Apple announced a new iPad at its first event of the year in Chicago, yesterday.
The company this time kept education in focus unlike previous iPad launches. Apple refers the tablet as the "new 9.7-inch iPad", and wants to serve the same screen size, as it has been found it to be the best size for an iPad.
It replaces the iPad (2017), just to really confuse things in the naming department, and we'll refer to this latest version as the new iPad (2018).
- Check out our hands on: New iPad 2018 review
There's not much detail about the new iPad, but Apple says it's the most affordable iPad, has Apple Pencil support and has a high-resolution display.
Even though the Pencil is supported, this isn't an iPad Pro variant, so expect the power under the hood to be less than those that bear the Pro name.
- Getting replaced: read our iPad (2017) review
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Apple's most affordable iPad
- When is it out? March 27
- What will it cost? Rs 28,000 for Wi-Fi only variant and Rs 38,600 for the Wi-Fi + LTE
New iPad (2018) release date
The new iPad release date is 27 March, but as of now, there is no word on the availability details of the new 9.7-inch iPad in India.
New iPad (2018) price in India
In India, the new 9.7-inch Apple iPad costs Rs 28,000 for Wi-Fi only variant and Rs 38,600 for the Wi-Fi + LTE variant. The Apple Pencil will be sold separately for Rs 7,600.
The new iPad will be available in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray color options.
Weight: 469g (1.03 pounds)
Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 7.5mm
Screen size: 9.7-inch
Resolution: 2048 x 1536
Power: A10 Fusion Chip
OS: iOS 11
Storage: 32GB/128GB
Rear camera: 8MP
Front camera: 1.2MP Facetime HD
Battery: up to 10 hours
Touch ID, Pencil Support, up to 300Mbps LTE
New iPad (2018) design
Once again, Apple didn't made any changes to the design language of the iPad (2018). It looks exactly the same as the previous iterations, having the same metal unibody with thick bezels on the front.
It retains the physical home button with Touch ID fingerprint sensor inbuilt. Moreover, it has a Facetime HD camera above the display and a rear facing camera on the top right corner on the back.
It weighs 469g (1.03 pounds), which is the same as the iPad that it's replacing, and audiophiles rejoice - there's a headphone jack here too.
New iPad (2018) display
There's nothing new in terms of the display, it has Apple's familiar 9.7-inch, 4:3 aspect ratio panel providing a pleasing 2048x1536 resolution.
New iPad (2018) power and OS
The new iPad 2018 is powered by Apple's A10 Fusion chipset which has previously featured in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
It is an upgrade over the new iPad 2017 too, which featured the A9 chip. It means that you do get more power over its predecessor, but it still won't be as powerful as the A10X chips in the latest iPad Pro devices.
The new iPad also runs the latest version of Apple's mobile platform, iOS 11, and it should be in line for major iOS updates for the next couple of years at least.
New iPad (2018) cameras
Apple is also pushing the versatility of the new iPad, which is why it's included a front and rear camera.
The 8MP rear snapper can be used for Augmented Reality experiences as well as taking photos - and then you can use the Pencil (or Crayon) to annotate them. It also supports full HD video recording.
Round the front a 1.2MP Facetime HD camera allows you to make video calls, as well as snap the odd selfie.
New iPad (2018) battery
Apple claims that the new iPad 2018 will offer all-day battery life - which it sees as up to 10 hours.
While Apple never reveals the capacity of its power packs, we are inclined to believe its battery claim as previous iPads have been very efficient in the power department.
New iPad (2018) software and apps
There are new versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote - Apple's answer to Microsoft's Office Suite - which now support Pencil input as the firm really drives home the messaging that this is an iPad that's great to do school work on.
Pages will also adopt a new feature called "Smart Annotations" that will move with the section of text/image they're associated with, so you never lose your notes. It won't be available in the first update of Pages though - it'll arrive later.
The new iPad will also offer richer learning environments, such as the ability to dissect a frog in AR - rather than having to use and actual frog.
There's further good news for schools as Apple has increased free iCloud storage from 5GB to 200GB - sadly though general consumer accounts will not get the same bump.
Another boost for schools - and their bank balances - is the 'Shared iPad' function, allowing a teacher to create user accounts for all the children in their class, meaning you don't need to buy one iPad per student.
While fewer iPads will limit their effectiveness on a class, the fact students will have their own logins means they can feel confident their work is safe.
