Today Apple announced what it was pretty much expected to announce: a lighter, faster and thinner device with front and rear-facing cameras. Pricing remains largely the same (except that the original iPad is now $399). There are other performance improvements and some new apps (iMovie, Garage Band, Photo Booth and of course Face Time).
The device doesn’t leapfrog other tablets (most of which aren’t yet out) but it eliminates any feature gaps and it reasserts Apple’s position as the “brand,” while Android and others are “clones” or “followers.”
Credit: AllThingsD
The metaphor for all of this is the simple yet brilliant Smart Cover:
The innovative new iPad 2 Smart Cover provides protection for the iPad screen while maintaining its thin and lightweight profile. Designed with a unique self-aligning magnetic hinge that makes it easy to attach and remove, the new iPad 2 Smart Cover automatically wakes iPad 2 when it’s opened and puts it to sleep when it’s closed, and has a soft microfiber lining to help keep the screen clean. The Smart Cover also folds into a stand for typing or viewing videos and is available in vibrant polyurethane for $39 or rich leather for $69 in a range of colors, including a (PRODUCT) RED one which helps support the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.
This clever, multifunction accessory offers personalization and a differentiated look to the Apple tablet vs. others in the market, which now resemble “gray boxes” (like Windows machines). It’s another stroke of marketing and product design genius.
Steve Jobs, who appeared at the event, confirmed that 15 million iPads had been sold in the 9 months since launch (April to December), for a total of $9.5 billion in revenue. Reportedly iPad 3 will be announced later this year.
