I have just tested the new entry-level iPad, and so far, I am greatly impressed by the tablet. You cannot get a better price from this slate for $ 349. From outer hardware to inn, there is hardly any option from the Android side that can provide a better experience.
This year, Apple surprised something, in addition to the expected chip upgrade. Now you get double storage to ask the same, and Ram has also collided. In short, it is faster, better in multi-tasking, and without any storage headache, even if your budget is tight.
However, Apple has not cured the condition of the software with iPados, which is disturbed by its proper part of quirks in tow. This year, however, the software is also widespread between the baseline iPad and each other tablet in the portfolio of Gulf Apple. The stage manager has been a major discrimination ever, but in 2025, we have another deep chess.
A good reduction with AI
A lot has been written about Apple’s AI stack, and not necessarily in positive lights. Google has progressed in the Gemini era on Android and Chrome OS. Amazon has entered the generic AI era with Alexa+ Assistant. The choice of Chatgpt, Cloud and Perplexity is quickly emerging as a new breed of virtual assistants.
On the other hand, Siri is a sore throat. The situation is so bad that the capabilities paraded at the previous year’s developer event have yet to be shown, and now, the online marketing material has been scrubbed accordingly. According to Bloomberg, we are for a long wait, one that can expand well by 2027.
As a stop-gap, Apple has closed things to chat through a clever integration. It has not jumped any revolutionary yet. I had a better experience of entering Gemini everywhere on my iPhone, from home page to lock screen widget. And it works better than my expectation.
But at $ 349, I am not complaining, nor am I chlaning for turbocharged Siri. Or the entire Apple Intelligence Bundle for that case. This is a resource burden. You need a very least and an A17 Pro processor (or an M-series chip) on 8GB RAM. Entry-level iPad can neither bear it.
The chief audience of the iPad does not care about the AI stack, of course not at that price. The iPad mini apple supports intelligence, and sees where the asking price has landed. Indication: $ 150 more than iPad. Has AI converted it into a better small tablet? For most parts, not!
Apple’s $ 349 tablet is targeted on a audience who wants to watch the video, takes it to school to take a note, plays some games, and then calls it one day. It excels on all those parameters. This will overcome your expectations in sports seeking sports, and with better stability than top level Android phones.
AI is not going to add anything meaningful to those scenarios. I am glad that Apple chose to leave the “AI Burdon” hardware and placed the price of iPad in an area where it is accessible to those who want the signature apple tablet experience. In that regard, 2025 iPad is a very big win.
Funny stylus deal
Now, where do I start it? Let’s start with stylus. It only supports the Apple Pencil with the first-jewelery pencil and USB-C. Look at the above image, and you will realize how cumbersome to live with that stylus, its victorious charging position and a prone-to-loss USB-C adapter.
Apple Pencil USB-C model? Well, its price is $ 80. You cannot use the second-Je Apple Pencils that charge wireless, nor Apple Pencil Pro with 2025 iPads. It also means that the pressure sensitivity, barrel role, habitic reaction, and my support such as losing on the next-gene features. In addition, they are also pricier.
It makes very little understanding to spend 37% of the price of tablet stickers on a stylus. Will Apple launch a stylus that is cheaper to fit the niche of iPad? Unexpected. Is there any option? Definitely. Do not look beyond ESR Geo Digital Styles, which cost only $ 30, but even $ 130 Apple Pencil Pro is a shame.
It has a magnificent construction quality, magnetic attachment, a clean multi-function button at the top, and provides a smooth sketching experience. The best part? Even you get support to find my tracking, a perk that you will not find on another-jewelery pencil, which costs about four times more.
A terrible keyboard position
Now, let’s walk on the position of the keyboard. Magic keyboard folio is fantastic. It also costs $ 250, which is about two-thirds of the market value of the tablet. It is a great kit, but a terrible value, especially for budget-conscious shopkeepers who are raising iPad on an air or Pro for a reason.
The problem is not just a price. Apple serves functionally worse package at high premiums. For example, take Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case for iPad. It provides a backlit keyboard for a pencil holder, all-side bumper conservation, and even important, and even important.
At $ 249, Apple’s keyboard case is not backlit. Then you have an ESR rebound magnetic keyboard case for the 11th gene iPad. It essentially repeats the remote priceer magic keyboard with its cantillar design, but at a lower price than Loditech.
For another small hit on the wallet, the ESR ascending keyboard case magic folio keyboard design, but with side protection, a pencil slot and a backlit keyboard feature. This is almost the same as the sticker value of Apple iPad is oblivious to the spectators and the target audience, and they are hacking the goods at a price that does not mean any meaning.
iPados needs some attenTion, too
The iPados is liquid, and the app ecology is luxurious, as well as. Gaming is another area where iPad excels on Android Tablet. But the superiority of the app experience on Android is mostly limited to the in-house software, or some third-party application. For the remaining part, the iPados experience is notorious.
Some of the world’s most popular apps are not adapted for iPad. For example, take Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads and Blussky. You are trapped with either a terrible oversech look, or ugly pillarboxing. On the other hand, Android, aspect ratio and resolution adjustment has become much more flexible.
You can also force full-screen view for apps where you really want to spread them on the entire screen. The window rays is absurdly limited on iPados, even with stage manager competent. The rear gesture in apps is also incompatible in iPados and remains a functional problem.
Is it a swipe, or should I look for a back button in a corner, or I should open a side window? Let’s just accept it. The universal edge gestures of Android are far better, and most importantly, very more reliable. Apple has done a good job of optimizing the keyboard shortcut for iPados, which is much better than the fragmented Android ecosystem, but it needs to fix a touch-based navigation experience.
Software experience does not require a monumental overhaul. All needs that there is some functional improvement in the very foundation of human-masine interaction. Apple has resources to pull it. This is just a matter of commitment, and is paying attention to the community reaction.
