This week on AI: Apple's budget iPad gets the Pencil, Apple Watch rumors, iOS 11.3 & more

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in General Discussion
Apple launched its latest education offensive at a Tuesday press event, led by a refreshed 9.7-inch iPad. The week also saw key updates to iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, and some of the first detailed rumors about the Apple Watch Series 4.




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Everything you need to know:

  • The $329 iPad now has an A10 chip and Apple Pencil support > >
  • Apple's Chicago event saw many software updates, such as Pencil support in iWork > >
  • A fourth-generation Apple Watch could have a bigger screen, more battery life and yet more health features > >
  • Apple's big-budget TV slate could premiere as soon as March next year > >
  • iOS 11.3 arrived with ARKit 1.5, battery monitoring features and more > >
  • Belkin and Linksys products may soon be under Apple manufacturer Foxconn > >
  • watchOS 4.3 restored iPhone music browsing and added a vertical Nightstand mode > >
For in-depth discussion of this week's hottest stories, listen to the AppleInsider podcast. Subscribe here, or stream the embed below:

A roundup of all of our hottest stories this week:

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

Apple updates iWork for Mac and iPad with Apple Pencil annotations & more

Redesigned Apple Watch with larger screen, enhanced battery life and health features due in Q3

Apple's video efforts slated to air in March 2019

iOS 11.3 with battery improvements, ARKit 1.5, HomeKit authentication now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

Apple supplier Foxconn buys Belkin, Linksys, Wemo for $866M

watchOS 4.3 update for Apple Watch arrives with new portrait Nightstand mode, iPhone music browsing

Apple's Digital Books tool for iPad transforms written reports with rich photos, illustrations

iMac Pro's Space Gray Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2 now available individually

Free iCloud storage for teachers and students boosted from 5GB to 200GB

Apple's Schoolwork App & ClassKit API let teachers deliver assignments via the Cloud; Classroom coming to Mac

Apple intros artistic 'Everyone Can Create' curriculum for teachers

Apple updates Clips with more content, adds iPhone X facial controls to GarageBand for iOS

Apple debuts iPhone and iPad cases in seasonal colors

First look: Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad with Apple Pencil support

Investigation finds FBI did not exhaust all options before taking Apple to trial in San Bernardino case

Apple to turn Lane Tech into 'Center for Excellence' for training teachers on Swift

Review: Netgear's Arlo Baby camera with Apple HomeKit

Apple Music app gains 'Music Videos' as an early update before iOS 11.3's full release

Apple releases tvOS 11.3 for Apple TV with new filtering options & more

Apple will let users download all iCloud and Apple ID data to comply with new European rules

Apple releases its first HomePod software update, but no AirPlay 2 or pairing

Apple releases iTunes 12.7.4 with new Music Videos section

Apple debuts macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 with Business Chat and eGPU support

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    no new macs - we are in the great mac draught of little timmie cookie and his lazy elves.
    April fools - three months = 1 cutdown recycled technology iPad.
    Bring back the Guy and let the good times roll again!!!
  • Reply 2 of 9
    So disappointing.   A big event that basically only has a speed bumped iPad (and a bunch of education focused sw that won’t gain any traction.

    what happened to the Mac? There is hardly anything worth buying in the lineup. The MacPro and Mac Mini are 4+ years old.  Why are they even around anymore?

    How about going back to slightly thicker laptops and desktops ( truthfully, does anybody care how thin their desktop computer is? ) that have the features and the ports that people want.  Slightly thicker pro that has legacy ports and better battery life? I am in! It’s great that Apple has a very fast SSDs in their laptops, but they are priced so far out of the stratosphere that the majority of folks cannot afford them.   If you’re a professional, you have no options that offer any expandability.   The iMac Pro is beautiful, but in two years it will be a mid range machine  with hardly any ability to update it.  

     They need to make a lower-cost consumer laptop line and a full-featured, no compromise  professional line.   Pricing between the current pros and other window space machines shows that the macs are almost double the price.  

    For the desktops, the iMac is fine for the consumer grade, but you should have a lower-cost headless one  that actually has current technology a.k.a. the Mac Mini, and they should go back to more of the box pro line that offers expandability.

     It’s great to have  cutting edge design, and computers it look great. But if they are overpriced and functionally inferior to much cheaper windows models, what’s the point?   

     If Apple really wants to focus all their energy on the iPad and iPhone, maybe they need to spin off the Mac division into another company.  But what they’re doing right now is not working.   Sure the stock price is good for now, but if they don’t listen to customers, and build products that people want, eventually it’s going to catch up to them 


    edited March 2018
  • Reply 3 of 9
    lmaclmac Posts: 206member
    Education offensive is a good way to put it. "Apple's budget iPad gets the pencil." ($99 Pencil not included.)
    edited March 2018
  • Reply 4 of 9
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    I guess I don’t know how many times I need to say that what AI readers want (author included) is not the same as what joe public does.

    Joe Public wants thin. They don’t give a crap about upgradeability.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 9
    wonkothesanewonkothesane Posts: 1,717member
    I guess I don’t know how many times I need to say that what AI readers want (author included) is not the same as what joe public does.

    Joe Public wants thin. They don’t give a crap about upgradeability.
    Fully agree. Plus: sales numbers and financial data would appear to confirm their strategy. 
    If Aplle would listen to the countless times some armchair ceo thinks Apple „needs“ to do something this comes to mind:
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 9
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member
    no new macs - we are in the great mac draught of little timmie cookie and his lazy elves.
    April fools - three months = 1 cutdown recycled technology iPad.
    Bring back the Guy and let the good times roll again!!!
    Nonsense. We just got a new MBP last summer and iMac Pro last fall, and new MP is coming. So your claim is silly bullshit.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 9
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    M.G. Siegler gets it right here, even if some fans don’t want to admit. Apple should view eductation as a loss leader or heck considering how profitable they are maybe not care whether what they do in the education sector is profitable. Sell an iPad with Logitech rugged case and crayon for $200. Don’t make them all separate purchases. They mocked web apps at the event but why not instead make iWork in the cloud as good as Google Docs and then say it even gets better when you work on these documents on an iPad or a Mac. Does Apple even talk about iWork on icloud.com? How many people even know it exists. There are so many missed opportunities here.

    https://500ish.com/an-apple-education-cfe02dd4e13
  • Reply 8 of 9
    Apple takes it time to make sure that it’s devices are going to last for years.  I can’t say the same thing about other manufacturers. Each IPad, iPhone or desktop system that I have purchased have done will.  

    Adding new technology to a product has its risks so testing requires time. Other manufacturers may have a different approach and in some cases the consumer takes a hit. Not to say Apple is perfect but there track record is much better the most. 

    If if your looking for cutting edge equipment with the very latest technology then you must understand the risks. Why not just buy a Different product from a different manufacturer then Apple and experience the frustration that comes from NOT playing it safe and let people like myself enjoy quality products from Apple without have to read your comments. 

    Late point this forum is about Apple products with tips and news that’s all related to Apple. It’s not a forum for People that hate Apple.  



    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 9
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    no new macs - we are in the great mac draught of little timmie cookie and his lazy elves.
    April fools - three months = 1 cutdown recycled technology iPad.
    Bring back the Guy and let the good times roll again!!!
    Do you feel cool disrespecting Tim’s name like that ?  Do you think your post will get more likes with that silly childish BS?  Do you really even have a point ?

    iMac pro was released in December 2017, and I believe the MacBook Pro was refreshed mid year 2017.  Maybe you and I have a different idea of what a drought is especially considering you called it a “draught”. Just saying the trolling silly crap is really getting tiring. 
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