So, iPad (2018) vs iPad Air?

[MRISX]

First, the dumb question, all rumors were about the newly introduced iPads, right? Seems like the 9.7 in iPad will remain untouched, or I am missing something?

Now based on that, would you consider the price of Air is worth it vs the 2018 9.7in? Talking from future proof perspective, use of it for email, notes, Netflix, and an ocasional simple game.

Also, apart of the size, True Tone and the bells and whistles of the new display of the air would bring me also some benefit for my eyes if I use it to read an hour or so daily?

Thanks,

 

[JPack]

Seems like the 9.7 in iPad will remain untouched, or I am missing something?

Apple registered 7 new iPad models in various government databases. We saw 4 of them today (WiFi and LTE models of each). We're expecting at least one more model - the 10.2" mainstream iPad.

The 10.5" Air is geared towards productivity, where users are putting the Pencil to the glass for significant periods. If that's not your main usage, the 9.7" continues to be a good product even though it doesn't have a laminated display.

 

[skaertus]

First, the dumb question, all rumors were about the newly introduced iPads, right? Seems like the 9.7 in iPad will remain untouched, or I am missing something?

Now based on that, would you consider the price of Air is worth it vs the 2018 9.7in? Talking from future proof perspective, use of it for email, notes, Netflix, and an ocasional simple game.

Also, apart of the size, True Tone and the bells and whistles of the new display of the air would bring me also some benefit for my eyes if I use it to read an hour or so daily?

Thanks,

And now it just began. Apple trying to convince people to upgrade to the 10.5” instead of going with the cheaper 9.7”. It is probably worth it, you get more than what you could get one year ago, but you also pay more for that.

 

[AutomaticApple]

First, the dumb question, all rumors were about the newly introduced iPads, right? Seems like the 9.7 in iPad will remain untouched, or I am missing something?

Now based on that, would you consider the price of Air is worth it vs the 2018 9.7in? Talking from future proof perspective, use of it for email, notes, Netflix, and an ocasional simple game.

Also, apart of the size, True Tone and the bells and whistles of the new display of the air would bring me also some benefit for my eyes if I use it to read an hour or so daily?

Thanks,

iPad Air 3 all the way.

 

[Richard8655]

I'm very happy with my 5th and 6th generations with non-laminated regular Retina display. No need to upgrade this time round.

 

[aypues]

Apple registered 7 new iPad models in various government databases. We saw 4 of them today (WiFi and LTE models of each). We're expecting at least one more model - the 10.2" mainstream iPad.

The 10.5" Air is geared towards productivity, where users are putting the Pencil to the glass for significant periods. If that's not your main usage, the 9.7" continues to be a good product even though it doesn't have a laminated display.

I wonder what the 3 extra models are? Just variations of the base iPad sizes? There only 2 sizes offered now, 32gb and 128gb.

I actually prefer my iPad 5th gen screen to any of the Pro screens. They all have that magenta-ey antireflective filter which changes the white point, and the fingerprints are much worse.

I guess I’ll wait to see the new iPad Air screens in real life before committing to a purchase. But when I tried the 10.5 Pro I didn’t like the screen and returned it. I have a feeling it’s the same screen minus 120hz. I’d be in the base model camp for sure I think but will try the new Air.

 

[MRISX]

And now it just began. Apple trying to convince people to upgrade to the 10.5” instead of going with the cheaper 9.7”. It is probably worth it, you get more than what you could get one year ago, but you also pay more for that.

You are totally right, I was totally in the market for the regular iPad, then decided to wait a bit for the potential update and suddenly they chime in a little bigger combo in front and I am thinking why not, just a bit more....

 

[skaertus]

You are totally right, I was totally in the market for the regular iPad, then decided to wait a bit for the potential update and suddenly they chime in a little bigger combo in front and I am thinking why not, just a bit more....

I wonder when people started to be happy with just the crumbles Apple threw at them...

Apple used to sell its flagship iPad for USD 499. Now it is selling an iPad with legacy parts (reallocated to make most out of the supply chain) for USD 499 and people think it is a bargain. Go figure.

 

[joeblow7777]

The new iPad Air is clearly the better device but to tell the truth, I still feel like the 6th gen iPad is the best value in the iPad line up. Its performance with the A10 is still very good, and I believe that it will remain so for at least a couple more years. And in terms of price they're practically giving it away compared to the other models.

 

[skaertus]

The new iPad Air is clearly the better device but to tell the truth, I still feel like the 6th gen iPad is the best value in the iPad line up. It's performance with the A10 is still very good, and I believe that it will remain so for at least a couple more years. And in terms of price they're practically giving it away compared to the other models.

An outdated design with outdated specifications being sold for the same price as last year, I would not call it “giving it away”.

 

[MhaelK]

I wonder when people started to be happy with just the crumbles Apple threw at them...

Apple used to sell its flagship iPad for USD 499. Now it is selling an iPad with legacy parts (reallocated to make most out of the supply chain) for USD 499 and people think it is a bargain. Go figure.

I actually agree with you on this one. While the new ipad air is a great device on its own it definately feels at bit like a device made of leftover parts. Especially the use of the lightningport and pencil2 when apple already have moved beyond these makes me think this is just a hold-over device, which will get dropped quickly again. I was waiting for an upgrade but now im think that at half the cost the 2018 ipad might be a better buy until next gen iPads comes along.

For me apple ipad Line looks like this right now.
Ipad Pro: too expensive for my usage.
Ipad Air: almost there, but not quite due to severe skimping on some parts (when compared to price)
Ipad (2018): value buy. if only it had a bit more ram.

 

[joeblow7777]

An outdated design with outdated specifications being sold for the same price as last year, I would not call it “giving it away”.

What’s outdated about the design? Does it affect the function? Ultimately all tablets are just glass and metal rectangles.

And considering that the Mini 4 until yesterday was selling at a higher price with a 2 generation older processor, and how much more expensive all the new models are, I stand by what I said about the regular iPad being the best value.

 

[EugW]

Unless Microsoft changes something, the 9.7" iPad can use MS Office for free, but the 10.5" Air cannot.

 

[MhaelK]

Unless Microsoft changes something, the 9.7" iPad can use MS Office for free, but the 10.5" Air cannot.

Really, I did not know this. Do you know the reason behind this?

 

[joeblow7777]

Really, I did not know this. Do you know the reason behind this?

MS decided some time ago that devices with smaller than 10” displays get free access to Office. I guess they figured that any larger and you’re getting into laptop replacement territory.

 

[skaertus]

I actually agree with you on this one. While the new ipad air is a great device on its own it definately feels at bit like a device made of leftover parts. Especially the use of the lightningport and pencil2 when apple already have moved beyond these makes me think this is just a hold-over device, which will get dropped quickly again. I was waiting for an upgrade but now im think that at half the cost the 2018 ipad might be a better buy until next gen iPads comes along.

For me apple ipad Line looks like this right now.
Ipad Pro: too expensive for my usage.
Ipad Air: almost there, but not quite due to severe skimping on some parts (when compared to price)
Ipad (2018): value buy. if only it had a bit more ram.

Let me be a little bit more skeptical than you. The way I see it:

iPad Pro: it is the flagship line, and the only line that carries the latest advancements, all the others being composed by leftover parts. Apple used to sell the latest, flagship iPad for USD 499, but now it decided to include a "Pro" in the name to convince people to sell it for USD 799, as if it were a whole new line of tablets.

iPad Air: Apple decided that it had to do something with the shell of the old iPad Pro and decided to launch a new line, to not sell it for the price of the budget iPad. It is an iPad made of leftover parts, but the design is less than two years old.

iPad: Apple decided to do something with the shell of the old iPad Air/iPad Pro and launched a line of budget iPads. It has a design over 5 years old, but Apple still manages to keep selling it for more than USD 300 and people still think it is a bargain. Now, Apple did not update it and may well leave the budget iPad to die a slow death, in an attempt to convince people to disburse more money for a newer (although still outdated) design.

None of them is a real bargain. It is just Apple being more greedy than it used to.
[doublepost=1552997113][/doublepost]

What’s outdated about the design? Does it affect the function? Ultimately all tablets are just glass and metal rectangles.

And considering that the Mini 4 until yesterday was selling at a higher price with a 2 generation older processor, and how much more expensive all the new models are, I stand by what I said about the regular iPad being the best value.

An outdated design does not affect its function. The fact that it is outdated means that there are newer and more advanced ones.

The 9.7-inch model has a design that dates back from more than 5 years ago. It is heavier and has larger bezels than it could. So, it is outdated. Functional, but outdated.

The mini 4 was a joke, Apple was just selling it at this price so it could launch a new one for USD 399 and people still think it is a bargain. The sellers at Apple Store once were recommending against the mini 4, saying nobody was buying it, as it was overpriced and outdated.

The fact that Apple is charging ridiculous prices for new iPads using old parts does not make the 9.7-inch iPad a good value.

 

[Richard8655]

iPad: Apple decided to do something with the shell of the old iPad Air/iPad Pro and launched a line of budget iPads. It has a design over 5 years old, but Apple still manages to keep selling it for more than USD 300 and people still think it is a bargain. Now, Apple did not update it and may well leave the budget iPad to die a slow death, in an attempt to convince people to disburse more money for a newer (although still outdated) design.

An outdated design does not affect its function. The fact that it is outdated means that there are newer and more advanced ones.

The 9.7-inch model has a design that dates back from more than 5 years ago. It is heavier and has larger bezels than it could. So, it is outdated. Functional, but outdated.

I think constantly chasing technology, whatever it is, just because it's dangled in front of you results in falling exactly into their marketing plans. If a product and design provides the functionality and performance you need, it doesn't matter how their marketing is trying to convince you it's "outdated", and you had better replace it to be faddishly current. This is where psychology works so well in generating much of the profit.

 

[MhaelK]

Let me be a little bit more skeptical than you. The way I see it:

iPad Pro: it is the flagship line, and the only line that carries the latest advancements, all the others being composed by leftover parts. Apple used to sell the latest, flagship iPad for USD 499, but now it decided to include a "Pro" in the name to convince people to sell it for USD 799, as if it were a whole new line of tablets.

iPad Air: Apple decided that it had to do something with the shell of the old iPad Pro and decided to launch a new line, to not sell it for the price of the budget iPad. It is an iPad made of leftover parts, but the design is less than two years old.

iPad: Apple decided to do something with the shell of the old iPad Air/iPad Pro and launched a line of budget iPads. It has a design over 5 years old, but Apple still manages to keep selling it for more than USD 300 and people still think it is a bargain. Now, Apple did not update it and may well leave the budget iPad to die a slow death, in an attempt to convince people to disburse more money for a newer (although still outdated) design.

None of them is a real bargain. It is just Apple being more greedy than it used to.
[doublepost=1552997113][/doublepost]

An outdated design does not affect its function. The fact that it is outdated means that there are newer and more advanced ones.

The 9.7-inch model has a design that dates back from more than 5 years ago. It is heavier and has larger bezels than it could. So, it is outdated. Functional, but outdated.

The mini 4 was a joke, Apple was just selling it at this price so it could launch a new one for USD 399 and people still think it is a bargain. The sellers at Apple Store once were recommending against the mini 4, saying nobody was buying it, as it was overpriced and outdated.

The fact that Apple is charging ridiculous prices for new iPads using old parts does not make the 9.7-inch iPad a good value.

I see what you mean, and I agree with you that the lack of competition in the tablet space is allowing apple to be much less innovation and competitive than good is. If there had been any competition the update path of the regular air (1+2) had probably lead to were the ipad Pro is now. However, i dont really find the use of the old air design such as bad idea. Especially since the new Pro design is riddled with structual faults. For me it is ommision of newer parts and lower ram that hurts. Over the whole of apple’s product Line I feel that there is dumb-down process going on to increase the profit on the expence of the end-user experience. Making it harder and harder to upgrade my apple gear.

Im looking only to update my ipad air 2 because I want to hand it down to family memebers. However, when looking at the new offerings i find not much of Real value to me and my usage unless I want to pay twice the price of what i paid for the air 2.

 

[skaertus]

I think constantly chasing technology, whatever it is, just because it's dangled in front of you results in falling exactly into their marketing plans. If a product and design provides the functionality and performance you need, it doesn't matter how their marketing is trying to convince you it's "outdated", and you had better replace it to be faddishly current. This is where psychology works so well in generating much of the profit.

I suppose so. But the fact is that, while the 9.7” design works, it is not exactly what I would like. I would much prefer a 11” screen, but I simply cannot justify spending that money for a device I barely use.

 

[sracer]

The fact that Apple is charging ridiculous prices for new iPads using old parts does not make the 9.7-inch iPad a good value.

I appreciate your well-considered and thoughtful opinion. But I disagree with your conclusion about the 9.7 2018 iPad not being good value. Except for fringe cases, the 2018 iPad is capable of performing the same tasks as the more expensive iPad Pros. "Doing the same thing for less" is a reasonable definition of "good value".

Gimmicks (yes, IMO, they're gimmicks) like ProMotion, FaceID, and rounded-corners screen add to the cost of the device but don't allow the user to do more. They're fine for people who want those things and willing to pay extra for them, but THOSE things don't add value for the reasons why people buy a tablet in the first place.

 

[skaertus]

I appreciate your well-considered and thoughtful opinion. But I disagree with your conclusion about the 9.7 2018 iPad not being good value. Except for fringe cases, the 2018 iPad is capable of performing the same tasks as the more expensive iPad Pros. "Doing the same thing for less" is a reasonable definition of "good value".

Gimmicks (yes, IMO, they're gimmicks) like ProMotion, FaceID, and rounded-corners screen add to the cost of the device but don't allow the user to do more. They're fine for people who want those things and willing to pay extra for them, but THOSE things don't add value for the reasons why people buy a tablet in the first place.

These gimmicks really do not add value. But the larger screen and a better screen-to-weight ratio certainly add value to the product. The rest is just a bunch of excuses for Apple to raise the prices. My iPad Pro has True Tone and four speakers and these two features and nothing are pretty much the same thing.

 

[Otflyer]

An outdated design with outdated specifications being sold for the same price as last year, I would not call it “giving it away”.

Yes but, it’s easy to find for as little as $249
[doublepost=1553002438][/doublepost]

I think constantly chasing technology, whatever it is, just because it's dangled in front of you results in falling exactly into their marketing plans. If a product and design provides the functionality and performance you need, it doesn't matter how their marketing is trying to convince you it's "outdated", and you had better replace it to be faddishly current. This is where psychology works so well in generating much of the profit.

Nailed it!

 

[MacDevil7334]

Im looking only to update my ipad air 2 because I want to hand it down to family memebers. However, when looking at the new offerings i find not much of Real value to me and my usage unless I want to pay twice the price of what i paid for the air 2.

See, I guess I don’t understand this line of reasoning. This new Air has a bigger screen with better color reproduction, the most recent Apple processor, and supports both the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. It does all of this at the same $499 price point as the Air 2 started at 5 years ago (which means it actually costs less when adjusted for inflation). It’s basically a slightly stripped down 10.5” iPad Pro at a $150 lower price. I’m not sure how much better of a deal you’re going to get out of Apple.

 

[MhaelK]

See, I guess I don’t understand this line of reasoning. This new Air has a bigger screen with better color reproduction, the most recent Apple processor, and supports both the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. It does all of this at the same $499 price point as the Air 2 started at 5 years ago (which means it actually costs less when adjusted for inflation). It’s basically a slightly stripped down 10.5” iPad Pro at a $150 lower price. I’m not sure how much better of a deal you’re going to get out of Apple.

As i said somewhere above, the new ipad air is a great device on its own. However, the use of old gen pencil (stupid design), lightningport when we know apple is moving to USB-C, and skimping on the ram (assuming 3GB) put a bit of a damper on the glowing impression. Also now you have to compare it to the ipad (2018) which is half the price of the new ipad air, and still a value buy in my opinion.

Maybe I just expected more after 4 years of usage, if there was any competition in the tablet space the new ipad air would probably have the specs/design of the 11 ipad pro at $499.

Edit: when I bought the air2 i got the top of the Line ipad for $499. Now you get a (less than) middle of the Road ipad, so even when adjustment for inflation the comparision between the two doesn’t look good for the new ipad air.

 

[sracer]

As i said somewhere above, the new ipad air is a great device on its own. However, the use of old gen pencil (stupid design), lightningport when we know apple is moving to USB-C, and skimping on the ram (assuming 3GB) put a bit of a damper on the glowing impression. Also now you have to compare it to the ipad (2018) which is half the price of the new ipad air, and still a value buy in my opinion.

Maybe I just expected more after 4 years of usage, if there was any competition in the tablet space the new ipad air would probably have the specs/design of the 11 ipad pro at $499.

Edit: when I bought the air2 i got the top of the Line ipad for $499. Now you get a (less than) middle of the Road ipad, so even when adjustment for inflation the comparision between the two doesn’t look good for the new ipad air.

I'm not following. If you want an iPad that supports Pencil 2 and USB-C, you have an option: the 11" iPad Pro. Sounds like you simply don't want to pay the price for it. That seems to be the root issue of your criticism.

The base model of the Air 2 was $499...and that was for 16GB storage. That wasn't "top of the line". Each storage increment was an additional $200. And to call it "top of the line" is a bit misleading because Apple only sold 2 models... the Air 2 and the Mini.