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Blog / Restarting Apple's iPad Growth
Mar 22, 2017
by Bodyguardz
Yesterday was a quietly interesting day for Apple enthusiasts. The company surprised the less-rabid portions of its fan base with an assortment of “new-ish" products, including the new 9.7-inch iPad Air 3, oh, I mean iPad. Now, you should care about this because it appears to be Apple's first official effort to jump start the iPad's flat sales by doing the most obvious thing—lowering the price. Impressively, the new iPad has an entry price of $329 for the Wi-Fi 32GB edition, a staggering price drop from the original 32GB iPad, which sold for $599. Of course, that is where the similarities end. While some will argue that iPad takes a step back in order to take to two steps forward, it is worth suggesting that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Let me explain: For starters, iPad is fatter and heavier than the iPad Air 2 it is replacing. Simply put, Apple jumped back two design generations and adopted the iPad Air chassis. The new iPad is 1.4mm thicker than iPad Air 2 and weighs 1.03 pounds, an increase of .07 pounds. Placed in context, that is less than the average weight of a single No. 2 pencil. Translation: It's not a big deal. So yes, iPad took a slight step back in terms of thickness and weight. However, Apple improved the device where it really counts by adding a brighter screen, bigger battery and a faster processor. Each of these upgrades is hugely important to the education market and casual users who are particular about finding an optimal balance between price and performance. While iPad does not support the Pro's Apple Pencil or Smart Connector, it is a really attractive option for those who love iOS, and are open to adding a capable tablet to their digital ecosystem. Today, up to 30 percent of active iPad consumers use a 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation device, which equates to a lot of people using tablets that are anywhere from 4-6 years old. While these older devices can run iOS 10, with the exception of original iPad, when iOS 11 is released the technology gap could finally be noticeable enough to drive potential customers to the nearest Apple Store for a test drive. Apple desperately needs to give its customers a taste of the "new-ish" tech they have been missing at a basement price. Customers may just walk out with an iPad that will last them another 5 years or more. This is clearly Apple's first real attempt at jump-starting budget iPad growth....with much more to come on the high-end, so stay tuned! About the Author Michael Bingham is the public relations manager for BodyGuardz, a leading provider of Apple and Samsung mobile protection accessories, such as glass screen protectors, cases, and clear skins. Living with his family at the base of Utah's Wasatch mountain range, Michael is an avid skier and lover of all things tech. He can be reached via email at: mbingham@bodyguardz.com