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I want to talk about the background of this. I tried to save my personal feelings, but the update rate of tablet computers is really low. The iPad 2 came first, then the iPad Air. After two years, I was planning to re-enter the market with my parents. The iPad is so cheap now. It seems that after the flat-panel market experienced a boom, it's gradually becoming quiet. Without huge waves, it's hard to see a revival.
This feeling of mine aligns well with the global trend. The flat-panel market, led by Apple, isn't doing very well in terms of sales.
This chart shows the iPad sales since its IPO, and it has been declining gradually since the first quarter of 2014 (when the iPad Air was released). Both peak and regular sales have gone down over time. There is usually a spike in the first quarter, likely because the new iPad is launched around the New Year, and many people give it as a gift during the holiday season.
**The Cheapest iPad**
For a long time, Apple products have never actively reduced prices due to market changes. Even though the overall tablet market hasn’t been booming, Apple should not be affected. However, when this generation of iPad came out, I was surprised to find that it was even cheaper than before.
I bought it from Suning, and the price was 2378, which is almost the same as now.
Now, thinking back, the price cuts on the iPad might be due to several factors:
1. The most important factor is the emergence of the previous product, the iPad Pro. This shifted the focus from productivity to leisure and entertainment, making it necessary to lower the price to highlight the higher-end models.
2. The profit margin of the iPad product line also allows Apple to do this, considering their strong value creation ability.
3. Lowering the price can increase sales and revitalize the entire tablet market, benefiting Apple as the largest player.
Recent sales data supports this. In Q3 of 2017, the flat-panel market rebounded, and Apple’s sales increased by 11.4 percentage points. Their market share remains above 20%.
**The Problem Has Come**
Since Apple adopted this unusual pricing strategy, are we losing big profits? The answer may not be so straightforward.
First, the 2017 iPad seems more like an upgraded version of the iPad Air, even though it has improvements over the Air 2, it doesn't fully follow the Air 2's design. Some features were even cut back compared to the Air 2.
The new iPad has the same shape as the Air, with a thickness of 7.5mm and weight of 469g, but it contrasts sharply with the Air 2, which is thinner at 6.1mm and lighter at 437g. While the new iPad has a brighter screen, it lacks the anti-reflective coating of the Air 2, making the reflection issue more obvious. Additionally, the new iPad didn't even get a special event or naming like "Air 3."
We can conclude that the new iPad is a strategic choice rather than a flagship product. Even the Windows camp is trying to build two-in-one and ultrabook lines. Apple's main focus in the tablet market is the Pro series for productivity, while entertainment and casual use are still left to the iPhone.
**Out of the Box**
Well, regardless of what mission this generation of iPad shoulders, I’m happy to buy it at a lower price.
The box from Suning Express arrived, and I found that Suning Tesco has been gradually focusing on online marketing, not just in traditional electronics, but also in
other areas. That means more options and discounts.
Suning's packaging is still very professional, given their long history in electronic products.
After the initial excitement, the unboxed new iPad looked simple.
The label close-up. I bought the gold 32GB WLAN version. Since this version had some issues with the screen layer, they suggested buying the deep space gray to avoid the black edges. I'm not a perfectionist, so I went with the gold.
Looking back at the Air box from last year, the original minimalism still receives recognition and acceptance, even if it's the same year.
There's no big difference in the back.
There’s no major breakthrough in the appearance of this generation of iPad, and some changes from the Air 2 have even reverted, possibly due to cost considerations.
Under the front and rear splicing protection film, a bright gold body is about to be revealed.
The new iPad uses the A9 processor, not the latest model, but one used in the iPhone 6 and iPhone SE. The memory has been upgraded to 2GB, which is still recognized. For previous iPad users, the front fingerprint sensor is still satisfying, at least better than my old Air.
Additionally, it's said that its WiFi chip has been greatly improved—twice as fast as the Air 2.
While phones are pushing for full-screen designs, the iPad hasn't sought a major breakthrough in screen proportions. The frame size is basically the same as the previous two generations. The front camera in the middle hasn't seen much improvement.
In fact, the natural lifespan of the iPad product line is longer than other products, as most people use it for video playback and daily entertainment. The Wi-Fi version isn't as directly convenient as mobile phones for gaming, so the need to upgrade due to games isn't very strong.
One of my favorite things about the iPad is that its camera isn't raised. I seriously dislike some smartphones for that.
**Comparison with Air1 and Overall Usage Experience**
The reason for comparing with Air1 is that the new iPad is more of a direct replacement for the iPad Air1, and it's a compromise between the Air2 and Pro. Overall, from a performance perspective, the new iPad has more obvious improvements than the Air1. However, aiming for the performance of current mainstream phones is still too optimistic. In terms of display effects, there is a clear gap between the iPad product line and the Pro, and I don't think future products will flatten or reverse this trend. After all, the current product line is very clear.
As you can see from the picture, except for the fingerprint circle, this generation of iPad and the Air1 are really similar.
Both thickness and side processes are exactly the same.
There is a difference in the bottom of the handset. The new version of the iPad has a different bottom. I think the exact same mold might not be good, so a small change was made.
The right button is also slightly different.
Mike's shape is also more simple and elegant with the new iPad.
Simply compare the display and brightness of the two. The new iPad is on the left, and the Air1 is on the right. Overall, the brightness of the new iPad has significantly improved. Although there is a layer missing, there's not much difference in use.
**Use Comparison under iOS11**
Because this series wasn't specifically for iOS11 evaluation, I'll give a brief summary. For contemporary Apple products and matching systems, there's no need to worry—it must be smooth. The difference is the updated visual style and new features.
This time, I upgraded the Air to iOS11 and compared it to the new iPad. I could clearly feel that the older device was lagging. However, this comparison is limited, and daily use won't cause any major drawbacks due to a few seconds of delay.
**To Sum Up**
The new iPad is a regular update from Apple, but from this generation, whether it's price, configuration, or other aspects, we can feel a new strategy and idea in Apple's tablet market. This doesn't necessarily mean the iPad product line will be abandoned, but in the future, the mini, iPad, and Pro series will be more clearly divided, targeting specific audiences.
The biggest problem with the iPad series is that the old models are still very functional, so consumers don't feel the need to upgrade. In recent years, phone screens have become larger and larger, even bringing a similar experience to tablets. The iPad Pro series offers better screens, faster speeds, and a better office experience, but they're too expensive. For users who watch videos, browse the internet, or play mini-games, the new iPad is a good choice.
**Advantages:**
1. Cost-effective, with key components upgraded and a significant price drop.
2. High screen brightness, significantly improved compared to previous generations.
3. Wi-Fi models have improved significantly. The Air2 upgraded to dual-band, and the new iPad is twice as fast.
4. Runs iOS11 smoothly and is easy to use. It should handle iOS12 without issues.
**Disadvantages:**
1. No innovation in design, but it can also be considered classic.
2. No anti-reflective coating, which affects the user experience slightly.
3. Not using the latest processor; it's the same as the iPhone 6 SE.
4. Screen quality is not as good as the iPad Air 2 or the Pro series, due to cost considerations.
5. Slightly heavier and thicker than the iPad Air 2, which feels like a step backward.
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4) Light sensor,usually was used by Gift box,newspaper. Open the Box or newspaper to play the message
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