GAT iPADS HALF PRICE

£319 tablet goes on sale

APPLE yesterday unveiled its new cut-price iPad – featuring a higher performance for a lower price.

The US tech firm showed off the budget device – which costs £319 – in Chicago.

The 9.7in tablet is the same size as most previous iPads, but it now includes support for the Apple Pencil stylus – which allows users to scribble on the screen.

The stylus – which is sold separately for another £89 – was only previously available on the £619 iPad Pro.

Advanced sensors under the screen of this latest iPad measure pressure and tilt, which Apple says will provide pixel-perfect accuracy.

The latest model – which has a 10-hour battery life – also features Apple’s new A10 Fusion chip, with a 50% faster processor for improved graphics performance.

Like other iPads, it has front and rearfacing cameras, HD video recording and support for FaceTime calls. It will be capable of accessing the next generation of augmented reality apps, which makes games appear as if they are in the room with users.

Apple also unveiled the more expensive £449 cellular model, which connects to the web without the need for wi-fi – allowing the device to be used away from home.

Greg Joswiak, the firm’s vice president of product marketing, said: “iPad is our vision for the future of computing and hundreds of millions of people around the world use it every day at work, in school and for play.

“Our most popular and affordable iPad now includes support for Apple Pencil, bringing the advanced capabilities of one of our most creative tools to even more users.”

The new iPad is available in silver, grey and gold, and is on sale now.