Lower cost iPads with Apple Pencil support expected at next week's announcement

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple is expected to unveil refreshed iPad at its education event next week. Not only are these iPads expected to have updated specs, they could likely be the first non-Pro iPads to be compatible with Apple Pencil as per KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo who noted “the new low-price 9.7-inch iPad ... will likely support Apple Pencil.”

The education event is expected to kick off various education-focused strategies and products from Apple. Not only is this the first Apple Special Event for 2018, it is also a return to form for the company that's had a strong educational push in its DNA. Apple, after all, has always designed products for students, and the educational sector. iBooks and MacBooks (later on MacBook Airs) have always been popular with students and iPads enjoyed early success and adoption in schools.

A lot of Apple's products, however, have replaced in schools by low-cost Chromebooks which offer a more familiar and versatile notebook form-factor as well as powerful cloud-based solutions. Apple is expected to aggressively go after US schools with the introduction of new iPads which also incorporate Apple Pencil functionality.

Apple Pencil, as well as the Smart Connector and Smart Keyboard have all been strongly associated with the more expensive iPad Pro, which is being targeted to 'Pros' and 'Creatives' because it approximates, but doesn't entirely replace, the functionality of a notebook.

More important than Apple Pencil integration, Apple needs to make a keyboard solution affordable for iPad users. At the very least, these shoudl be sold bundled to education users since they will add desired and familiar functionality to the tablets.

Even Apple's very early educational laptops from 20 years ago, the Newton eMate 300, merged a stylus capable tablet with a keyboard.

Another expectation at the education event are new MacBooks. Apple's direction with their notebook products has been quite confounding lately.

The MacBook Air line, which is their most popular and beloved laptop product, is essentially a two-year old computer. it has no modern Retina Display and is exisiting on four year-old design.

The MacBook, which is a 12-inch premium device, is not the rugged and multifunctional device schools need (it only has one port, keyboard isn't great).

The MacBook Pro, well that's priced out of the educational market. Apple seems to somehow capture the spirit of the iBook with a modern Apple laptop that's built for the grind, has great battery life and a better full-sized keyboard.

It will be interesting to see if Apple delivers on these products or if they will simply re-price existing MacBook Airs. Other possible products could include a pared down iMac and maybe, if we're really lucky, a refreshed Mac mini, which has also been left to languish in Apple's product line.

Source: The Verge