SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc debuted a new mid-tier iPad with a larger screen and introduced the first iPad mini update since 2015.
The announcements Monday come a week before the company rolls out a media and entertainment bundle designed to compete with Netflix Inc.
The company debuted a new iPad Air with a 10.5-inch screen, bringing back a model that was phased out when Apple launched the iPad Pro a few years ago. That screen size is larger than the 9.7-inch, $329 (10,400 baht) model designed for education that Apple launched last year.
The iPad mini, a device that some consumers have been seeking an upgrade for, continues to use a 7.9-inch screen. The larger iPad introduced on Monday supports the company's Smart Keyboard, while both new devices work with the Apple Pencil stylus and include a faster A12 processor, a step up from the A10 chip used in last year's education model.
The new models still use a home button with fingerprint scanner rather than facial recognition like on the more expensive versions. The new iPad mini models will still start at $399 (12,600 baht), while the 10.5-inch iPad Air starts at $499 (15,800 baht). They're available to order online now and in stores next week, Apple said.
Like every version of the iPad since the first in 2010, the latest models come in configurations that connect to either just WiFi or cellular networks as well. The cellular iPad mini costs $529 (16,700 baht), while the cellular iPad Air costs $629 (19,900 baht). Both iPads come in 64GB and 256GB storage capacity options.
