I get that I’m talking about a device that is over a year away when the 2019 version hasn’t been released. It hasn’t even been announced. We don’t even know when the announcement event will be yet. Normally I don’t like doing this kind of thing, but I think this particular rumor is interesting to be worth paying attention to.
I noticed an article at analyst site Seeking Alpha last week that caught my eye. It was titled Apple’s Accelerating Tablet Dominance Is Underappreciated and it went over several points that Apple’s tablet lineup now has in its favor. Writer Zvi Bar makes some pretty convincing arguments, but does it matter?
I’ve heard about the Brydge Keyboard for the iPad for years and seen the glowing reviews. However, I have typically stuck with products from ZAGG and Logitech, as they tend to be a little less expensive and provide more coverage as cases. The main thing that kept me from trying the more expensive Brydge was the fact that it was much more keyboard than case, leaving the back of the iPad completely exposed. The other cases I tried had very good keyboards and provided excellent protection, making them better overall choices for me at the time.
I use my iPad Pro as a secondary/personal device, but there are many people who prefer to take the plunge and make it their so-called daily driver machine. More power to them. While I am not in a position to use an iPad as my primary computer at work, I know that it is capable of handling the majority of tasks for many kinds of jobs. I also know a few other who, like me, use an iPad of some kind as their primary home device.
Logitech was the one third party accessory company that brought out keyboard cases for the first two generations of the iPad Pro right after release. They were also the only ones besides Apple to make use of the Smart Connector for their keyboards, rather than relying on Bluetooth.
Their Create cases for the original Pro were a bit heavy and bulky, but had great backlit keyboards. The Slim Combo cases that they released right after the 2017 iPad Pros were even better. In fact, the Slim Combo for the 12.9″ Pro is still my favorite keyboard case of all time. It was a near-perfect balance of protection, portability and utility.
Apple held its public shareholder’s meeting at the Steve Jobs Theater Friday, giving major investors the opportunity to ask Tim Cook and the executive team some direct questions. While a resolution regarding the diversity of the board dominated the discussion and the headlines afterward, there were a few interesting notes regarding current and upcoming products and services that also came out of the event.
There was an amazing deal on overstock 10.5″ iPad Pros last week that had the base 64GB WiFi model on sale for a very low $429. Unfortunately, that deal has expired, but there is another one this week that’s nothing to sneeze at.
With its changes to the lineup and to iOS over the last two years, Apple has been able to stop the bleeding and reverse the fast downward sales trend that the iPad had been stuck on previously. However, the end result has been stabilizing iPad sales rather than growing them in a significant way. The way Apple did this was by introducing a less expensive, but still capable, standard iPad and making the iPad Pros more compelling as high-end devices. While sales of the less-expensive iPad propped up unit sales numbers, they also caused the average sale price of the iPad category to fall.
The NFL has had an exclusive agreement with Microsoft to use its Surface Pros for all on-field tech assistance for a while now. This was initially a source of scorn for Microsoft, as announcers and TV studio personalities routinely referred to them as iPads until corrected. However, the deal eventually became a positive for them as solid reviews from coaches and players came in and the increased visibility on NFL sidelines helped to get the Surface name out in the public eye.
While I love a leather case, there are times when device protection comes first. If you take your iPad Pro with you to work every day like me, this may be the case. In my case, sometimes using my iPad Pro at work means putting it in harm’s way. That has a way of changing your priorities when it comes to cases.
One of the reasons that I’ve been a fan of Urban Armor Gear for a few years now is because their cases offer great protection at a reasonable price. However, it goes further than just taking great care of your devices. UAG’s cases also manage to do it with style and good design, as well.
It took long enough, but Apple has finally done some explaining about the reported bending issues with the latest iPad Pros. In a new support page entitled iPad Pro unibody enclosure design, Apple cleared the air a bit about the device’s design, manufacturing process, and the line where warranties and returns kick in. Again, it took them LONG ENOUGH.