I will pick up the 12.9" iPad Pro and a Series 4 Apple Watch sometime next year. When I do that, I will be good for at least 2-3 years before I can think of upgrading again.
I thought I could justify an upgrade from my Air2 (quite old now) which performs well enough but lacks features the new pro iPads have.
but its it’s the new familiar story with Apple.. so ridiculously expensive. Astronomically so in the case of the iPad Pros.
Eapecially when you you factor in a pencil and keyboard to make the most of your new pro device plus any extra storage , case , or LTE.
They may be powerful but the iOS approach doesn’t suit all use cases which makes it an additional purchase to a say a laptop and phone (eg. Creatives who also code)
iPads worked and sold well because they were a value device (consumption device or companion device). These new pro’s are arguably more than that (strong creative) but I don’t think there are millions of people willing to pay as much as a Mac book pro to have one (with the accessories). The low end iPad isn’t even an upgrade from my Air2 either so at present unless I want to cough up a grand , I’ll be sticking with the air 2.
Apple is becoming the Prada of the tech world. Quality.. sure, but priced for the rich!
This’s where you’re wrong! Many will buy it for the its application and performance. BMW and Mercedes are expensive too with options. They don’t mean for Toyota Camry or Honda Accord owners.
I thought I could justify an upgrade from my Air2 (quite old now) which performs well enough but lacks features the new pro iPads have.
but its it’s the new familiar story with Apple.. so ridiculously expensive. Astronomically so in the case of the iPad Pros.
Eapecially when you you factor in a pencil and keyboard to make the most of your new pro device plus any extra storage , case , or LTE.
They may be powerful but the iOS approach doesn’t suit all use cases which makes it an additional purchase to a say a laptop and phone (eg. Creatives who also code)
iPads worked and sold well because they were a value device (consumption device or companion device). These new pro’s are arguably more than that (strong creative) but I don’t think there are millions of people willing to pay as much as a Mac book pro to have one (with the accessories). The low end iPad isn’t even an upgrade from my Air2 either so at present unless I want to cough up a grand , I’ll be sticking with the air 2.
Apple is becoming the Prada of the tech world. Quality.. sure, but priced for the rich!
You are right, all their prices are going up lately. But it remains to be seen whether profit for (fewer customers x higher price) > (old number of customers x lower price).
But on a purely technical level the new iPad is impressive, so much processing power with no fan! How is it even possible?
This’s where you’re wrong! Many will buy it for the its application and performance. BMW and Mercedes are expensive too with options. They don’t mean for Toyota Camry or Honda Accord owners.
I just copy / pasted this post into MS Word and no spelling or grammar errors were noted ... I must be getting senile
I thought I could justify an upgrade from my Air2 (quite old now) which performs well enough but lacks features the new pro iPads have.
but its it’s the new familiar story with Apple.. so ridiculously expensive. Astronomically so in the case of the iPad Pros.
Eapecially when you you factor in a pencil and keyboard to make the most of your new pro device plus any extra storage , case , or LTE.
They may be powerful but the iOS approach doesn’t suit all use cases which makes it an additional purchase to a say a laptop and phone (eg. Creatives who also code)
iPads worked and sold well because they were a value device (consumption device or companion device). These new pro’s are arguably more than that (strong creative) but I don’t think there are millions of people willing to pay as much as a Mac book pro to have one (with the accessories). The low end iPad isn’t even an upgrade from my Air2 either so at present unless I want to cough up a grand , I’ll be sticking with the air 2.
Apple is becoming the Prada of the tech world. Quality.. sure, but priced for the rich!
This is the familiar story, too. (long sigh) “I want the latest, greatest, and most up-to-datest, but I just don’t want to pay the price for it.” And... “Why do nice, new things have to cost a lot of money?”
Apple is selling millions of them, so there must be millions of people out there willing to pay for it. Having an iPad as a companion device has kept me using an iMac from 2012. So, the companion has effectively at least doubled the useful life (and counting) of my desktop computer. It also made the iMac a practical option at a much lower cost than the MacBook Pros I had been buying. I never would have guessed that, and I wouldn’t be surprised if others have found that to be true, as well.
Do you honestly not believe that the low end iPad isn’t an upgrade over the iPad Air 2, or is that more whinging? I’m not going to dig into the specs, but the processor alone is at least two generations newer. There are probably some really good deals out there on the 2017 models. If not now, there will be soon enough. Maybe wait a few months and pick up a used or refurbished one of the latest model if you want to upgrade. Or maybe it’s time for you to explore some non-Apple options. If Apple isn’t offering you a compelling reason to buy, maybe another company is.
I also think people should do a real cost-benefit analysis of upgrading iPads and iPhones sooner rather than later. The resale value of a one-year-old device is significantly more than a two-year-old device (and the resale value only goes down after that). People might be surprised to learn how cost-effective it can be to upgrade sooner rather than later.
And for everybody who thinks that apple is getting “so expensive,” where have you been since the 1980s? Apple has always been expensive and high-end. This is nothing new. For those of us that have been users for that long (I have since the mid 1990s), we stuck around as customers because the value justified the premium price.
Sorry, dude. Nothing personal, but this post just worked my nerve. I only have one left, and it’s shot.
Apple is what Apple is. We are the problem - if you are in search of a problem. We expect nothing less than the highest quality and most innovative products available for release to come streaming out of their labs on an annual basis. We get all worked up beforehand about what's coming and flock to their flashy presentations and drool over what they've accomplished with their amazing workforce of scientists, engineers, UX geniuses, and industrialization wizards. For the most part Apple more than lives up to their end of the deal and because they have all the right people in all the right places in their operations network they are able to put all the shiny new creations into our hands within days or, at worst, a few weeks of the pubic product unveilings. Again, Apple is delivering and surprising us with amazing regularity and predictability. They very rarely simply rejigger a few of the front grill pieces on last year's models. If they do, it's usually because they've introduced something radically different that's adding to their product line. For the vast majority of consumers and vast majority of products, Apple is always exceeding our expectations. They are holding up their end of the deal in amazing fashion, unlike nearly any other product creator on the planet. But what about us?
The problem, if you insist on there being a problem, is that we almost always want what Apple has to offer. Lacking infinite resources, many of us have to make a choice whether to stick with what got us all worked up last year or perhaps five years ago, or to reach deep into our wallets for Apple's latest creations, creations that we collectively held Apple's feet to the fire to produce. Now we have to make our choice. Apple already made their choice and has laid their cards on the table for us to admire. Each card has a price tag on it. At this point it is ALL on us. We demanded more and better and they delivered. Whether we decide to consummate the deal that comes out of this annual dance between our desires and our willingness to pay is our problem to solve, not Apple's. We have to make the call based on whatever drives us to make purchase decisions. They delivered everything we desired. If they didn't deliver we would not have a choice to make. But they did. Blaming Apple for putting us in the position of having to make a choice is neither fair nor logical. The ball is totally in our court and we alone decide how to play it.
The "feature" that gives me pause is the edge to edge screen. I picture it being impossible to actually handle the tablet without inadvertent screen touches causing the active app to do stuff I don't intend. I imagine they program a certain amount of "numbness" toward the edge of the screen, but I don't actually know.
Anyone have one who can comment on how vulnerable the screen is to fat thumb entries?
I thought I could justify an upgrade from my Air2 (quite old now) which performs well enough but lacks features the new pro iPads have.
but its it’s the new familiar story with Apple.. so ridiculously expensive. Astronomically so in the case of the iPad Pros.
Eapecially when you you factor in a pencil and keyboard to make the most of your new pro device plus any extra storage , case , or LTE.
They may be powerful but the iOS approach doesn’t suit all use cases which makes it an additional purchase to a say a laptop and phone (eg. Creatives who also code)
iPads worked and sold well because they were a value device (consumption device or companion device). These new pro’s are arguably more than that (strong creative) but I don’t think there are millions of people willing to pay as much as a Mac book pro to have one (with the accessories). The low end iPad isn’t even an upgrade from my Air2 either so at present unless I want to cough up a grand , I’ll be sticking with the air 2. Apple is becoming the Prada of the tech world. Quality.. sure, but priced for the rich!
How do you figure, when the regular ipad is only $329? That isn’t for the rich.
You act as if you’re FORCED to buy the high-end model. Odd.
I bought the original Macintosh in 1984 (9” B&W low res monitor, 128K RAM, 400K floppy disk, no hard disk) with an ImageWriter dot matrix printer.
Cost?
£2,500
My neighbour at the time had the version with the hard drive, so it would have been a little later I guess. His was about CAD$3000 if I recall correctly. By comparison, my Intel 286 purchased around the same time, also with hard drive, plus a colour monitor and Epson dot matrix printer, was about $2500.
$3000 sounds like a lot for so little, but not when compared to what competing devices cost at the same time. All it tells is us that modern computers offer more power per dollar. The only comparison that may have any relevance is the relative difference between Apple and competitors then vs. now, but even that falls down because neither Apple as a company nor the industry as a whole bear any resemblance to what they were like 30+ years ago.
I thought I could justify an upgrade from my Air2 (quite old now) which performs well enough but lacks features the new pro iPads have.
but its it’s the new familiar story with Apple.. so ridiculously expensive. Astronomically so in the case of the iPad Pros.
Eapecially when you you factor in a pencil and keyboard to make the most of your new pro device plus any extra storage , case , or LTE.
They may be powerful but the iOS approach doesn’t suit all use cases which makes it an additional purchase to a say a laptop and phone (eg. Creatives who also code)
iPads worked and sold well because they were a value device (consumption device or companion device). These new pro’s are arguably more than that (strong creative) but I don’t think there are millions of people willing to pay as much as a Mac book pro to have one (with the accessories). The low end iPad isn’t even an upgrade from my Air2 either so at present unless I want to cough up a grand , I’ll be sticking with the air 2.
Apple is becoming the Prada of the tech world. Quality.. sure, but priced for the rich!
The new Ipad Pro 2018 is $200.00 more than your iPad Air 2 with equivalent 64gb of storage when it was released. So the current pricing isn't really that far out of line in my opinion.
"iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail
price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 64GB model and
$699 (US) for the 128GB model."
This new iPad is giving you over an inch additional screen real estate
and a considerable bump in screen resolution. As well as 120hz Pro
motion... Pencil support and a TON more power. Oh and don't forget Face Id to top it all off.
I was a little bent about the price at first as well until I really started to look into what this new iPad offers compared to older models; specifically the Air 2 which I upgraded from last year to the 10.5 Pro ( Santa was good to me ). Do I think people with last year's pro model need to run out and get this new model.. no I don't. Do I think for someone that is using a four old Air 2 or an older iPad should think about upgrading.. absolutely! This is an investment that can last many years, it's not a device you buy new every year or two.. at least in my use case.
Well, This time last year I ordered the 10.5 inch iPad Pro. Am very happy with it. I'll wait until Apple comes up with an iOS that doesn't support my iPad Pro 10.5 inch. Heck, I'm still learning the features that it has. Still hope that Apple sells a lot of 2018 iPad Pros.
For Kevin Kee: Please tell us the differences between the 10.5 and 11 inch iPad Pros after you have received the new version. Don't worry, I respect your decision. For me, I don't have the funds.
Actually I am getting 12.9. I wanted to buy 12.9 last year because it suits my work but changed my mind due to its size. With the reduce physical dimension this year, I finally get what I wanted. With the trade in program, I could get another 500 dollars back, but I probably will keep my old iPad and pass it down.
After the keynote, I ordered 12.9 iPad 256GB plus pencil and folio for A$2K to replace my aging 2017 iPad Pro 10.5. No regret.
A 2017 model is "aging?"
I should probably use "quotation" mark too, since it's still in a "somewhat good" condition. I have been using my iPad for works everyday for over a year, and it has been through a few "abuse" since I work mostly on construction sites. I am an engineer.
I bought one with the intention of using it for a couple months and then returning it after the holidays, as the holiday return policy is in effect where I bought it, so I have until FEB 11 to return anything.
The fact that NONE of the accessories I have for my iPad Pro 12.9 will work with this is a major issue for me. I have to go buy everything all over again and at HIGHER prices?
Is there a smart cover for the new 12.9 that detaches magnetically like the old one or is it a permanent part of the folio case? I can't tell and I haven't seen or heard anything that says one way or the other.
I'm pretty happy with my old 256GB 12.9 iPad PRO and have all the accessories...it will take a lot for me to want to keep this new 12.9.
Maybe you could just find some accessories that you could also just use for four months, then return? I’m sure there’s gotta be some kinda sleazy way you can replace your accessories without paying for them, like a normal person. Bravo for all your effort!
The "feature" that gives me pause is the edge to edge screen. I picture it being impossible to actually handle the tablet without inadvertent screen touches causing the active app to do stuff I don't intend. I imagine they program a certain amount of "numbness" toward the edge of the screen, but I don't actually know.
Anyone have one who can comment on how vulnerable the screen is to fat thumb entries?
I have the previous gen 12.9 Pro and the screen is constantly freezing due to unexpected inputs around the edge. It seems it isn't made to be held and used like a traditional iPad. A lot of similar stories on one of those other Apple sites. Nice as a static screen, nice when sitting in a stand, nice as a drawing surface. Not a consumer device, though. That's a harsh thing to learn with a $1k+ hole in your wallet.
Comments
I will pick up the 12.9" iPad Pro and a Series 4 Apple Watch sometime next year. When I do that, I will be good for at least 2-3 years before I can think of upgrading again.
The new iPads are just phenomenal.
Apple is selling millions of them, so there must be millions of people out there willing to pay for it. Having an iPad as a companion device has kept me using an iMac from 2012. So, the companion has effectively at least doubled the useful life (and counting) of my desktop computer. It also made the iMac a practical option at a much lower cost than the MacBook Pros I had been buying. I never would have guessed that, and I wouldn’t be surprised if others have found that to be true, as well.
Do you honestly not believe that the low end iPad isn’t an upgrade over the iPad Air 2, or is that more whinging? I’m not going to dig into the specs, but the processor alone is at least two generations newer. There are probably some really good deals out there on the 2017 models. If not now, there will be soon enough. Maybe wait a few months and pick up a used or refurbished one of the latest model if you want to upgrade. Or maybe it’s time for you to explore some non-Apple options. If Apple isn’t offering you a compelling reason to buy, maybe another company is.
I also think people should do a real cost-benefit analysis of upgrading iPads and iPhones sooner rather than later. The resale value of a one-year-old device is significantly more than a two-year-old device (and the resale value only goes down after that). People might be surprised to learn how cost-effective it can be to upgrade sooner rather than later.
And for everybody who thinks that apple is getting “so expensive,” where have you been since the 1980s? Apple has always been expensive and high-end. This is nothing new. For those of us that have been users for that long (I have since the mid 1990s), we stuck around as customers because the value justified the premium price.
Sorry, dude. Nothing personal, but this post just worked my nerve. I only have one left, and it’s shot.
The problem, if you insist on there being a problem, is that we almost always want what Apple has to offer. Lacking infinite resources, many of us have to make a choice whether to stick with what got us all worked up last year or perhaps five years ago, or to reach deep into our wallets for Apple's latest creations, creations that we collectively held Apple's feet to the fire to produce. Now we have to make our choice. Apple already made their choice and has laid their cards on the table for us to admire. Each card has a price tag on it. At this point it is ALL on us. We demanded more and better and they delivered. Whether we decide to consummate the deal that comes out of this annual dance between our desires and our willingness to pay is our problem to solve, not Apple's. We have to make the call based on whatever drives us to make purchase decisions. They delivered everything we desired. If they didn't deliver we would not have a choice to make. But they did. Blaming Apple for putting us in the position of having to make a choice is neither fair nor logical. The ball is totally in our court and we alone decide how to play it.
By the way, why are we calling these bezelled displays “edge to edge“, and what will we call real edge to edge displays in future models?
I bought the original Macintosh in 1984 (9” B&W low res monitor, 128K RAM, 400K floppy disk, no hard disk) with an ImageWriter dot matrix printer.
Cost?
£2,500
Anyone have one who can comment on how vulnerable the screen is to fat thumb entries?
You act as if you’re FORCED to buy the high-end model. Odd.
$3000 sounds like a lot for so little, but not when compared to what competing devices cost at the same time. All it tells is us that modern computers offer more power per dollar. The only comparison that may have any relevance is the relative difference between Apple and competitors then vs. now, but even that falls down because neither Apple as a company nor the industry as a whole bear any resemblance to what they were like 30+ years ago.
I should probably use "quotation" mark too, since it's still in a "somewhat good" condition. I have been using my iPad for works everyday for over a year, and it has been through a few "abuse" since I work mostly on construction sites. I am an engineer.
Bravo for all your effort!