If you thought the only reason to buy the “old” iPad 2 was the $100 (or £70) saving, think again. On the quiet, Apple has been making modifications to the old model, including a revised A5 processor which can add as much as two hours to battery life. 9to5 Mac reports on the stealthy upgrade.
Retaining the iPad 2 and offering a discount was a brilliant move which is being reflected in current demand for all Apple tablets. According to Apple Insider, the discounted pad is attracting new customers as well as unlocking the demand in the education field. The site also reports that one in four iPads are being bought by first-time Apple owners, thus doing wonders for the company’s halo effect.
That $399 price tag for the world’s best 10in tablet, supported by the preeminent eco-system, is a small premium to pay, even over $199 tag of the gelded 7in Kindle Fire. I wonder if this could have anything to do with the Fire’s first-quarter sales drop from five million to one million units. At the same time Apple maintained the momentum on the iPad with nearly 12 million sales, no less than 68 percent of the overall tablet market.Â