What’s better than the iPad? The new iPad
Tablet sales may have stumbled somewhat globally but they are still a key part of the strategy for big tech companies like Microsoft and Apple. Last month, Apple gave its hero tablet, the iPad, a makeover, reduced its price and changed the name to simply iPad. Unpacking the 2017 iPad reveals a device that is much like the last iPad. It’s hard to tell but it’s slightly heavier and thicker than the last iPad, the Air 2. Weighing in at 469 grams, and 7.5mm thick it’s still smooth, sleek and easy to hold.
To set up – as with all Apple devices – power up, choose a language, connect to your home WiFi and you’re away. If you own other Apple gear, you can enter your Apple ID and your contacts, calendar and other saved data will instantly flow into your new iPad.
The Touch ID function lets you unlock the iPad using your fingerprint and can even be used to activate Apple Pay – if your bank supports it – enabling you to pay for goods and services using that fingerprint.
The iPad has two cameras, a main rear camera of 8 megapixels and a selfie or videoconferencing camera of 1.2 megapixels. Both are decent stills cameras and the rear will record 1080p video while the front camera is limited to 720p. The entry-level storage configuration is now 32GB, which is adequate.
The screen is brighter than the last model and has a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels. This means you can zoom in on photos without those horrible little squares appearing. While it’s also effectively fingerprint resistant it’s a little harder to read in bright sunlight.
At the heart of the new iPad is Apple’s A9 chip and it leaves similar priced competitors in the dust. One of the problems with high performance tablets in the past has been battery life but this is good for as much as 10 hours of surfing, video or music.
The new iPad is a sort of distilled version of all the iPads before now. It’s gained some weight but the bigger battery makes that worthwhile for home users and its reduced price-tag means it’s the ideal tablet for education, whether learning to code with the free Swift Playgrounds or following official Irish curriculum apps.
Business or professional users will probably opt for the iPad Pro but, for most of us, Apple’s 2017 iPad reaffirms that this is the tablet that all others will be measured against.
‘At the heart of the new iPad is Apple’s A9 chip – and it leaves similar priced competitors in the dust’