Apple has now decided to foray into education markets and has decided to start off by targeting the US education market. They have rolled out a new iPad with new software, however, they have not cut the price of its entry-level tablet despite schools flocking to laptops costing a third less. Apple is looking to reassert dominance in US schools, where inexpensive laptops running software from Alphabet's Google and Microsoft Corp now top iPad by sales, offering a cheap way to get to cloud-based productivity tools.
The new iPad has a more powerful computing chip and an extensive set of new, free software for teachers to manage students and schoolwork. But the unchanged starting price of $299 (roughly Rs. 19,500) for students and $329 (roughly Rs. 21,400) for the general public, without a keyboard or case, compares with less than $200 for some Windows and Google Chrome models. "Despite the new software, Apple faces a tough battle in the educational market given the popularity of Google and Microsoft's productivity suites," said Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. Google's G Suite fuelled Chromebook sales because it was seen as easy to use to manage assignments.
Apple, as part of its response, on Tuesday, the 27th of March, announced improvements in its iWork suite at an event in Chicago, where school bells and announcements over a public address system directed press and more than 300 teachers into an auditorium at Lane Tech College Prep High School. "We've been at this for 40 years and we care deeply about education," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said at the event. Apple executives said the new iPad works with its pencil accessory and features an upgraded A10 Fusion chip, the same CPU that powers the iPhone 7. It is available immediately. Apple in recent years made changes to its operating system so that more than one student can log into an iPad, and to its software to let teachers better manage students.
Apple also released a new app called Schoolwork to help teachers create assignments and track student progress. Google has a similar app for managing student profiles, but analysts highlighted Apple's Schoolwork app as unique in helping teachers manage assignments and progress.
Wondering if this will take off in India soon? Well, us too!
