It should be common knowledge by now that Apple’s executive team will take to the stage in California tomorrow to introduce us to a number of new products, one of which is rumored to be the mini variant of the iPad. It is also being suggested that the event will have a strong focus on education and will feature a number of releases and announcements that are geared towards allowing Apple to get an additional foot in the doorway of the education sector.
The possible education tinge to the event would make perfect sense when you take into account the very recent leak that we have been seeing of the third major iteration the iBooks app. Apple’s iPad has long been slated as the perfect powerful device to be used throughout schools, universities and other educational establishments with the size and price tag being the only real stumbling blocks. We are yet to get official word on the announcement of the miniature iPad and any pricing points that will come attached to it, but it is highly likely that both of those issues will be eradicated with the launch.
Rather than holding a typical Apple event that focuses purely on hardware and any features of whatever it is they are announcing, it looks like Tim Cook and his cohorts will use the event to make a serious attempt to showcase the potential that a new 7.85-inch iPad has for the education sector, and as suspected before, a big push for iBooks. Unknown sources who are said to be familiar with the organization schedule for the event have confirmed that Apple will amend their current sales techniques in an attempt to push the new iPad on a large scale to education-based outlets.
The potential pricing of the new miniature iPad is something that has been widely discussed and speculated on in the last few weeks. Predictions from various sections of the industry stated that they believe Apple would launch the iPad Mini with a base price of $250. As we draw closer to the event, it looks like that estimate has been raised a little with the most agreed upon price seeming be around the $329 mark. Regardless of the consumer pricing point that comes attached to the new iPad, if Apple wants to make a serious dent on the education issue then it’s highly likely that a discount will be offered for educational purchases.
(via Bloomberg)
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