Apple unveiled new applications and a discounted iPad tablet aimed at the education market as it tries to regain momentum lost to Google in the world of classroom technology.
At an event in Chicago, Apple unveiled a refreshed version of its 9.7-inch iPad, which will start at $299 for schools and $329 for the consumer market.
The updated iPad offers support for Apple Pencil, that will cost an extra $99, which can be used for sketching and handwritten notes.
Apple also announced Schoolwork, a new educational app that helps teachers create assignments and see student progress. The previously iPad-focused Classroom teacher administration app would start working on Mac computers in June, Apple said.
It will also be offering teachers and students 200 gigabytes of free storage through its iCloud service so they can access documents, photos and other digital content from any internet-connected device. Apple normally offers 5 gigabytes for free and charges $3 per month for 200 gigabytes.
The company also showcased a new, free curriculum called Everyone Can Create that enables teachers to integrate drawing, music, filmmaking or photography into their lessons.
“Creativity sparks a deeper level of engagement in students, and we’re excited to help teachers bring out that creativity in the classroom,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing.
With these new products, he said, “we believe we can amplify learning and creativity in a way that only Apple can.”
Apple was once a leader in the classroom but in recent years it has fallen behind Google, which now accounts for around 60% of new mobile PCs shipped to US schools, compared with 12.3% for Apple, according to Futuresource Consulting.
Despite the new offerings, Apple faces a tough battle in the educational market given the popularity of Google and Microsoft’s productivity suites, said Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. Google’s G Suite fueled Chromebook sales because it was seen as easy to use to manage assignments.
“Most teachers don’t look past G Suite for education,” she said.
Technology analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights believes Apple will have to lower prices to reclaim its perch because “schools want low-cost solutions that are very simple to use.”
“I think Apple moved the ball forward, but I don’t see districts swapping out Chromebooks or PCs en masse,” Moorhead said.
