Apple iPad (2018) hands-on: It’s all about the apps

Apple’s new iPad isn’t actually that new: It was heavily leaked, for one, and, importantly, it’s just about the same as the basic iPad it replaces. The company unveiled the device today at what was billed as an education-focused keynote today. Indeed, it was held at a Chicago high school, with frequent cameos from teachers, the most important group this device is being marketed for. As you’d expect of Engadget at an Apple keynote, my colleague Chris Velazco and I had a brief chance afterward to handle the new tablet. Whereas Apple product unveilings are typically showcases for shiny new hardware, though, this time the physical trappings are mostly an afterthought. What we have here is a revised version of Apple’s existing 9.7-inch iPad, with the biggest change being support for the Apple Pencil. (It’s still sold separately.)

I could tell you about the aluminum enclosure, available in several colors; how light it is, at one pound; the 8-megapixel camera; and the A10 Fusion Chip borrowed from the iPhone 7. But that’s all beside the point. What really matters is how teachers use it.

Until now, the Apple Pencil has been reserved for the high-end iPad Pro line. And the use cases you were familiar with were probably note-taking apps and painting suites. That’s a fine sales pitch when you’re a grown-up with a creative job, but it makes less sense for classrooms. Children don’t just need to take notes; they need to follow through with lessons and activities in various classes. And for many students, they’re not art classes, either — not with the cuts to arts funding that many school districts are seeing. (Incidentally, those same budget cuts might continue to push educators toward Chrome OS devices if they can still be had for less than a $299 iPad.)

What we saw today, though, throughout Apple’s keynote, was an endeavor to show how drawing and note-taking needn’t be distinct activities. What if instead, you could draw inside apps meant to teach other subjects, like history or geology?

In part, Apple is spearheading this push on its own. For starters, its Pages, Numbers and Keynote iPad apps all received updates, available today, that allow for use of the Apple Pencil inside the app. In one demo here at the school, for instance, I drew on a geology diagram in Keynote. I had my choice of writing implements and colors. And when I was done, I could have my drawings reanimate themselves as line drawings, with the playback slow enough for a teacher and other students to potentially follow along in a real-world setting.

And those are just Apple’s own apps. The company was keen to showcase a number of third-party apps today as well, including one that lets you dissect virtual frogs with a pencil, instead of your hands and a scalpel. (The company also made repeated references to the number of iPad apps available, and those designed specifically for the Pencil and/or for education.) Apple’s message is clear: It wants to remind teachers that the iPad is useful in classrooms, and that the Pencil in particular is more than just idle doodling.

But the experience isn’t just about the Pencil anyway. Apple was also keen today to show off a number of augmented reality apps that take advantage of the main 8-megapixel camera. During the keynote, the company showcased an app that takes kids on a virtual museum trip. The portraiture on display looked impressive enough on the iPad’s Retina screen, but users could also walk around painting to discover curious, true-to-life details on the backs of the frames. In the demo room, we saw an app that focused on anatomy. (You can see an glimpses of an augmented hand in our, uh, hands-on photos.) And next to a net-enclosed drone zone, an Apple spokesperson showed off a forthcoming update to Swift Playground in which students can write code to direct real robots and robots that exist solely as AR avatars.

As a reporter, I must say this has been an odd unveiling. I’m not referring just to the unusual setting, or even the fact that it was so software-focused. For once, this product isn’t really for me. Or even necessarily you. The people who will ultimately buy the new iPad and buy into its ecosystem are the same people who will be most excited by the $299 price: That would be teachers and the school districts that control their budgets.

Incidentally, I also believe those are the best people to ultimately review the experiences being shown off today in a crowded room at a Chicago high school. Is the iPad versatile and easy to use enough that it might steal some market share from Google? That is ultimately for educators and their students to decide. Which is why it makes sense that today’s keynote was a rare presentation by, and for, teachers.

Chris Velazco contributed to this report.

Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s education event right here!

How the ‘new’ iPad compares to the rest of Apple’s tablets

The iPad line has diversified a bit the past few years, with Apple introducing two sizes of its “Pro” model in addition to a more basic 9.7-inch device. But, while last year’s tablet offered some decent specs at a friendly $329 price point, it lacked few of Apple’s more modern flourishes. Apple’s “new” 9.7-inch iPad rectifies some of that by upgrading to an A10 processor and (most importantly) adding Pencil support. The hope here is it can go toe-to-toe with affordable Chromebooks that have taken over classrooms. It helps that schools can buy an iPad for $299, but the price hasn’t budged for consumers — you’ll still need to cough up $329. So, how does it compare to its iPad siblings? Check out the table below to see all the most important specs.

iPad (2018)
iPad (2017)
iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017)
iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 2017)

Price
$299 for schools / $329 retail
$329 / $429
$649 / $749 / $949
$799 / $949 / $1,149

Dimensions
240 x 169.5 x 7.5mm (9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29 inches)
240 x 169.5 x 7.5mm (9.4 x 6.6 x 0.29 inches)
250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm (9.8 x 6.8 x 0.24 inches)
305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm (12 x 8.68 x 0.27 inches)

Weight
469g (1.03 pounds)
469g (1.03 pounds)
469g (1.03 pounds)
677g (1.49 pounds)

OS
iOS 11
iOS 11
iOS 11
iOS 11

Display
9.7-inch IPS LCD Retina display
9.7-inch IPS LCD Retina display
10.5-inch IPS LCD Retina display
12.9-inch IPS LCD Retina display

Resolution
2,048 x 1,536 (264 ppi)
2,048 x 1,536 (264 ppi)
2,224 x 1,668 (264 ppi)
2,732 x 2,048 (264 ppi)

Aspect ratio
4:3
4:3
4:3
4:3

Processor
Apple A10
Apple A9
Apple A10X
Apple A10X

Memory
TBA
2GB
4GB
4GB

Storage
32 / 128GB
32 / 128GB
64 / 256 / 512GB
64 / 256 / 512GB

Front camera
1.2MP, f/2.2, 720p video
1.2MP, f/2.2, 720p video
7MP, f/2.2, 1080p video
7MP, f/2.2, 1080p video

Rear camera
8MP, f/2.4, 1080p video at 30fps
8MP, f/2.4, 1080p video at 30fps
12MP, f/1.8, 4K video at 30fps
12MP, f/1.8, 4K video at 30fps

Cellular radio
Optional
GSM/EDGE
CDMA
UMTS/HSPA/
HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
LTE
Optional
GSM/EDGE
CDMA
UMTS/HSPA/
HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
LTE
Optional
GSM/EDGE
CDMA
UMTS/HSPA/
HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
LTE
Optional
GSM/EDGE
CDMA
UMTS/HSPA/
HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
LTE

WiFi
Dual band 802.11ac
Dual band 802.11ac
Dual band 802.11ac
Dual band 802.11ac

Bluetooth
v4.2
v4.2
v4.2
v4.2

Battery
10 hours
32.4 Wh, 10 hours
30.4 Wh, 10 hours
41 Wh, 10 hours

Pencil support
Yes
No
Yes
Yes

Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s education event right here!

Facebook faces lawsuit over discriminatory housing ads

A couple of years ago, the Congressional Black Caucus said that Facebook had violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by allowing advertisers to exclude racial and ethnic groups when buying ads for housing, employment or even credit. Last year, ProPublica said that the social media company was still approving discriminatory ads that exclude ethnic groups. Now, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) has filed a lawsuit against Facebook that alleges the advertising platform allows landlords and real estate brokers to exclude families with women and children from even seeing housing ads.

The suit says that this behavior violates the FHA, which has “prohibited both publishers and advertisers from targeting ads based on sex, family status, disability, national origin and other protected characteristics.” The FHA was enacted fifty years ago, in an era of billboards, for rent signs and classified ads.

The claimants allege that Facebook has abused its enormous power in this new era of online advertising and should be held to the same standards. “Whereas in the past, the excluded group might see the “for rent” sign or newspaper classified ad because the ads were located in a public forum, the stealth nature of Facebook’s technology hides housing ads from entire groups of people,” wrote the claimants. “Facebook’s algorithms can ensure exclusion and deny access to housing.”

Via: The New York Times

Source: National Fair Housing Alliance

AppleCare+ Price Reduced to $69 for 9.7-Inch iPad and iPad Mini Models

Apple today reduced the price of AppleCare+ for 9.7-inch iPad and iPad mini models to $69 in the United States, down from $99.

AppleCare+ was previously $99 for any iPad, but that price now applies to iPad Pro models only. The lower $69 price for the iPad and iPad mini has been offered by select Best Buy stores for the past several months.

AppleCare+ is an optional warranty plan that extends an iPad’s or iPad mini’s warranty period to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $49 plus applicable taxes in the United States.

AppleCare+ for iPad also provides 24/7 priority access to support advisors via online chat or phone for up to two years after the device’s original purchase date. Without the plan, iPad owners are covered by Apple’s limited one-year warranty and an initial 90 days of complimentary telephone support.

Apple charges out-of-warranty repair fees of $299 for the iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 4 and $249 for most 9.7-inch iPad models, including the sixth-generation model introduced at its education event today. By comparison, the upfront cost of AppleCare+ for iPad plus one incidental fee is $118, so the warranty can pay for itself.

AppleCare+ pricing for 9.7-inch iPad and iPad mini models has also been reduced in other countries, including Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Prices vary based on local currencies.

(Thanks, Christian!)

Related Roundups: iPad mini 4 (2015), iPadTag: AppleCareBuyer’s Guide: iPad Mini (Don’t Buy), iPad (Buy Now)
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Apple Debuts New iPhone and iPad Cases, Launches New Apple Watch Bands

Following its educational event in Chicago, Apple quietly introduced iPhone and iPad cases in new spring colors and officially launched the Apple Watch bands that were introduced last week.

The new iPhone cases, iPad Smart Covers, Apple Pencil covers, and more, are available in bright primary colors, perhaps a nod to the educational focus of today’s event.

The $39 iPhone X Silicone Case, for example, is available in Lemonade, Red Raspberry, Denim Blue, as are silicone cases for the iPhone 7/8 and iPhone 7/8 Plus.

The $49 iPhone X Leather Case, iPhone 7/8 Leather Case, and iPhone 7/8 Plus Leather Case are available in new Bright Orange, Spring Yellow, Electric Blue, and Soft Pink colors. The $99 iPhone X Leather Folio is available in new Soft Pink and Electric Blue shades.

Apple’s $129 Leather Sleeve for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is available in Soft Pink and Electric Blue, as is the $29 Apple Pencil Case for the Apple Pencil.

The $49 10.5-inch iPad Pro Smart Cover is available in new Lemonade and Red Raspberry shades, while the $69 10.5-inch Leather iPad Pro Smart Cover is available in Electric Blue and Soft Pink.

Apple last week introduced new Apple Watch bands in a variety of spring colors, and all of those bands are available for purchase starting today. The $49 Sport Band is now available in Lemonade, Red Raspberry, and Denim Blue, while the $49 Nike Sport Bands now come in Cargo Khaki/Black, Barely Rose/Pearl Pink, and Black/White.

Woven Nylon Bands ($49) are available in new striped shades including Pink Stripe, Blue Stripe, Gray Stripe, and Black Stripe, while the newer $49 Sport Loop bands now come in Hot Pink, Flash Light, Tahoe Blue, and Marine Green.

The Classic Buckle ($149) is available in Soft Pink, Spring Yellow, and Electric Blue, and there are several new Single Tour ($439) and Double Tour ($489) Hermès bands in fresh designs and colors.

All of the new Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, iPad cases, and other accessories are available for purchase from the online Apple Store starting today and should be in stores later this week.
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Full Video of Apple’s Chicago Education Event Now Available on Apple TV

Apple didn’t live stream today’s education-focused event held at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago, but the company has made a video available in the Events app of the Apple TV now that it’s over.

The video spans for an hour and seven minutes, and while Apple mainly focused on educational topics, it does include the unveiling of the new low-cost $329 sixth-generation iPad, which comes equipped with Apple Pencil support.

Apple has not yet made the event available to watch on its website, but a video should be uploaded and available soon, and a direct link to the video is available here. A YouTube version may also come later in the day.

In addition to its main event, Apple has shared several new iPad-focused YouTube videos that were shown during the Chicago event.

The first video, above, focuses on the Apple Pencil being used to draw the new iPad, highlighting Apple Pencil integration in the low-cost tablet. The other two videos focus on students using the new iPad for school work and Apple’s commitment to education.

In addition to a new low-cost iPad with Apple Pencil support, Apple today also introduced new tools for teachers and students, including a Classwork app for assignments, a ClassKit API for creating educational apps with Classwork integration, new Apple Pencil capabilities for iWork, and an “Everyone Can Create” curriculum that’s similar to “Everyone Can Code” but is more focused on creative pursuits like photography, video making, music, and art.

Don’t want to watch Apple’s full hour-long presentation? We’ll have a recap coming soon that covers all of the interesting points of the event, so stay tuned for that.

Related Roundup: iPadBuyer’s Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
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