Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is the new iPad some kind of April fools prank?
- Thread starter ThatiPhoneKid
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is not a new ideas keynote. It was never billed to be. This was an educational presentation to try and get iPads into the hands of children.
If you expected differently, that’s on you. Apple’s mission here was clear from the start.
The WILL be coming out with new ideas for it's iPad, this fall!
This is just a low entry level device, I can not believe people want to pay near nothing and have it do everything like the Pro!
Nothing wrong with the design . . . .what do you want them to do make the iPad round?
I think the fact that it was released during a non-livestreamed event would be enough to tell you that no one is proclaiming this a "major upgrade".
Not much iteration you can make to rectangular glass slab apart from removing/reducing bezels (or adding a notch
). The iPad Air was a welcome weight reduction over the iPad 2-4 but I reckon the current design works just fine particularly for the entry level.
Me thinks some got their expectations way higher than warranted.
Lol, the only disappointment for me was it's not $259 as rumored. Oh well, that price was too good to be true anyway. It's still a pretty good refresh and it would be quite interesting what battery life is like considering the low power cores on A10 Fusion. Last year's basic iPad already had excellent battery life (~15+ hours on low brightness for me). Best I've seen since the iPad 4.
I think this new iPad is going to be underrated by many (in particular those who want annual significant hardware spec bumps). IMO, it is an excellent value and if Apple discontinues the Mini, I might just replace my Mini 4 and 12.9 Pro with this one.
One could even call that “foolish,” no?
Yeah this takes the already pretty good deal of the 2017 gives you an even better chip and pencil support if you want it - I don’t get what’s not to like?
You want to redesign the iPad for children?
This was an K-12 education event. They weren’t pitching to us or even the average adult consumers.
Nevertheless, the iPad has a good design. Much like the Mac, it doesn’t need a world changing look and refresh. It needs software; an version of iOS that presents many iPad centric features and more apps that can take full advantage of the hardware.
The iPad market has matured.
As the parent of a first grader, I like it— not enough to replace the 2017 iPad she got for Christmas, but enough to wish we hadn’t gotten her that one! She would loooooooove to be creative with the pencil.
What did you expect? This was what literally anyone with a bit of knowledge suspected, apart from a laminated display I really didn't expect or hope for anything else. All in all just a normal upgrade and price/perfomance wise (still) the best tablet you can buy.
And the European prices are 50 euros lower now, so it's become cheaper as well for a large part of the market.
As for the event, it was largely about the education part, which Apple said when they announced the presentation and why they changed the venue and didn't have a livestream compared to 'normal' Apple events. That people still made it bigger than it was intended to be really isn't Apple's fault.
And the European prices are 50 euros lower now, so it's become cheaper as well for a large part of the market.
As for the event, it was largely about the education part, which Apple said when they announced the presentation and why they changed the venue and didn't have a livestream compared to 'normal' Apple events. That people still made it bigger than it was intended to be really isn't Apple's fault.
Well, I wouldn’t start with a $99 pencil with no way of attaching to the iPad and no flat/clip to stop it rolling off desks, a removable cap to lose and a method of recharging that leaves it sticking out of the iPad just waiting to demonstrate the principle of mechanical advantage...
Edit: just looked at some posts about the Logitech "crayon" and must admit that it does seem to address most of those issues.
Last edited:
Non of you unsderstand where I am coming from, they have released an iPad which is nearly exactly the same as the 2017 model, I don’t see how this iPad is helping schools out, why didn’t they do a keynote last year for the iPad 2017 model, it was nearly the same price just never had the pencil support, they only held this event to make schools buy their iPads as average consumers are no longer buying them and sales figures are showing tablet sales are declining.
[doublepost=1522172233][/doublepost]
[doublepost=1522172233][/doublepost]
I’m sure all of us expected this iPad to cost $260 or lower as rumours suggested
Rumors suggested 269, never 260 or lower. And the event was about the software education part and was intended to be a small event. That you and everyone else made it bigger really isn't on Apple.
There’s always next Christmas
Yeah, and I’m curious about this “Crayon” thing Logitech is coming out with. Maybe a child friendlier version of the Pencil?
[doublepost=1522172727][/doublepost]Oh, yeah, I just googled it. That’s exactly what it is.
Sales have been declining since the year after the Air 2's release. The Air 2 is still a darned good tablet and honestly, unless one wants Pencil support, there's not much reason to upgrade from it performance-wise. The release of the 2017 iPad actually bumped up Apple's sales last year (higher units sold, but lower ASP).
Sure, it would've been nicer if this was $259 but since this is Apple, I was quite skeptical of the rumored price point.
Iirc, Apple made a push for iPads in schools circa-iPad 2 but I think that mostly flopped. Now they're just trying again. Whether they make any headway, who knows? I think it's still priced too high for the education sector but from a consumer standpoint, I find it a welcome refresh to the 2017 iPad. Certainly a good upgrade for anyone still clinging to iPad Air or older.
[doublepost=1522172887][/doublepost]
Definitely more wallet-friendly.
Well said. I agreeSales have been declining since the year after the Air 2's release. The Air 2 is still a darned good tablet and honestly, unless one wants Pencil support, there's not much reason to upgrade from it performance-wise. The release of the 2017 iPad actually bumped up Apple's sales last year (higher units sold, but lower ASP).
Sure, it would've been nicer if this was $259 but since this is Apple, I was quite skeptical of the rumored price point.
Iirc, Apple made a push for iPads in schools circa-iPad 2 but I think that mostly flopped. Now they're just trying again. Whether they make any headway, who knows? I think it's still priced too high for the education sector but from a consumer standpoint, I find it a welcome refresh to the 2017 iPad. Certainly a good upgrade for anyone still clinging to iPad Air or older.
[doublepost=1522172887][/doublepost]
Definitely more wallet-friendly.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/crayon
More info about the crayon. Super interesting for kids.
More info about the crayon. Super interesting for kids.
No, I get where you're coming from. I simply disagree. You have ignored the other announcements that were made along with the new iPad. Logitech's Crayon @ $50 is 1/2 the price of the Apple Pencil. Logitech is also producing a ruggedized case/keyboard for it as well.
Even with the new Classroom software to manage iPads in the classroom, this is still too little too late to make a difference in the education market, IMO. But to call this new iPad a "joke" is a bit of hyperbole.
I do like the charging port on this one. I lost the Pencil adapter for the Lightning cable and it feels like the tip might break off if you nudge it when charging the Pencil via iPad.
I don't get all the hate occuring. Seems like a nice update, what's wrong with this iPad?