Should Apple Matter to Higher Education?

In early 2018, Apple published official figures of the number of people who own their devices worldwide. They said over 1.3 billion people around the world have an Apple device in their home. These devices include an Apple Watch, iPod, iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple TV.

In a survey that was conducted by the CNBC All-American Economic on how many Americans own Apple devices, 65% of the 900 people asked said they own an Apple product. The average home in America owns 2.6 Apple products which are a very impressive number. Some of the richest people in America are known to own 4.7 Apple product in their home while those who are considered poor own at least 1 Apple device.

When asked why they prefer Apple products over others, the majority of them said Apple products are user-friendly, have a fast processing speed, good resolution, plenty of apps and durable. Apple products have also made their way into schools or universities where students are using them along with professional writing services to enhance their education.

Advantages of Apple Products to Students

1. Apple products are speedy – As technology has evolved over the years, so have Apple products. Devices like the iPad, iPod, Macs, and iPhone perform some of the basic tasks very quickly because of the processors.
2. Plenty of apps – The iOS store has a large variety of free as well as paid educational apps that can help a student through their studies. Everything from Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, GoogleDocs and much more can all be downloaded as used in class to take notes.
3. The high-resolution camera – The camera found on iPads and iPhones is certainly up there with the best one can own. Students can record lectures or even take pictures during lessons. If one is taking a course in media or IT, an Apple product is a must-have.
4. Good battery life – As long as a student charges their Apple devices during the night, they should have enough battery life to get them through the day. Apple products in the past were often criticized for not having a good battery life however, Apple has improved the battery life of their products in recent years.
5. User friend products – Students who have a learning disability usually find Apple products very easy to use because of how they are designed. Apple really did a good job designing their products especially their iPads and iPhones to make sure that students with autism can easily use them when they are learning.
6. Great place to view content – Apple devices like an iPad are good for viewing content like reading books, listening to podcasts, watching videos and even surfing the net.
7. Apple products are lightweight – Many of Apple’s recent product is might lighter than most textbooks students might have in their backpacks. Instead of walking around with so many textbooks that are heavy, students opt to buy an Apple product.
8. Apple products are loved by students – Student love Apple devices because of how they are designed, easy to use and they are a great communication tool.

Disadvantages of Apple Products to Students

1. Expensive – Apple products are not exactly cheap and the high price that Apple charge is often criticized by students some of them do not have a full-time job or the funds to afford iPads, Mac and iPhones. Apple can really win many students over if they made their products affordable rather than charge a premium price from the get-go.
2. Compatibility issues – Apple products are known to be very stubborn and will not be compatible with other Apple devices. If a student has a third party product they wish to pair up with their Apple one, they will be disappointed to see that there will be compatibility issues.
3. Not enough storage in some devices – While the Mac has very good storage memory, the same cannot be said about other products like iPads which many students prefer to use in classrooms. If they want more memory, they need to pay for more storage via the iCloud and this is a service that isn’t cheap. The low memory students have to use on certain Apple products can be an obstacle when it comes to their studies, especially if they have plenty of material to save.
4. No USB support (iPads) – While this does not apply to Macs, Students who prefer to use an iPad in class will see that it does not have USB support. An iPad was designed to be a companion product for computers. If a student does not know how to use cloud storage or have an internet connection, they will not be able to save any content.
5. Can be distracting for some students – Instead of focusing on their lectures, students can easily wander off to websites that have nothing to do with their studies. As long as a student is fully focused on their studies, this shouldn’t be a problem, however, if the lecture is dull,  Apple devices can be used to visit websites like YouTube to kill time.

From the above point, it is clearly obvious as to why students love Apple because the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. While the price is the biggest obstacle students have to deal with, the other disadvantages can easily be sidestepped because Apple products are user-friendly, light, and have a good battery-life. If you are a student looking to make your studies easier, getting an Apple product is a worthy investment.