New 9.7" iPad Pro to Start at $599, 32GB and 128GB Models Available

I'm not surprised but still disappointed.

No doubt Apple will be increasing its average profit per unit with this move.

Let's look at the main changes:

* The A9X is nice, but that's what a non-Pro iPad would have had either way if they had kept their previous pattern. (e.g. if Apple had gone with a $499 iPad Air 3, it still would have had an A9X). In fact, their flagship 9.7" iPad's chip is kind of weaker than before (relative to time), considering the Air 1 and Air 2 were released with a brand new architecture, whereas this iPad Pro will use a 6-month old architecture that will probably be surpassed by the iPhone 7's A10 in another 6 months.
* Having 4 speakers is nice, but that doesn't justify a price increase. Small speakers like those are dirt cheap.
* An increase to 32GB for the base model is nice, but again, doesn't justify a price increase. 16GB has been the norm ever since the first iPad was released in 2010. 32GB of NAND storage in 2016 probably isn't more expensive than 16GB in 2010. iPhones have seen their base capacity increase over the years (4 to 8 to 16) without a price increase. Same for iPods and Macs.

All those don't justify the Pro branding and the $100 extra. It's stuff you should expect from an Air 2 -> Air 3 update (which is an expectional 2-year cycle, so it's normal to have slightly higher expectations too).

So really, what justifies the Pro branding and associated $100 increase? 2 other main changes:

* Smart Connector
* Apple Pencil support

The thing is, to actually use those capabilities, you need to buy high-margin accessories sold separately. So Apple was going to increase their average profit per iPad sold either way, regardless of a price increase for the iPad itself.

The iPad also had various reductions in component costs over time (e.g. newer iPads having smaller batteries and enclosures than older ones) that never resulted in any price decrease.

Apple is getting really agressive about increasing its profits. Between this, the price of the 12.6" iPad Pro and its accessories, and the price of the new Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad, I'm getting worried a little.

Im starting to get annoyed with Apple. I mean, I get these decisions, but its starting to really rub me as arrogant.

Pro name =$100

So in a time of dwindling iPad sales, Apple decides to price what would otherwise have been a $499 iPad Air 3 at $599? What's next, an iPad Pro 7.9" at $499?

Typical Tim Cook Apple:
1. run out of ideas (Just take a look at iOS and OSX)
2. go after new product category prematurely (Watch)
3. resizing and renaming existing ones
4. having done all above, have the audacity to increase price.

raising the price isn't going to help spur already waning tablet sales.

Not cool, Apple, not cool.

9to5 has a great track record so this is now pretty much confirmed. So right now you can get a 64GB Air 2 for 599. So now 599 will get you less storage, 4 speakers, support for a $99 Apple Pencil and a A9X processor????? Wow, this is the biggest middle finger Apple has given us in a while.

2016 and it STILL costs an extra $100 for 16GB more storage lol. At least they're starting with 32GB, so I guess the screen and extra speakers must account for the $100 bump.

Even worse, LTE still costs $130 more for about 10 cents worth of hardware.
I still don't know why they don't make all of them LTE capable.

So in a time of dwindling iPad sales, Apple decides to price what would otherwise have been a $499 iPad Air 3 at $599? What's next, an iPad Pro 7.9" at $499?

I'm afraid that what's next is the "iPhone Pro" for which Apple will charge even more. Timmy & His Cupertino Playboys are really testing out how far they can go price-wise even on top of the "normal" Apple premium tax (MacBook Retina included) – while becoming more and more boring and out of ideas with their products. Dangerous combination ...