IPad Air 2 to pro 9"7- GRUDGE purchase

[zhenya]

With the previous generation, you got 64GB of storage for $100, not 32GB. I do not see a single reason why iPad Pro starts at $599 since the overall upgrade is smaller than previous generations.

iPad 4 to Air was a much significant upgrade and the price remained the same,
iPad Air to Air 2 was also a very significant upgrade and the price remained the same.
This time around, Apple slaps PRO as part of the name, doubles the base memory which costs them like $2 and jacks up the price by $100. WTF is wrong with them lately???

Also, by dropping the price on Air 2, they made the Mini 4 look overpriced. They should had adjusted price on Mini 4 and eliminate Mini 2 or even further drop the price on Mini 2 to like $199.

Overall the iPad lineup is so jacked up, it is not even funny.

This is what I believe the prices should have been from the start

mini 2 - 199 (16gb)
mini 4 - 299 (16gb)
air 2 - 399 (16gb)
9.7 pro - 499 (32gb)
12.9 pro - 599 (32gb)

I had the iPad 4, Air, Air2, and have the 9.7" Pro. Couldn't disagree more. The 4 --> Air upgrade was basically a form-factor upgrade. That was a big deal, but the speed change was overall pretty small (at least in terms of how the device was used at the time, and what apps were available to harness the available power). In some ways the Air was a downgrade because of the switch to 64bit without the increase in physical RAM. Air --> Air 2 was a pretty good upgrade, but really only for the RAM and TouchID. That basically made multi-tasking a little smoother, but few people saw a need to upgrade. The Air 2 --> Pro update is by far the biggest year over year update we've seen. It got ALL the normal year over year improvements (other than a physical chassis change which was not really necessary) PLUS a base storage bump, significantly better cameras (making an iPad a realistic photography device for the first time ever), plus the digitizer layer, plus the smart connector.

I would not be surprised at all to see the method going forward to be the Pro gets the updates, and then they continue to sell the old Pro at a reduced price a year later, but without the digitizer or smart connector, and possibly with cheaper camera modules and maybe less base storage.

Your pricing expectations are completely out of line with the market as a whole. Go see what $499 buys you in an Android or Windows tablet and come back here and tell me that the 9.7 Pro should be priced the same or the 12.9 only $100 more. You're dreaming.

 

[Night Spring]

This is what I believe the prices should have been from the start

mini 2 - 199 (16gb)

Kindle Voyage is $199. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...8f2-4d30-a218-03113e9802f6&pf_rd_i=6669702011

 

[Newjackboy]

I had the iPad 4, Air, Air2, and have the 9.7" Pro. Couldn't disagree more. The 4 --> Air upgrade was basically a form-factor upgrade. That was a big deal, but the speed change was overall pretty small (at least in terms of how the device was used at the time, and what apps were available to harness the available power). In some ways the Air was a downgrade because of the switch to 64bit without the increase in physical RAM. Air --> Air 2 was a pretty good upgrade, but really only for the RAM and TouchID. That basically made multi-tasking a little smoother, but few people saw a need to upgrade. The Air 2 --> Pro update is by far the biggest year over year update we've seen. It got ALL the normal year over year improvements (other than a physical chassis change which was not really necessary) PLUS a base storage bump, significantly better cameras (making an iPad a realistic photography device for the first time ever), plus the digitizer layer, plus the smart connector.

I would not be surprised at all to see the method going forward to be the Pro gets the updates, and then they continue to sell the old Pro at a reduced price a year later, but without the digitizer or smart connector, and possibly with cheaper camera modules and maybe less base storage.

Your pricing expectations are completely out of line with the market as a whole. Go see what $499 buys you in an Android or Windows tablet and come back here and tell me that the 9.7 Pro should be priced the same or the 12.9 only $100 more. You're dreaming.

*Ipad 4 to the Air was a good upgrade (only issue with the Air was that bloody safari tab refresh issue...)

By the way, remember that a form factor change costs Apple a lot more effort/money..

*Air to Air 2 was an even better upgrade.

This "Pro" label is simply marketing bull - If Apple really wanted an extra £100, they could have at least thrown in 4GB ram, the updated touch ID and hell even a pencil

I still don't get how the Pro is a better PC replacement than any previous ipad upon its respective release????

 

[zhenya]

I still don't get how the Pro is a better PC replacement than any previous ipad upon its respective release????

If you don't care about the pencil and/or keyboard, it isn't. But those two tools are ones I've been waiting for since my purchase of the original iPad. They completely transform the device.

 

[Newjackboy]

If you don't care about the pencil and/or keyboard, it isn't. But those two tools are ones I've been waiting for since my purchase of the original iPad. They completely transform the device.

I agree it's fantastic additions in your particular scenario - but generally ipad bluetooth keyboards have been around since 2011 , and most people don't use a pencil (or stylus) on their current PC/laptop etc?

 

[zhenya]

I agree it's fantastic additions in your particular scenario - but generally ipad bluetooth keyboards have been around since 2011 , and most people don't use a pencil (or stylus) on their current PC/laptop etc?

I've had Bluetooth keyboards of all types for years and they all suck. They have to carry their own battery so they end up being as heavy as the iPad itself, making it weigh even more than my MacBook. Most of them use some kind of cover back to hold it, making installing it a one-time kind of thing. The ones that don't have all sorts of issues with the hinge durability, and even if I can disconnect it quickly to lighten the in-hand weight, I have to manually turn it off or I have no access to the on-screen keyboard. Most of them have a delay in connecting and at times, in typing. In short, it's no comparison. This is the first iPad keyboard you can keep with you all the time and never have to worry about the above issues.

You're right - most laptops don't have a stylus which is why I want an iPad that does!

 

[thingstoponder]

just moved from an iPad Air 2 to the 9"7 iPad Pro.

I upgrade both iPhones and iPads every generation. This was the first time I did so begrudgingly - mainly because I know Apple were sharking us by charging an extra 100 on top. This could easily have been presented as an iPad Air 3.


Only benefits are the pencil capability and the speakers which are much nicer. Otherwise general usage (safari , mail) feels much more sluggish than my air 2.

Generally disappointing and already looking towards the next gen and hoping it's improved and price goes back down.

They didn't increase the price. The 9.7 Pro is a new product category.

And no, it's not slower than the Air, that isn't even possible.

 

[masotime]

They didn't increase the price. The 9.7 Pro is a new product category.

So the question is, does this mean that the (iPad) Air is an existing product category that Apple will continue to launch updates for...?

An interesting analog is what's happening to the MacBook Air now. I wonder if it will phase out, or will Apple do something interesting with it.

 

[ahostmadsen]

I've had Bluetooth keyboards of all types for years and they all suck. They have to carry their own battery so they end up being as heavy as the iPad itself, making it weigh even more than my MacBook. Most of them use some kind of cover back to hold it, making installing it a one-time kind of thing. The ones that don't have all sorts of issues with the hinge durability, and even if I can disconnect it quickly to lighten the in-hand weight, I have to manually turn it off or I have no access to the on-screen keyboard. Most of them have a delay in connecting and at times, in typing. In short, it's no comparison. This is the first iPad keyboard you can keep with you all the time and never have to worry about the above issues.

You're right - most laptops don't have a stylus which is why I want an iPad that does!

Exactly on point. The air 2 -> pro is one of the bigger upgrades for the iPad. The pencil and keyboard fundamentally changes the way the device can be used. Yes, there were keyboards before, and there were pens before, but they never worked more than barely acceptably.

Normally I'm not a frequent Apple upgrader. I keep my devices until they break or become obsolete. But I went out and upgraded my fully functional Air 2 to a Pro because of the pencil and keyboard.