IPad (2017)
The iPad is a 9.7-inch tablet computer designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. After its announcement on March 21, 2017, conflicting naming conventions spawned a number of different names, including "seventh-generation iPad" or "iPad 2017" to differentiate it from the original iPad Air, which had previously been referred to as the fifth-generation iPad.
Unlike the iPad Air 2, this iPad does not have a fully laminated display, and also lacks an anti-reflective coating.
The iPad received generally positive reviews. It was significantly praised for performance, with reviewers asserting that the model was noticeably faster than older iPad models, and also received positive reviews for its price and battery life. It was criticized, however, for lacking a laminated and anti-reflective screen, and lack of support for the Apple Pencil and attachable keyboards through the Smart Connector. Its introductory price in the United States was the lowest ever for an iPad, with the media noting that the lower price might be an effort to encourage wider adoption of the tablet in the education sector, as well as for businesses needing inexpensive tablets for undemanding uses.
On March 27, 2018, Apple announced its successor, the sixth-generation iPad. This also marked the discontinuation of this iPad.
History
This iPad model was announced by Apple on March 21, 2017 in a press release. There has been confusion around its naming, being referred to as just "iPad" in marketing, but called the "fifth-generation iPad" in official statements and specifications sheets, a title previously taken by 2013's iPad Air. Other sources refer to it as the "seventh-generation iPad", when including the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 as the fifth- and sixth-generation iPads respectively. It has also been referred to as "iPad 2017".Pricing strategies
Matt Kapko of CIO wrote that Apple's introductory pricing of $329 in the United States for the iPad, a $70 price reduction versus the iPad Air 2, appeared designed to fend off the encroachment of Google's Chromebook laptops in the education sector and to foster wider adoption in customer-facing terminals. Kapko also wrote that the device is designed to appeal to businesses that require inexpensive tablets for undemanding use, including as kiosks, checkout terminals, and hospitality screens.Specifications
Software
At the time of its original release, the iPad shipped with iOS 10, a version of Apple's mobile operating system. New units sold come with the new iOS 11 operating system instead. The included Touch ID fingerprint sensor allows the user to unlock the device as well as approve purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store, and iBooks Store. Touch ID and Apple Pay let the user purchase items from websites or from within apps.Hardware
The iPad has a 9.7-inch screen. Compared to the iPad Air 2, the processor is updated from the Apple A8X to the A9 with the embedded Apple M9 motion co-processor. The iPad has 2 gigabytes of RAM. It is 7.5mm thick, which is the same thickness as the iPad Air, compared to 6.1mm of the iPad Air 2. Unlike other iPad models available, this iPad's display is not fully laminated and does not have anti-reflective coating. However, this iPad has a brighter screen than the iPad Air 2. It is available in 32 and 128 gigabyte storage options. Contrasting with the iPad Pro lineup, this iPad features only two speakers, has no Smart Connector support, and has no camera flash. It is offered in silver, gold, and space grey colors. Despite its use of the Apple A9 processor and accompanying M9 motion co-processor, introduced with the iPhone 6S in 2015, the iPad does not feature support for always-on "Hey Siri" voice input, a feature advertised as being made possible by low-power processing in the then-new chips. The use of "Hey Siri" is limited to when the iPad is connected to power.A product teardown by iFixit showed that the design of this iPad is nearly identical to the iPad Air except for a few differences: the lack of the physical mute switch, the microphone holes are smaller and there is only a single row of speaker holes.
Reception
Dieter Bohn of The Verge wrote that "it is a thin, fast tablet", and praised the screen for being "very good", despite not having "the fancy True Tone display that the iPad Pro does, nor does it have some of the things that made the screen on the iPad Air 2 so nice: lamination and anti-reflectivity". He criticized the lack of support for attachable keyboards and Apple Pencil, while praising the A9 processor as "significantly faster than older iPads", though noting that it isn't "necessarily significantly faster than the iPad Air 2", and "not as fast as the iPad Pro". He also disliked that the iPad only features two speakers, as opposed to four on the iPad Pro, while summarizing the overall review with "Fundamentally, what I am trying to tell you is that this is an iPad. You trust that iPads are decent tablets and that they have a basic level of quality, speed, and functionality" and "Get one if you need one, but don't stress that you're missing out if you don't."Sascha Segan of PC Magazine wrote that "The Apple iPad is more affordable than ever" and noted that "While there's little reason for existing iPad owners to upgrade, the new iPad's price stabs a stake into the heart of many competing Android tablets". Although criticizing the non-laminated display for being "a little more washed out than its predecessor", he claimed that he "couldn't see a measurable difference" and that it's "a nominal degradation in quality that doesn't really matter in everyday use". Segan also praised performance compared to the prior iPad models, and also praised improved Wi-Fi performance, writing that it is "quite impressive" with "double the Wi-Fi speeds on the new iPad than I did on the Air 2". Jeff Benjamin of 9to5Mac wrote that "Sure, it lacks the gorgeous laminated, anti-reflective display of the iPad Air 2, and sure it's not as svelte in either thickness or weight. But there's no denying that the 2017 iPad with A9 dual core processor in tow, is a good value". He described the tablet as a "solid buy for upgraders and new users".
Igor Bonifacic of MobileSyrup also praised the performance, as well as number of iPad apps available, but criticized the camera for being outdated and keyboard/Pencil incompatibility, with a summarization reading: "The 2017 iPad is not an exciting tablet. But then it's not supposed to be exciting, Apple's latest tablet is an iterative update designed to appeal to a specific subset of consumers". Bonifacic also called the tablet "perfect for first-time tablet buyers". Chris Velazco of Engadget praised battery life, describing it as "one of the best iPads we've tested", but also criticized the lack of anti-reflection on the display, calling it "another cost-saving measure that I wish Apple had reconsidered".