

Meanwhile, the M2 MacBook Air and 13" M2 Pro are about the same as or more expensive here than the 14" MacBook Pro with the same specs (16/512). I could buy a base model 14" Pro for about US$1960 including tax and everything, but the M2 Air and 13" Pro are each at least $100 or so more expensive with 16/512.

14" Pro 16/512: 21990kr
13" M2 Pro 16/512: 22495kr
M2 Air 16/512 8-core GPU: 21495kr
M2 Air 16/512 10-core GPU: 22995kr

So not only is the lineup a bit muddled, the prices here are all over the place, which makes an already sloppy lineup even more absurd. It's time for me to upgrade my Mac (2018 15" Pro), iPad (2017 10.5" Pro), and iPhone (XS Max), and figuring out all these prices has been really weird.

Like, I know the iPad Air is not as good as the 11" Pro, even though it's more expensive, and that the M2 MacBooks Air and Pro are not in the same league as the 14" Pro, even though they're more expensive, but would everyone? Would most people?
 
  • Like
Reactions: snipr125, WannaGoMac, femike and 2 others
Mockletoy said:
Meanwhile, the M2 MacBook Air and 13" M2 Pro are about the same as or more expensive here than the 14" MacBook Pro with the same specs (16/512). I could buy a base model 14" Pro for about US$1960 including tax and everything, but the M2 Air and 13" Pro are each at least $100 or so more expensive with 16/512.

14" Pro 16/512: 21990kr
13" M2 Pro 16/512: 22495kr
M2 Air 16/512 8-core GPU: 21495kr
M2 Air 16/512 10-core GPU: 22995kr
Click to expand...
The M2 MBP and 10-core GPU M2 MBA are supposed to be basically the same price.

The 14" MBP's price has not been adjusted for exchange rate since launch. When the M2 variants launch, the price will go up. It's currently more of in a transition period.
 
Mockletoy said:
So, this is kind of silly, but bear with me. I am an American living in Sweden.

Right now the iPad Air 256Gb Wifi is 10990 crowns (~US$980) inclusive of tax here.

The M1 iPad Pro 11 256Gb Wifi is 10590 crowns (~US$944) inclusive of tax.

So, the iPad Air is obviously better than the iPad Pro, right? Because it's more expensive with the same amount of storage?

Also, the just-announced 2022 iPad Pro 11 256GB Wifi is 13490 crowns (~US$1202), or you could get the 2021 12.9" Pro 256GB Wifi for 14190, or about US$1265. The 2022 12.9" also got a considerable price jump over the 2021 model, and now starts at about US$1470 for the 128GB Wifi only model.

Meanwhile, the M2 MacBook Air and 13" M2 Pro are about the same as or more expensive here than the 14" MacBook Pro with the same specs (16/512). I could buy a base model 14" Pro for about US$1960 including tax and everything, but the M2 Air and 13" Pro are each at least $100 or so more expensive with 16/512.

14" Pro 16/512: 21990kr
13" M2 Pro 16/512: 22495kr
M2 Air 16/512 8-core GPU: 21495kr
M2 Air 16/512 10-core GPU: 22995kr

So not only is the lineup a bit muddled, the prices here are all over the place, which makes an already sloppy lineup even more absurd. It's time for me to upgrade my Mac (2018 15" Pro), iPad (2017 10.5" Pro), and iPhone (XS Max), and figuring out all these prices has been really weird.

Like, I know the iPad Air is not as good as the 11" Pro, even though it's more expensive, and that the M2 MacBooks Air and Pro are not in the same league as the 14" Pro, even though they're more expensive, but would everyone? Would most people?
Click to expand...

Your argument is basically comparing new prices with discontinued M1 iPad Pro prices?

Seriously? This is a transient effect of selling discontinued models.
 
If I stick the 1st gen pencil in the USB-C port through that dongle dingely dang, will it make a trrrrrrrrrrrr sound when I release my finger on the backside under pressure, or will it break?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: psxp
boak said:
The M2 MBP and 10-core GPU M2 MBA are supposed to be basically the same price.

The 14" MBP's price has not been adjusted for exchange rate since launch. When the M2 variants launch, the price will go up. It's currently more of in a transition period.
Click to expand...

The main issue is that guy provided inaccurate pricing. MacBook Pro 14-inch starts at 23995 kr. Not sure how he came up with 21990 kr.

www.apple.com

Köp MacBook Pro 14 tum

Upptäck den bärbara MacBook Pro-datorn som överladdar M4-familjen av chips. Välj en modell eller skräddarsy din egen nu på apple.com
www.apple.com

Most of these claims about muddled pricing come from people trying weave stories based on prices taken from a multitude of resellers. If they actually used Apple list pricing, there is no story to tell.
 
At this point you’re better off buying a refurb unit. It’s way cheaper. I’m still rocking my 12.9 2018 pro and no intention to upgrade.
 
JPack said:
The main issue is that guy provided inaccurate pricing. MacBook Pro 14-inch starts at 23995 kr. Not sure how he came up with 21990 kr.

www.apple.com

Köp MacBook Pro 14 tum

Upptäck den bärbara MacBook Pro-datorn som överladdar M4-familjen av chips. Välj en modell eller skräddarsy din egen nu på apple.com
www.apple.com

Most of these claims about muddled pricing come from people trying weave stories based on prices taken from a multitude of resellers. If they actually used Apple list pricing, there is no story to tell.
Click to expand...
Several major chains here are currently selling the 14" Pro at 21990 and have been off an on for a long time now.

I live near Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden, but there is no Apple retail presence here at all. They tried to open a store here a while back, but eventually gave up.

So, you're technically correct: people could go online to pay Apple more for a computer that's selling in big box stores all over the city for less, I suppose, if they really wanted to.

www.netonnet.se

MacBook Pro. Superkrafter för proffs.

Apple M1 Pro-chip med åttakärnig processor, 16-kärnig Neural Engine, 512GB supersnabb SSD-lagring, 14-tums Liquid Retina XDR , FaceTime HD-kamera med 1080p
www.netonnet.se
 
  • Like
Reactions: snipr125 and sorgo †
gixxerfool said:
This. I said the same thing in the last thread and was told this lineup is necessary to keep valuation up. Company is too big for just a consumer and pro line.
Click to expand...

Yeah that argument fails when you account for upgrade options.

One consumer-level iPad should be able cover a variety of needs. Offering an iPad Air (between consumer and pro level) makes no sense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gixxerfool
petsounds said:
People love to blame Tim for everything, but at (post-Jobs) Apple it's the marketing department that generally sets the product categories. And Greg Joswiak is the SVP for Marketing now since Schiller retired. This lineup is a complete mess and that's partly on him.
Click to expand...
When Jobs returned to Apple in the late 90's and was running the company, it was the design department, led by Jony Ive, that set the product categories. That team was in charge. Obviously, not anymore.
 
  • Love
  • Sad
Reactions: AxiomaticRubric and transpo1
tomtad said:
jobs-grid-6c.jpg


Tim needs one of these
Click to expand...

You seem to forget (or perhaps never knew) that in 2010, Steve’s Apple had:
- two iMacs
- a Mac mini
- a Mac mini Server
- a Mac Pro
- a Mac Pro Server
- a MacBook
- two MacBooks Air
- three MacBooks Pro

But don’t let facts get in the way of a juicy narrative…
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Disagree
  • Wow
Reactions: theinsaneworld, sorgo †, JPack and 1 other person
petsounds said:
People love to blame Tim for everything, but at (post-Jobs) Apple last I heard it's the marketing department that generally sets the product categories. And Greg Joswiak is the SVP for Marketing now since Schiller retired. This lineup is a complete mess and that's partly on him.
Click to expand...
But also on Tim Cook for overseeing Greg Joswiak.
dotnet said:
You seem to forget that in 2010, Steve’s Apple had:
- two iMacs
- a Mac mini
- a Mac mini Server
- a Mac Pro
- a Mac Pro Server
- a MacBook
- two MacBooks Air
- three MacBooks Pro

But don’t let facts get in the way of a juicy narrative…
Click to expand...
Yeah, but they were making servers then— doesn’t count. It’s still better than the convoluted mess we have now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AxiomaticRubric, cb3 and WiiDSmoker
Rogifan said:
Why does the Air exist. Have a cheap(er) iPad and the more expensive iPad Pros. And don’t care if there’s a huge price gap between them. The people who need pro hardware/features will pay for them. Everyone else will be fine with the cheaper model.
Click to expand...
I have an idea. I sent a few people to get the cheapest iPad, they went for the Air because they preferred the laminated screen but in no way wanted to spend more on the pro
 
WannaGoMac said:
I have an idea. I sent a few people to get the cheapest iPad, they went for the Air because they preferred the laminated screen but in no way wanted to spend more on the pro
Click to expand...
But how many versions is too many? What about an iPad mini with a laminated screen? They should just make the laminated screen or other things available as options like a BTO iMac instead of another model.
 
jimbobb24 said:
This I don’t understand. If you needed an iPad you would skip because the line up is confusing? If you need one you find the one you like and buy it. It will not matter that it’s confusing.
Click to expand...
It’s confusing to understand the trade-offs you have to make with each model. If you’re in the market for a potential upgrade, you may prefer waiting another year or two, because all current models have drawbacks and lack features that one of the other models have. E.g. all models above the new base iPad lack a landscape camera.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sorgo †
klasma said:
If you’re in the market for a potential upgrade, you may prefer waiting another year or two, because all current models have drawbacks and lack features that one of the other models have. E.g. all models above the new base iPad lack a landscape camera.
Click to expand...

Really? Because the six models on offer overwhelm your cognitive abilities, and capacity to choose between them?

If there is a model that does what you need for a price you can swing, then buy it. If there isn’t, then don’t. Simple.

You will never find one that has everything you want for the same price of one that doesn’t have everything.
 
  • Sad
  • Disagree
Reactions: Kiwamu and freedomlinux
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back