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007p

macrumors 6502a
Mar 7, 2012
987
649
Why not? The same people who were buying the Air 2 when it was the best 9.7" iPad will probably be the ones buying this new Pro, and would have bought it if it had been called the Air 3. They're the ones who walk into the store and say, "excuse me, I'd like to buy an iPad", and the sales person will take them straight to the newest model and explain why it's the one they need to get, and they won't know the difference between it having 2GB or 4GB of RAM.

BTW, if I'm not mistaken, the 9.7" Pro is the same weight and physical dimensions as the Air 2, or at least close enough for the difference to be negligible.

Yeah just a difference in price, but you have a point with the sales person - if they can sell it to someone with no knowledge of the cheaper alternatives then it really doesn't matter what the specs are.
 
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dyn

macrumors 68030
Aug 8, 2009
2,708
388
.nl
The reason I put "Smart Connector" and "Pencil Support" on the negative list is because, while these are neat, they are also require PURCHASING ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES. So these aren't "Features", these are an Apple Revenue Stream.
You clearly haven't used any kind of pen on an iPad including the Pencil. If you had the Pencil would be on the positive list. Quite simply, if you want to draw, sign, etc. on an iPad then the iPad Pro with the Pencil is the only way to go. Every other combination is so much behind in ease of use, speed and stability you can hardly consider them alternatives to the Pencil. The only competition to the Pencil would be the pen from the Microsoft and HP 2-in-1 devices.

The smart connector is something I agree with because there are plenty bluetooth keyboard solutions for the iPad, even cases (note: the iPad Pro 9.7" has the same dimensions as the Air 2, the only problem might be the camera bump). Btw, the pricing for the Apple Smart Keyboard isn't different from the Microsoft keyboard for the Surface/Surface Pro range.
 

joeblow7777

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2010
7,048
8,754
Yeah just a difference in price, but you have a point with the sales person - if they can sell it to someone with no knowledge of the cheaper alternatives then it really doesn't matter what the specs are.

Difference in price has always been there. When the Air 2 was the best there was still the cheaper Air 1 as an option. But never underestimate the layperson's ability to be convinced that they "need" the more expensive option. This is literally how companies make their profit. Remember, people even bought the Mini 3 over the $100 cheaper Mini 2 when TouchID was the only difference between them.
 
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d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Feb 9, 2016
1,672
2,811
Honestly, I get the idea of "future proofing", but I think that 4GB of RAM is overkill for the vast majority of users on an iOS device.
Exact same thing was said when Air 2 with 2GB and 8 core GPU came out. In this fast moving world of technology, nothing is overkill. Simple iOS programming can render iPad Pro useless. It depends on Apple's plans and the direction they want to go. Androids are coming out with 6GB so 4GB of iPad Pro is already old news if you go just by the numbers. When Androids will move over to 8 GB, Apple will feel the heat to up the ram amount. Nothing can be too much. It gets outdated by software.
 
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AFEPPL

macrumors 68030
Sep 30, 2014
2,644
1,571
England
Don't dispare 12.9 owners - no doubt the 9.3.1 release of iOS will screw up the pencil support for the 10.9 device too :)
 

masotime

macrumors 68030
Jun 24, 2012
2,750
2,644
San Jose, CA
10.9 device lol....

Apple's strategy so far has been pretty bizarre. They launch a product under the same moniker of Pro with more features but less specs. I suppose this only affects people who scrutinize the specs, but I have to admit it's very inconsistent and confusing.
 

capathy21

macrumors 65816
Jun 16, 2014
1,418
617
Houston, Texas
They should, but then how does Apple explain the huge price jump?
.
.
.
They can't.

Of course they can. A faster processor, double the storage on the base model, better camera's, 4 high quality speakers, better display (new technology) and support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

The 9.7 pro with these features at 599 is a much better deal than a 16gb Air 2 at 499 ever was. I really don't understand the outrage.
 
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Capt T

macrumors 6502a
Mar 20, 2010
968
250
Ipad Air 2?!! I'm still using my old iPad 3 and seriously considering limping it out for another generation. As someone had said earlier, I'm still feeling burned by Apple for upgrading to the 4 within 6 months after the 3 was released. Gimping out on the RAM is not a smart move on Apple's part as I expect to keep this one for at least another 4 years or so. I'm sure that extra RAM would help out in the long run and I won't buy into that larger version for an extra $200...

If you have kept and used it this long, I would think you could get over the feeling of being burned....since it seems to have lasted awhile in spite of the perceived shortcomings.
 
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sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,287
13,021
where hip is spoken
Who do you think Apple is selling most of their iPads to? It's the dear old grannies. At the end of the day, I doubt that having 2GB instead of 4 is going to hurt their bottom line any. The name will still attract those consumers who fancy themselves as "Pro" users. I'm a high school teacher. I see kids using Macbook "Pros" and Surface "Pros" every day. It's all just a fancy name.
I'm not disagreeing with you that 4GB is overkill for most people. I agree. But it is not overkill for those who are looking to use the device for things more than looking at Facebook.

Podcast production, video editing, graphics, etc. can take advantage of the extra RAM. The only way to get more RAM is to buy the 12.9 iPad Pro. You are saying that the "Pro" name is meaningless. It's not because Apple has made the higher capacity RAM exclusive to the 12.9 "Pro". But by not standardizing the RAM on the "Pro" moniker, Apple is creating confusion.... THAT is why some of us are annoyed by the 2GB RAM in the 9.7 Pro.
 

ShaunAFC3

macrumors regular
Feb 28, 2016
171
49
so performance won't be that great even with the ram increase.

Why do you say that??!! I bet the new 9.7 inch iPad Pro performance would be awesome and be very similar 12.9 iPad Pro if it 4GB of RAM instead of 2!!

But I would still say the new 9.7 inch iPad Pro is better then the iPad Air 2 tho despite having the same amount of RAM as in the Air 2!!
 

family_guy

macrumors newbie
Feb 26, 2016
28
19
Of course they can. A faster processor, double the storage on the base model, better camera's, 4 high quality speakers, better display (new technology) and support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

The 9.7 pro with these features at 599 is a much better deal than a 16gb Air 2 at 499 ever was. I really don't understand the outrage.

I think $599 would have been easier to swallow if they kept the 64GB storage option. It was $600 for 64gb on the Air 2. I consider most of the other improvements to be what one would expect from an upgrade. We weren't charged more for faster processors and better cameras on previous models. As far as charging you extra for support for the pencil and smart keyboard, that makes no sense. They aren't included, so they'll make money off of you regardless on the accessory purchases. So they are charging you extra for the privilege of being able to buy more stuff from them. If you want neither of those accessories then you just got charged more for something that will never benefit you.
 
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Ries

macrumors 68020
Apr 21, 2007
2,316
2,829
Of course they can. A faster processor, double the storage on the base model, better camera's, 4 high quality speakers, better display (new technology) and support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

The 9.7 pro with these features at 599 is a much better deal than a 16gb Air 2 at 499 ever was. I really don't understand the outrage.

Processor you get every year at same price, a 32 GB NAND chip is $5 extra, the speakers are dirt cheap, the display "true tone" is a software thing using ambient sensors (just like night mode), smart keyboard is just a connector, the hardware in the iPad for pencil support is just scanning the touch layer faster.
 
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Ghost31

macrumors 68040
Jun 9, 2015
3,338
5,144
Processor you get every year at same price, a 32 GB NAND chip is $5 extra, the speakers are dirt cheap, the display "true tone" is a software thing using ambient sensors (just like night mode), smart keyboard is just a connector, the hardware in the iPad for pencil support is just scanning the touch layer faster.
You sure found a way to trivialize everything.
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,142
19,682
Yeah I was seriously leaning towards getting it but now I'm not. I wanted something that was going to last. 2GB is fine in my iPad Air 2 but I'm not going to spend more to get something that has a slightly faster multicore score. I was mainly after the pencil feature but was hoping that a 9.7" model would be more mainstream with 4GB and get more devs onboard making more complex, "Pro" level apps that can use that extra RAM. I mean, with 4GB you could even do a proper full Photoshop. But now? The 12.9" model is niche and will stay there as far as developer support is concerned. This is a bad call by Apple. A "Pro" device means the buyers care about specs and the developers want to make better software for the advanced hardware and charge more for the quality. But this? Essentially THE SAME. But at least it has four speakers—because that's super useful—HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
 

ACG12

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2015
859
744
iPad Air 2 is the new iPad 2

iPad Pro 9.7 is the new iPad 3

Oh stop! Would you be saying this if it was named the Air 3 and stayed at the same price point?

Even with 2gb of ram, the 9.7 pro is going to out live the Air 2. The A9X is a beast of a chip even underclocked.
 
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Ries

macrumors 68020
Apr 21, 2007
2,316
2,829
Is anyone giving any consideration that the 9.7 pro might not need 4gb of RAM, to push less pixels in comparison to the 12.9in version?

The extra processing power compared to the air 2 might give it enough grunt?

Yet their budget iPhone SE with 1,136 by 640 has 2GB RAM. They are just being cheapscates to sell you one with 4GB later on.
 

gadget123

macrumors 68020
Apr 17, 2011
2,261
293
United Kingdom
Can't wait for the iPad Air 2 and pro 9.7 inch side by side speed videos Lol
[doublepost=1458687760][/doublepost]
Yet their budget iPhone SE with 1,136 by 640 has 2GB RAM. They are just being cheapscates to sell you one with 4GB later on.

So how can they add more ram and better cameras for less but charge more on iPad yet cut the memory and still charge £20 more than the 64gb one? I would love somebody to explain this ..
 

Ghost31

macrumors 68040
Jun 9, 2015
3,338
5,144
Yeah I was seriously leaning towards getting it but now I'm not. I wanted something that was going to last. 2GB is fine in my iPad Air 2 but I'm not going to spend more to get something that has a slightly faster multicore score. I was mainly after the pencil feature but was hoping that a 9.7" model would be more mainstream with 4GB and get more devs onboard making more complex, "Pro" level apps that can use that extra RAM. I mean, with 4GB you could even do a proper full Photoshop. But now? The 12.9" model is niche and will stay there as far as developer support is concerned. This is a bad call by Apple. A "Pro" device means the buyers care about specs and the developers want to make better software for the advanced hardware and charge more for the quality. But this? Essentially THE SAME. But at least it has four speakers—because that's super useful—HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Am I the only one that feels weird when they call an iPad that is simply larger "niche" like we're all just a bunch of struggling artists using our larger iPads to create the next great Picasso? I agree with everything else you say and echo your disappointment, but after having the iPad Pro 12.9 (gotta get used to calling it that now) and using it the same as my iPad Air 2, I just cringe when I see people call it niche. Like when people call it unwieldy or "that monstrosity!" And I'm just sitting here chilling with it in bed like it ain't no thang.

MacBook Air=omg so portable!
iPad Pro with same size screen and thinner= Jesus what are we Giants? How do humans hold this thing/?

Don't mean to jump on you man because I agree with everything you said, just ranting for a sec
 

bufffilm

Suspended
May 3, 2011
4,227
2,536
Of course they can. A faster processor, double the storage on the base model, better camera's, 4 high quality speakers, better display (new technology) and support for the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

The 9.7 pro with these features at 599 is a much better deal than a 16gb Air 2 at 499 ever was. I really don't understand the outrage.

First off, a 16gb air2 is now $399...why are you quoting the old price unless you're doing that to add more credibility to your weak argument.

So the pro 9.7 is not a better deal than the air2 64gb new (and even cheaper if you can get it refurbished).

You wanna buy the pro 9.7 32gb...be my guest.

But 32gb is too small for most...heck, my ipad2 has 32gb, so really the 128gb is where to go.

But look...it's $750. Suddenly that $600 purchase has ballooned to $750.

Coupled w/the slow usb2 speed...No thanks, I'll pass.
 
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vanzantapple

macrumors 6502
Aug 26, 2010
291
38
USA
RamGate 2016!

I kid BUT I would not buy this iPad at this price. NO.
$500. Yes.
It's not worth a penny more.
 
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