Apple Must‘s Jonny Evans writes that Apple’s new 10.2-inch iPad has, as you might expect, a few small compromises, but Apple’s latest entry-level iPad is now nearly as good a device as last year’s mid-range iPad Air, powered by the same processor, but with a much lower starting price.
Apple’s eighth-generation iPad features the powerful A12 Bionic chip that brings the Neural Engine to the entry iPad for the first time. Starting at just $329, the upgrade packs even more value into the most popular and affordable iPad, featuring a stunning 10.2-inch Retina display, advanced cameras, and great all-day battery life
I’d argue that what this iPad proves is that in the absence of any serious competition, Apple has decided to compete with itself.
Take a look at the 2019 iPad for an illustration of this. This also had a 10.2-inch display, but used a relatively ancient A10 chip. Did Apple just iterate in the next edition? No. Instead, it squeezed much that’s great about an Air 3 inside the device. It raised all the boats and skipped a couple of chip generations… what you have here is an iPad that maintains the same design constituents that made iPad, well, iPad, but you also have a new entry-level iPad that’s quite as capable as last year’s iPad Air, delivers the test results to back that claim up, and reflects a real move by Apple to raise all the boats that make up the iPad fleet…
If you’re in the market to replace your non-Apple tablet, have an older iPad, or just want to find out what an iPad can do, this is a great machine that proves Apple’s commitment to the product range… The 2020 iPad is a very good release of a very good product that shows a very bright future for the line.
MacDailyNews Take: We can imagine millions of these iPads in the hands of consumers, students and teachers, and businesspeople in a very short period of time.
Apple hit a home run in value with the new iPad, starting at just $329 $299 at Amazon right now.