It’s not every day that a tech giant offers a new, improved product for an equal or lesser price than its previous model. This is even more true now, with looming tariff hikes causing uncertainty in the tech world.
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Yet Apple did this very thing with the launch of the new iPad
But much remains the same in the 11th-generation iPad compared to the 10th-gen. The Liquid Retina display has the exact resolution of 2360 x 1640 and up to 500 nits of brightness, and the iPad continues to support Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity and peripherals like the Apple Pencil (1st generation and USB-C) and the Magic Keyboard Folio case.
Those numbers aren’t bad per se, but it’s safe to say that Apple isn’t necessarily pushing the limits in any regard with this year’s base-level iPad.
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But, as it turns out, keeping things the same may actually be the 11th-gen iPad’s biggest strength. As someone with a 10th-gen iPad at home, I was glad to see that the new model fits my Logitech Combo Touch keyboard case and the ESR keyboard case, saving me on accessories and peripherals costs.
This was evident in my testing, as the 11th-Gen iPad performed flawlessly during photo editing and gaming.
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The only significant drawbacks of the new iPad are that it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, which requires an A17 Bionic chip or newer, and, unsurprisingly, it doesn’t support the Apple Pencil Pro, which came out last year. These incompatibilities aren’t a deal-breaker per se, but they’re notable for those considering budgeting down to a standard iPad from an Air or Pro model and need to be aware of what’s missing.
The frills and features of the faster, more powerful iPad Air or iPad Pro are attractive, but the truth is that they’re likely excessive for most people. If you’re looking for a tablet to do light work on the go, edit some short videos, stream content, or play games, the iPad base model won’t disappoint. Suppose you’re more of a power user and intend to use heavier apps like Final Cut Pro for iPad, for example, to edit longer videos. In that case, I’d recommend a higher-end model, like those mentioned above.
The recent US tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and India aim to boost domestic manufacturing but are likely to drive up prices on consumer electronics. Products like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and TVs may become more expensive as companies rethink global supply chains and weigh the cost of shifting production.
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Smartphones are among the most affected by the new US tariffs, with devices imported from China and Vietnam facing steep duties that could raise retail prices by 20% or more. Brands like Apple and Google, which rely heavily on Asian manufacturing, may either pass these costs on to consumers or absorb them at the expense of profit margins.
The tariffs could also lead to delays in product launches or shifts in where and how phones are made, forcing companies to diversify production to countries with more favorable trade conditions.
Source : ZDNet