Apple is known for its quality yet expensive products. In a move to negate this negative image, Apple did release an iPad model featuring a 9.7 inch screen size earlier this year in March for just a $329.
To follow up with this in-expensive tablet strategy it is expected that Apple will again follow suit and go on to release another new 9.7 inch iPad around a price tag of $259 according to a report by DigiTimes.
The purpose behind this move is pretty simple. Apple wants to cash on those customers who are highly priced sensitive. Furthermore, it shall also by this be able to target its tablet towards price conscious markets such as the industrial enterprise developments.
For those who think it is a generous gesture by Apple, then it might not be what you think. A major reason for decreasing the tablet prices might be the slow sales encountered by Apple iPad.
iPad’s sales have declined since 2014 when they were sky-rocketing. Therefore, it seemed feasible for Apple to rather attract more customers than face a dry run.
This move actually worked for Apple like a charm. The recent $329 iPad attracted many since it became affordable for most of us. Therefore, the iPad sales have since then again recovered. These have further compelled the iPad Pro upgrades.
As of now, there isn’t enough evidence to actually confirm if the $259 priced iPad would be released alongside a $329 or if it would be released as a sole successor. If released as the only successor than this means Apple is keener towards decreasing its iPad prices.
Currently, for all the tech-savvy the exact technical specifications aren’t available as of now. It is expected that Apple could very release the 2018 iPad as a slightly tweaked version of the 2017 iPad available at a lower cost.
According to a report by ibitimes, expect the 2018 iPad to come in the second quarter of 2018. The release would surely make a price competition between other tech giants with the likes of Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo, and Huawei. Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet with Alexa is sold at $150, while its Fire 7 tablet sells for as low as $50. Meanwhile, Samsung’s latest Tab S3 is on the more expensive side at the price tag of a $699.
It is to be noted that DigiTimes is surely not one of the reliable sources when it comes to Apple and its products. What we can all do is sit back and wait for further information from Apple itself.