The ongoing pandemic may have disrupted some of Apple’s plans and pushed the annual iPhone release cycle back by a few weeks, but the company still has some solid releases lined up.
First up is the launch of the official Apple Online Store, that goes live on the 23rd of September. Along with it comes the ability to purchase Apple Care+ that not only brings extended warranty, but also covers physical damage. With the launch of the store, the full catalogue of Apple products and customisation options like engraving, will finally be available in India.
New Entry Level iPad & iPad Air
The A12 processor powered entry level iPad comes with a bright 10.2” Retina display, and support for Apple Pencil. The A12 chip, while not the latest and greatest is still more than sufficient for causal gaming, and media consumption duties. If you do wish to push the iPad further, you won’t be disappointed. There is enough oomph in the iPad to keep the tablet going through at least 3-4 years of iPad OS updates.
The star of the show however is the new iPad Air that looks and behaves like the more expensive 11” iPad Pro. The new Air has a similar all screen design that’s only slightly smaller at 10.9” in an almost identical footprint. It runs on the all new A14 Bionic processor that will also power the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup. Getting the iPad Air is like getting all the iPad Pro goodness, for less. You miss out on Face ID, quad speakers and a 120 Hz refresh rate capable screen, but you also save a decent chunk of change as the Air starts at ₹54,900 for the 64 GB WiFi only variant, while the iPad Pro is 71,900 for the 128 GB version.
Apple Watch Series 6 & SE
The flagship Series 6 will add blood oxygen monitoring to the existing capabilities like ECG, and heart rate monitoring to make the new model a tempting switch for anyone with a Series 3 or lower. A brighter always on display and altimeter make up the rest of the noticeable changes. The Series 6 retains the form factor that debuted with the Series 4, but adds the new S6 processor that’s claimed to be 20% faster than the last generation. For first time buyers, the decision is easy – if you want the best smart watch, it doesn’t get better than the Series 6.
The Watch SE is the volume play and has the potential to be a runaway success. It looks just like the Series 6, but doesn’t have an always on display, ECG or the latest processor. Other than that, you get all the fitness tracking, app support, and customisation options of the more expensive sibling. Upgrading to the cellular model on the SE variant is also much cheaper than doing so with Series 6.
All in all, Apple’s strategy for India is shaping up well. Controlling the online retail space, while also having value propositions at the entry level with both the iPad and the Watch is a sensible strategy. Apple already has the mindshare, it now wants the market share too.
Entry Level iPad:
WiFi: ₹29,900
WiFi + Cellular: ₹41,900
iPad Air:
WiFi: ₹54,900
WiFi + Cellular: ₹66,900
Apple Watch SE:
Apple Watch SE (GPS): ₹29,900
Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular): ₹33,900
Series 6:
Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS): ₹40,900
Apple Watch 6 (GPS + Cellular): ₹49,900
A lawyer by both passion and profession, Vaibhav Sharma has been practicing law for over 11 years. But for even longer he’s been interested in technology, and how it’s shaping our future. In his student days, he ran a successful tech blog before shuttering it favour of the law. But he still enjoys writing on technology, and has written for various magazines and newspapers such as The Tribune.
He can be reached at vaibhav@vaibhavsharma.in
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