Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad will cost more than the iPad Air 2
Apple is expected to take the wraps off its new iPhone SE at the scheduled spring event this coming Monday. Alongside the handset, Cupertino looks poised to drop a new 9.7-inch iPad, and according to numerous reports, the next-gen slab will boast strong features à la Apple's iPad Pro. Though its been touted as the 'iPad Air 3', it will likely instead carry the 'iPad Pro' moniker, and in line with its powerful specs, the starting price looks set to exceed the $500 mark.
Hitherto, no 9.7-inch iPad has carried a base price of over $499, but Apple will use the new device's Pro credentials to justify a $599 starting cost, according to 9to5Mac. Additionally, the report implies that Apple will not include a 16-gig version at base level, beginning at 32 GB of storage as the bare minimum.
This decision to bump up the introductory storage tier makes considerable sense given the supposed 4K video capabilities of the rear-facing camera. These higher-res videos will naturally demand considerable real estate, and as such, Apple will also offer a 128 GB version of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The new tab is not poised to replace the iPad Air 2, per this latest coverage, with the pre-existing slate set to continue at upwards of $499.
As has been discussed ad nauseam, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will include Apple's A9X processor, along with support for Apple Pencil. As with the full-size iPad Pro, there will be a Smart Connector for support of the company's Smart Keyboard, which has apparently been downsized for compatibility with the upcoming model.
Apple's event is to be held this coming Monday, by which time we'll know everything about both the new iPad and the enigmatic iPhone SE. As ever, we'll have all of the major announcements covered right here at PhoneArena, so stay tuned!
source: 9to5Mac
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