Apple revealed a new iPad for classroom use — but stubbornly refused to cut the price.
The tech titan, which is looking to gain a foothold in the education space, unveiled its newest iPad on Tuesday morning — a model that’s essentially a 9.7-inch iPad with the added capability to work with an Apple Pencil.
The price, however, will remain at $299 for schools — the same 9 percent discount they’ve been getting off the current $329 price of the standard, 9.7-inch iPad, which regular consumers also will continue to pay, Apple CEO Tim Cook said at a Tuesday event hosted at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago.
That’s despite the fact that price has been cited as a major reason why Apple products aren’t used more widely at schools, leaving the door open for Chromebooks and other more affordably priced devices.
Chromebooks manufactured by Dell start as low as $189, and have become a popular classroom staple.
In addition to a 9.7-inch high-resolution display, the new iPad features an 8MP camera which can shoot HD video, 10-hour battery life and an A10 chip that makes it more powerful than the average Chromebook or budget laptop, according to Apple.
While “Macs and iPads are used throughout schools by students for everything from music to language arts and even advanced robotics,” Apple hopes the new iPad will expand its education business further, Cook said.
The iPad will also now be able to work with the Apple Pencil — which sells for an additional $99 — when previously only the high-end iPad Pro models were compatible with the Pencil.
Apple pitched the pencil as a tool that teachers can use to mark up papers and essays, and which students can use to take notes.
Apple shares were up 0.6 percent Tuesday afternoon, to $173.86, at 12:18 p.m.