When it comes to its iPads, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has spent the past few years focusing on the prosumer market. The iPad Pro is viewed as a higher-margin device that competes against Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and its Surface Pro for business and creative professional customers. The new iPad AAPL announced in March is an attempt to appeal to consumers again. Our iPad (2017) review shows Apple may have built its most appealing mass-market tablet yet.
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The new iPad ticks a lot of boxes, including price — dropping the cost of a new, full-sized iPad to just $329. Is the new iPad (2017) worth considering as an upgrade, or as a new tablet? Read on to find out…
Apple New iPad (2017) Review: A Mashup of Older Apple Technology
Apple changed up its naming scheme when it announced its new iPad. It isn’t the iPad Air 3, it’s now just “iPad.” To keep things straight, this new model is now commonly being referred to as iPad (2017).
When it designed the iPad (2017), Apple seems to have picked components from its existing parts bin, putting together a tablet that’s lacking some of the technology of the iPad Air 2, but still an upgrade on many levels.
The new iPad is thicker and heavier than the iPad Air 2. That’s because it lacks the laminated, anti-reflective display, which, in that respect, makes it a throwback to the original iPad Air. It’s equipped with an 8MP camera found in the iPhone 5s and the iPad Air 2. But performance gets a big upgrade, with a move to the A9 chip from the iPhone 6s.
Apple New iPad (2017) Review: A Bargain Price
There’s nothing new about the new iPad (2017), and in some ways it’s a step back from the iPad Air 2. Yet it’s perfectly positioned to kick-start a round of upgrades because of one key feature: price.
One of Apple’s iPad problems has been the reluctance of owners of older iPads to upgrade. There are multiple generations of these tablets out there that lack features like Touch ID and even Retina displays. They can’t run current software. But upgrading to a more modern iPad was expensive and until the new iPad was announced, the cheapest option with a recent CPU was the $399 iPad Mini.
That meant taking a size cut as well as spending money, so many early iPad buyers simply haven’t bothered replacing their aging tablet, even if that means no iOS 10, no Apple Pay and no Siri.
With the iPad (2017), AAPL is offering a full-sized iPad with relatively current specs and a bargain $329 price.
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Apple New iPad (2017) Review: Key Specs
- 9.7-inch Retina display
- 64-bit A9 CPU with M9 motion coprocessor
- 32GB storage (128GB optional)
- 8MP primary camera, 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera
- Touch ID sensor
- Stereo speakers
- Dual band 802.11ac with MIMO, optional LTE
- Lightning connector
- 10-hour battery life
- Available in Silver, Gold and Space Gray
- Supports Siri and Apple Pay
- Runs iOS 10
- 9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29-inches, weighs 1.03 pounds
Apple New iPad (2017) Review: Conclusion
Offering an iPad that’s in some ways a step back from the model it replaces is thinking different for Apple. Until now, every new iPad has been not only faster, but thinner and lighter than the previous generation.
But thinking different — raiding the parts bin and coming up with something that’s essentially an original iPad Air with upgraded specs — let AAPL slash the price to $329. Considering that new full-sized iPads have traditionally started at $499 (and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro upped the ante to $599), this is a big move.
It’s not exactly exciting, but the new iPad (2017) offers a meaningful upgrade for those millions of older iPad owners who have been putting it off. And at $329 it’s not only a compelling upgrade, a full-sized iPad is finally priced low enough to tempt buyers who had been shopping Android or Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Fire Tablets purely because of affordability.
As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.