New $329 iPad includes support for the Apple Pencil, A10 Fusion processor

Posted:
in iPad edited March 2018
Apple has used its educational Field Trip event to launch a new 9.7-inch iPad, the first outside the iPad Pro range to support the Apple Pencil.

Apple March 2018 keynote


Succeeding the 2017 iPad launched just over one year ago, the 2018 edition sports the familiar form factor and size of display, as well as retaining Touch ID instead of switching to the iPhone X's Face ID authentication.

The new model will start from $329 for the 32-gigabyte Wi-Fi model, but schools will be able to get hold of it at the lower cost of $299 each. A second Wi-Fi + Cellular model with the same 32-gigabyte storage capacity will cost $459. The 128-gigabyte variants cost $429 for the Wi-Fi version, $559 with cellular.




A major change to the line is support for the Apple Pencil, making it the first device outside of the iPad Pro range to be compatible with the peripheral. Just as with the iPad Pro line, the Apple Pencil allows for users to draw on the iPad with pressure and tilt sensitivity, making it extremely useful for writing and drawing in a similar way to using pens and pencils.

The ability to use the Apple Pencil makes the new iPad a more viable device for use in education compared to an iPad Pro. The lower price of the iPad compared to the cheapest iPad Pro equivalent makes it a more attractive proposition in cases where the extra processing power offered by the iPad Pro range isn't needed, but the ability to use the Apple Pencil is desired.

The Apple Pencil will still remain as an add-on purchase instead of being included with the iPad, and costs $99.

Apple last refreshed the iPad Pro range during WWDC 2017, introducing the 10.5-inch model with thinner bezels alongside the second-generation 12.9-inch model.





Inside the new iPad, the processor is upgraded from the A9 in the previous model to the A10 Fusion, previously used in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus. The 64-bit chip is said to provide 40-percent better processor performance and 50 percent graphics performance in this year's release.

The cameras are the same as last year's release, consisting of a rear 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video and a FaceTime HD camera. Battery life is said to last for around 10 hours, matching last year's model and the iPad Pro range.




The new iPad is available to order today in a choice of silver, space gray, and gold finishes, and is expected to start being delivered to customers and arriving in stores later this week in more than 25 countries and regions. Apple authorized reseller B&H is also accepting pre-orders for the 2018 iPad line with no tax collected in most states*.

The initial wave includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the US.

It will be released in India, Russia, Thailand, Turkey and some other markets in April, with South Korea and remaining regions due to follow in May.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 122
    mavemufcmavemufc Posts: 326member
    Looks really good but I’m still waiting for the new Pros, and with how good this new one looks I’m even more excited for them now.
    peterhartronnjbdragonmagman1979SpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 122
    meh, announcement!  I am guessing with same 2GB LPDDR3 too!  LOL!  You get exactly what you pay for with this educational version.
    edited March 2018 williamlondon
  • Reply 3 of 122
    Great announcement, it shows that Apple is still willing to bring the premium features of the iPad line down to the entry-level devices of the platform over time, increasing the attractiveness of the iPad line to a wider audience.  Hopefully we will get some new iPad Pros with lower price-points on top of this.
    ronnjbdragonmagman1979mejsricwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 4 of 122
    cutykamucutykamu Posts: 229member
    Difference between iPad and iPad Pro is almost none now so I think this years iPad pros will bring Face ID to stand out. Maybe even oled screens. 
    Still in love with 2017 iPad Pro which is so speedy in launching apps n regular use. 
    peterhartjbdragonmavemufcwilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 122
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    meh, announcement!  I am guessing with same 2GB LPDDR3 too!  LOL!  You get exactly what you pay for with this educational version.
    Boy you just like to piss all over everything Apple does huh? Well since its using the A10 Fusion it has 3GB LPDDR4 RAM. Its actually quite an iPad for the price. Too bad all you want to do is complain. In the end, who really gives a shit what type of RAM it is and how much? If you want to create a pissing contest with specs that are meaningless, then go buy an Android device that has more and does less. 
    edited March 2018 ronndeepinsiderracerhomie3macky the mackyStrangeDaysbrucemccorradokidtmayDanManTXevilution
  • Reply 6 of 122
    robjwheelerrobjwheeler Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    Let's call out the A-10 fusion in the new 9.7 inch iPad. This almost seems to put it at par with the 2017 iPad Pro 10.5 inch. Hope this means that the 2018 iPad Pro ,which is already a great product, will be equally bumped up in features to match the new 9.7 inch model! 
    ronntmaymavemufcmejsric
  • Reply 7 of 122
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,332member
    Great bang for the buck and quite possibly the last coffin nail for the vast majority of Android tablets.
    ronnracerhomie3macky the mackytmayjbdragonmagman1979ZRyserwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 122
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    dewme said:
    Great bang for the buck and quite possibly the last coffin nail for the vast majority of Android tablets.
    We'll see how it effects Crapbook sales as thats the real competition in Education, not Android tablets...Question is, everyone is so entrenched into Google Classroom and Crapbooks, will this make them switch?
    edited March 2018 GeorgeBMacracerhomie3watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 122
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    I'm glad that Apple doesn't use Face ID on the regular iPad. It's disaster for kids sharing it in schools. iPad pro is more a personal device and I agree it should have Face ID. I'm glad that they make the 9.7" iPad compatible with the Pencil. I wish they make Pencil cheaper like $49.

    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 122
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 966member
    meanwhile iPad Mini languishes at $50 more, an older CPU, and no Pencil. Sucks not being the target audience.
    jasenj1bloggerblogmuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 11 of 122
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    fallenjt said:
    I'm glad that Apple doesn't use Face ID on the regular iPad. It's disaster for kids sharing it in schools. iPad pro is more a personal device and I agree it should have Face ID. I'm glad that they make the 9.7" iPad compatible with the Pencil. I wish they make Pencil cheaper like $49.

    Yeah FaceID would never work in a K-12 environment. For one, FaceID only supports one face so right there it doesn't work. TouchID for the matter isn't even that great for K-12. I have it disabled on all of our devices as its not necessary for use. 

    Yeah, I would have at least liked to see Apple Pencil like $69 or $79 for educational use, not the same $99. So basically you have a $299 iPad and a $99 pencil, so thats $398, and if you want the rugged K-12 case/keyboard that is available for K-12 schools, thats another $99 and 3yr AppleCare+ is another $74 per iPad. The price can go up in a hurry depending on what you want to accomplish. I suppose not everyone needs to have an Apple Pencil with their iPad. I can see those getting lost/stolen pretty easily. 
    edited March 2018
  • Reply 12 of 122
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    fallenjt said:
    I'm glad that Apple doesn't use Face ID on the regular iPad. It's disaster for kids sharing it in schools. iPad pro is more a personal device and I agree it should have Face ID. I'm glad that they make the 9.7" iPad compatible with the Pencil. I wish they make Pencil cheaper like $49.

    Not really surprising. FaceID isn't great with really young faces.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 13 of 122
    The Apple Pencil is too expensive for the K-12 market. Apple should bundle a special version of the pencil and an iPad case to hold it for the  K-12 and HiEd institutional market; perhaps one that is tethered for security purposes. 
    elijahg
  • Reply 14 of 122
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 966member
    bet on a slightly cheaper Pencil with Qi charging for back-to-school season…
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 122
    sacto joesacto joe Posts: 895member
    macxpress said:
    fallenjt said:
    I'm glad that Apple doesn't use Face ID on the regular iPad. It's disaster for kids sharing it in schools. iPad pro is more a personal device and I agree it should have Face ID. I'm glad that they make the 9.7" iPad compatible with the Pencil. I wish they make Pencil cheaper like $49.

    Yeah FaceID would never work in a K-12 environment. For one, FaceID only supports one face so right there it doesn't work. TouchID for the matter isn't even that great for K-12. I have it disabled on all of our devices as its not necessary for use. 

    Yeah, I would have at least liked to see Apple Pencil like $69 or $79 for educational use, not the same $99. So basically you have a $299 iPad and a $99 pencil, so thats $398, and if you want the rugged K-12 case/keyboard that is available for K-12 schools, thats another $99 and 3yr AppleCare+ is another $99 per iPad. The price can go up in a hurry depending on what you want to accomplish. I suppose not everyone needs to have an Apple Pencil with their iPad. I can see those getting lost/stolen pretty easily. 
    Logitech Crayon $49?
    GeorgeBMaccrossladmwhitejony0
  • Reply 16 of 122
    anton zuykovanton zuykov Posts: 1,056member
    meh, announcement!  I am guessing with same 2GB LPDDR3 too!  LOL!  You get exactly what you pay for with this educational version.
    Yeah, no kidding, man! You pay 350 bucks as opposed to 800, and you get a 350 dollar iPad! Crazy, right?
    Rayz2016king editor the grateStrangeDayscrossladronnradarthekatmejsricwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 17 of 122
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    meh, announcement!  I am guessing with same 2GB LPDDR3 too!  LOL!  You get exactly what you pay for with this educational version.
    I hear ya!  Still no user replaceable battery or ability to do your own RAM upgrades, let alone a proper USB port to support peripherals!  What is Apple thinking...?

    No wonder Apple is in such dire trouble...
    Rayz2016tmayanton zuykovking editor the grateGG1jbdragonStrangeDaysorthiconronnmagman1979
  • Reply 18 of 122
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    sacto joe said:
    macxpress said:
    fallenjt said:
    I'm glad that Apple doesn't use Face ID on the regular iPad. It's disaster for kids sharing it in schools. iPad pro is more a personal device and I agree it should have Face ID. I'm glad that they make the 9.7" iPad compatible with the Pencil. I wish they make Pencil cheaper like $49.

    Yeah FaceID would never work in a K-12 environment. For one, FaceID only supports one face so right there it doesn't work. TouchID for the matter isn't even that great for K-12. I have it disabled on all of our devices as its not necessary for use. 

    Yeah, I would have at least liked to see Apple Pencil like $69 or $79 for educational use, not the same $99. So basically you have a $299 iPad and a $99 pencil, so thats $398, and if you want the rugged K-12 case/keyboard that is available for K-12 schools, thats another $99 and 3yr AppleCare+ is another $99 per iPad. The price can go up in a hurry depending on what you want to accomplish. I suppose not everyone needs to have an Apple Pencil with their iPad. I can see those getting lost/stolen pretty easily. 
    Logitech Crayon $49?
    Yes, but it remains to be seen how well it does versus Apple Pencil. Works like does not mean works as well. I am hopeful though that it works good enough for K-12 use. 
    edited March 2018 watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 19 of 122
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    Why do get the feeling this is more exciting for the non-education sector general consumer? For education an iPad plus Pencil plus keyboard is pushing $500. What’s compelling about that? And kids can learn to code on iPad but if they want to make an app they have to use a Mac because Xcode isn’t available on iPad. And the only changes to iWork apps worthy of mentioning is Pencil support? Apple in education still seems a bit confused.
    GeorgeBMacelijahg
  • Reply 20 of 122
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member

    meh, announcement!  I am guessing with same 2GB LPDDR3 too!  LOL!  You get exactly what you pay for with this educational version.
    Yeah, no kidding, man! You pay 350 bucks as opposed to 800, and you get a 350 dollar iPad! Crazy, right?
    $299 for schools even! I mean why not slap the A11 Bionic in there with FaceID and 16GB of RAM. Why not!!!
    king editor the gratewatto_cobra
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