Apple cuts iPad Air 2 to $399 in wake of 9.7-inch iPad Pro

Posted:
in iPad edited March 2016
In a bid to keep sales of the product moving, Apple on Monday slashed the price of the iPad Air 2 by $100, putting the cost of an entry-level 16-gigabyte Wi-Fi model at $399.




Accordingly, the 64-gigabyte Wi-Fi model is now $499 at Apple's online store. Cellular-equipped models are $529 and $629, depending on the amount of storage. Significantly, Apple has dropped the 128-gigabyte option from its lineup, much as it often eliminates high-end storage ranges for older iPhones.

The iPad Air 2 originally launched in late 2014, and features an A8X processor.

Its successor, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, includes a number of important upgrades such as an A9X chip, a Smart Connector, and Apple Pencil support. It also includes four speaker ports, a color-matching "True Tone" display, and a 12-megapixel rear camera with the first-ever flash module on an iPad.

The new Pro comes in 32-, 128-, and 256-gigabyte capacities, but with the tradeoff of a $599 starter pricetag, $100 more than any previous 9.7-inch iPad.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    I had to laugh when the price was announced. Last week MacRumors forum posters went ballistic when Mark Gurman said the Air 2 would stay at $499. Also nobody predicted the $399 starting price for the iPhone SE. Heck some were saying it might start at $549.
    levi
  • Reply 2 of 13
    God this is so really zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    mvigod
  • Reply 3 of 13
    Very sneaky from Apple, not showing that the iPad Mini is iPad Mini 2 and not the 4 for $269
    ireland
  • Reply 4 of 13
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    I would like to see more agressive iPad pricing from Apple.

    Ideally:

    iPad mini 4 16/64/128 $299/399/499
    iPad Air 2 32/64/128 $399/449/549
    iPad Pro 32/128/256 $499/649/799
    iPad Pro+ add $149

    These prices would drive iPad sales and upgrades considerably.
    edited March 2016 mvigod
  • Reply 5 of 13
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member
    sog35 said:
    Apple sells premium products.

    Premium products of this class don't ship with 16GB of storage.

    -kp
    mvigod
  • Reply 6 of 13
    mvigodmvigod Posts: 172member
    ireland said:
    I would like to see more agressive iPad pricing from Apple.

    Ideally:

    iPad mini 4 16/64/128 $299/399/499
    iPad Air 2 32/64/128 $399/449/549
    iPad Pro 32/128/256 $499/649/799
    iPad Pro+ add $149

    These prices would drive iPad sales and upgrades considerably.

    I agree. I was going to upgrade my ipad mini but at these prices not really worth it.  They should have done the base ipad air 2 with 64GB at $399 and I would have bought one.  Also the Pro base model should have 64GB.  A pro model with 32GB?  This looks like positioning just to try and upsell to more storage for higher margins.  

    I predict the decline in ipads will continue throughout 2016.  Apple does not have the advantage of subsidies on tablets or carrier promotions where those carriers still subsidize phones to a substantial degree.  Competition is making very good quality tablets at much better price points. At some point there will be sub $100 tablets which accomplish what 99% of the user base want and need.  Apple is in a tough spot in this shrinking part of the market.  
  • Reply 7 of 13
    kpluck said:
    sog35 said:
    Apple sells premium products.

    Premium products of this class don't ship with 16GB of storage.

    -kp
    I beg to differ.   we just bought 1600 16GB Air2's.  and will be buying over 6000 16gb iPhone Sixes. (not 6s's).

    Corporate buyers love 16gb.   
    ration alnolamacguy
  • Reply 8 of 13

    sog35 said:
    mvigod said:

    I agree. I was going to upgrade my ipad mini but at these prices not really worth it.  They should have done the base ipad air 2 with 64GB at $399 and I would have bought one.  Also the Pro base model should have 64GB.  A pro model with 32GB?  This looks like positioning just to try and upsell to more storage for higher margins.  

    I predict the decline in ipads will continue throughout 2016.  Apple does not have the advantage of subsidies on tablets or carrier promotions where those carriers still subsidize phones to a substantial degree.  Competition is making very good quality tablets at much better price points. At some point there will be sub $100 tablets which accomplish what 99% of the user base want and need.  Apple is in a tough spot in this shrinking part of the market.  
    Shrinking iPad sales has more to do with people buying 6+ and 6s+ instead of an iPad.
    Also iPad replacement cycles are 4-6 years.

    If you think iPad users will switch to Android tablets you are crazy.

    If you think dropping the price by $100 will magically increase sales you have no idea what the average Apple customer is.  $100 ain't stopping the average Apple customer from getting the best experience. 
     $100 may be stopping them from buying 2 iPads...  (the Kid's iPad).   The hand me down iPad2 now goes to Liam, who destroys it much more methodically than my 2 year old grandchild
    edited March 2016
  • Reply 9 of 13
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    mvigod said:
    ireland said:
    I would like to see more agressive iPad pricing from Apple.

    Ideally:

    iPad mini 4 16/64/128 $299/399/499
    iPad Air 2 32/64/128 $399/449/549
    iPad Pro 32/128/256 $499/649/799
    iPad Pro+ add $149

    These prices would drive iPad sales and upgrades considerably.
    I predict the decline in ipads will continue throughout 2016.  Apple does not have the advantage of subsidies on tablets or carrier promotions where those carriers still subsidize phones to a substantial degree.  Competition is making very good quality tablets at much better price points. At some point there will be sub $100 tablets which accomplish what 99% of the user base want and need.  Apple is in a tough spot in this shrinking part of the market.  
    yup, and those netbooks will destroy MacBooks. any day now. 

    unless you value ease of use, privacy, security, and an ecosystem of great apps and accessories, that is. 
    edited March 2016
  • Reply 10 of 13
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member

    sog35 said:
    Shrinking iPad sales has more to do with people buying 6+ and 6s+ instead of an iPad.
    Also iPad replacement cycles are 4-6 years.

    If you think iPad users will switch to Android tablets you are crazy.

    If you think dropping the price by $100 will magically increase sales you have no idea what the average Apple customer is.  $100 ain't stopping the average Apple customer from getting the best experience. 
     $100 may be stopping them from buying 2 iPads...  (the Kid's iPad).   The hand me down iPad2 now goes to Liam, who destroys it much more methodically than my 2 year old grandchild
    I'd rather give my old iPads to family than for small discount. thus we always have hand me downs floating around.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    I hadn't really noticed til I was in the Apple Store today that they DIDN'T lower the mini 4 price, so it's currently the exact same price as an air 2
  • Reply 12 of 13
    michialmichial Posts: 10member
    It's 299 at bestbuy. Investors upgrade. I was thinking about the air2 but the mini 4 at 299 seems like a good deal. How long is it future proof compared to the air2? Is it a waste to buy it with an A8 chip at this point?
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