Apple has finally announced a new 9.7-inch iPad aimed at students and educators. The much rumoured device will support the Apple Pencil, and includes the same tilt and pressure sensors as those found on the iPad Pro.
Despite being aimed towards the education sector, the refreshed 9.7-inch iPad is no slouch in the hardware department. It packs a Retina display and is powered by an A10 Fusion chip. There’s an 8MP front camera on the device, which looks to be mainly intended for FaceTime calls. Security is handled by a finger print sensor on the front to enable TouchID
It also packs internal GPS, a compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, and an optional LTE connection. Apple is also saying that the battery will last for 10 hours of continuous use.
New versions of the iWork app suite will also be included on the new iPad; mostly to make use of the Apple Pen integration. However, some vague details were provided on an app that will allow teachers to compose and distribute textbooks on the tablet.
While Apple had originally started its presentation by saying that this is the most affordable iPad yet, it is still priced at $329 for the 32GB storage WiFi only base model. That said, there is an option for schools to buy it for only $299. There’s no news on whether this will extend to schools outside the US at the moment.
This new iPad is also supposedly already available for purchase today in its launch markets (none of which happen to be Malaysia), and is expected to ship by this week.
[Source: The Verge]
