Oliver Haslam·

Apple To Release An Even Less Expensive 9.7-Inch iPad In 2018 That Will Cost Just $259

Earlier this year Apple was able to introduce a $329 iPad, making it the cheapest full-sized iPad ever and now the company is apparently working to offer one at an even more competitive price in 2018.

The news comes following a report by DigiTimes, a source that is notoriously hit and miss when it comes to such predictions.

According to the report, the move by Apple to offer an even less expensive iPad than is currently in its lineup stems from a desire to offer a solution for price conscious markets, including those buying for industrial deployments. Of course, consumers would also likely snap up a full sized iPad at such a competitive price point.

Following years of declining sales, the arrival of the $329 iPad appears to have aided a recovery in iPad sales growth that was also driven by compelling iPad Pro upgrades within the wider iPad lineup. It’s not clear as yet what a $259 iPad would consist of, what it would look like or how the lower price point would be met but the smart money is on it being an altered version of the 2017 iPad but sold at a lower price point thanks to improvements in manufacturing costs of the older components.

One thing we do know, according to the report, is who will build the new tablet. Compal Electronics will be the company putting everything together, with the device itself penciled in to arrive in the second quarter of 2018.

We would of course like to close out by reminding everyone that DigiTimes has something of a spotty past when it comes to the accuracy of such reports. That does not mean there may not be merit to the report, but as always, take these things with a pinch of salt.

(Source: Digitimes)

You may also like to check out:

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.