14 DAY TRIAL // Last week, Apple added exciting new products to its lineup with the release of red color variants for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and doubling internal storage on iPhone SE to 128GB. The Cupertino company also introduced a new 9.7-inch iPad to replace the iPad Air 2.
The new 9.7-inch budget iPad is somewhat similar to the original iPad Air, with the exception of some upgrades, according to a recent teardown by iFixit. The report reveals that the new iPad has the same screen as the Air, and it’s thicker and easier to repair since the LCD and digitizer aren’t fused together.
The new iPad’s display has the same LCD timing controller as on the Air, while the tablet is being marketed as having a brighter display. Apple is most likely comparing the new iPad with the Air 2, which uses an unfused screen.
More internal storage and RAM memory
Internally, the new iPad incorporates the same 32.9 watt-hour battery as found on the Air 1, faster than the 27.6-watt-hour unit on the Air 2. When it comes to processor model and RAM capacity, the new iPad features an A9 processor with 2GB of RAM, while the original Air had an A7 chip coupled with 1GB of RAM. Internal memory was also upped on the new 9.7-inch iPad to 32GB, while Apple also added a Touch ID sensor, placing it inside the button on the front panel.
The new iPad lacks a lock switch and the speaker holes were reduced to a single row, while microphone slots were replaced with holes. The 9.7-inch iPad uses the same NFC controller and USB charging circuitry as found on the iPhone 7.
With a relatively affordable price tag of $329, the new 9.7-inch iPad is the iPhone SE of Apple smartphones, offering an accessible solution to customers who don’t want to spend big on devices. In addition, Apple is attempting to revive the tablet market and offer a product that would meet the needs of many.