Apple has updated the iPad lineup by introducing a new iPad which borrows design language from the iPad Pro and the iPad Air. The new iPad is now all-screen with no home button, the fingerprint reader has been built into the power button at the top. However, according to Bloomberg, the company was initially planning to release a lower-cost iPad with a plastic back but it appears the plan was later scrapped.
A lower-cost iPad with decent performance would have allowed Apple to compete with Amazon’s Fire tablet range in certain markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, etc. It has been speculated that the low-cost iPad, if put on sale by Apple, would have been powered by the A14 Bionic chip – the same chip which powers the latest iPad.
Low-cost iPad could increase sales in select regions
The newly released iPad is expensive at $449 (USD), compared to the previous versions of iPad which used to be priced at $329. It’s interesting to note that Apple has not discontinued the previous version of the iPad and continues to sell it at $329. If Apple could have released a lower-cost plastic iPad, the iPad line-up would probably have been much simpler.
It has been reported that Apple was planning to sell the low-cost iPad for under $500. The report is vague, as the newly launched iPad is also priced at lower than $500 (USD). According to Indian Express, the launch of the plastic iPad at an extremely lower price point would have helped Apple increase sales in India.
It would be beneficial for Apple to launch an affordable iPad in select regions where the consumers look for the most budget options. However, it is a known fact that Apple never compromises on quality to release budget friendly devices. The company could have at least reduced the price of the previous generation iPad.
