Apple iPad (2018) review: The Pen(cil) is great deal for Apple users

In February 2010, The Economist put the then Apple CEO (late) Steve Jobs on its cover after the launch of iPad. “The Book of Jobs: Hope, Hype and Apple’s iPad” read the cover with Jobs in an avatar of Jesus Christ. It is one of the most iconic magazine covers of all time and it was reserved for one of the most iconic devices of recent times. The iPad wasn’t seen as just another tech product as it was – and in many ways it did – meant to change the tech world (hence the Christ reference).
Ever since its launch, the iPad has had the ‘wow factor’ in terms of design and performance. It is – and has been – streets ahead of anything its rivals have come up with. No Android tablet has come close to matching the iPad in terms of hardware or software implementation. So, every time a new iPad is launched there is a great sense of anticipation. This year, Apple adopted a different strategy while launching its ‘new’ iPad in March. Technically, it is new as the software is certainly new even though the design remains intact.

Apple is targeting the education sector with the 6th-gen iPad (or iPad 2018). So much so that the launch event was held in a school. What’s different in the new iPad is the support for Apple Pencil to make it an effective ‘educational tool’ in multiple ways. Before we get into the detailed review of the new iPad, let’s get a few basics out of the way.
The iPad (2018) comes in two variants and is already available in India. Both the Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi+Cellular version comes in 32GB and 128GB storage models and in four colours - of which, the Rose Gold colour is the first in the tablet line up. It starts at Rs 28,000 and goes up to Rs 46,300.

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After using the new large-screen device for over a couple of weeks, there is a lot to be said about how it not just fits into the lives of students and youngsters with curious minds but also for those who want to be more productive. Has Apple successfully turned its iPad from a mere media consuming and a creative tool to an educational device or maybe something more? Here’s our review.

Design
The design has always been the core competence of the iPad and Apple hasn’t changed it with the new version. It shares the same look as the last year’s 9.7-inch iPad. This means there are no trimmed bezels as in the last 10.5-inch iPad or fancy iPhone features such as FaceID. At first glance, it would be difficult to say for anyone that this is a new iPad as it retains the essence of the earlier variant.
The power to volume buttons, speakers and the lightning remain in their own spot and the back is dominated by the metal. The iPad has always stood for subtle elegance yet its renowned for its sturdiness.

The 128 Wi-Fi+Cellular Space Gray variant was a delight to look at from every angle.
It’s a thing to marvel at that even with last year’s design the iPad doesn’t look outdated. The iPad is an uncanny device in the sense that it’s heavy yet fragile. For years, the iPad has been the best-looking tablets out there and it continues to sit pretty on that mantle with the 2018 model.

Display
What aids the design of the iPad is its excellent display. There’s no denying that the ‘Retina’ screen that the iPad comes equipped with is a true delight to look at. In fact, it is one of the best displays you will see on any tablet or even most smartphones. The new iPad carries forwards the same 9.7-inch Retina canvas that is a joy to look at with accurate colours that are also crisp and comfortable for the eyes. While previous-gen iPad users might be well aware of it, what comes as a breath of fresh air is that the screen now supports Apple Pencil.

The Pencil works in exactly the same way as it does with the 2017 iPad Pro models. You can scroll through apps, sketch, draw, write and do literally everything that can be done using fingers. It is pressure sensitive as well and proved to be of great help while we used it for days. You can charge the Pencil by simply opening the cap and plugging it into the iPad’s lightning port.
What did come as a surprise though is the retention of the thick bezels on the sides. But Apple hasn’t been a company that follows the trends but a slightly more bezel-less display may have made it more immersive for students. Nevertheless, the IPS display 2048x1536-pixel resolution and Apple Pencil support is impressive in its own unique way.

Performance
Where does one begin with since there’s a lot to talk about the performance of the 2018 iPad model. Let’s start with what powers the new iPad. It boasts of Apple’s A10 Fusion processor, which is just a step below the A10X Fusion, which is also the most powerful processor powering the 2017 Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch models.
Apple, at the time of introducing its 2018 iPad tablet, was pretty vocal about the A10 Fusion processor and its ability to fluently handle augmented and virtual reality apps. The device sure is powerful and hardly gives you an excuse to complain. In addition, you get the newest iOS onboard so there is nearly nothing that you can crib about.

What, however, Apple expects from its new iPad is to bring more AR/VR-based informative content to students. In addition to that, there are improved apps for better productivity and delivering more information with a fun element when clubbed with the Apple Pencil.
The Pencil, which is a big feature of the new iPad, showcases its true worth when used with third-party apps such as Linea Sketch, Pixelmator and others. It brings out the creative side of you and it certainly kept us busy during our review.

However, it’s not just third-party apps it relies on as Apple too has improved its own apps, making it compatible with the accessory. Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps too support Apple Pencil now, letting you customise and share content from inside a document. We have used the iPad Pro before and it somehow is better with Pencil as compared to the cheaper machine. Although keeping in mind the end users and the students, it won’t be anything major to get concerned about.
Special attention has been given to augmented reality as well with the new iPad. From the dedicated page in the App Store, users can download both educational and games that make use of ARKit. We tried our hands on some of the apps such as WWF Free Rivers, Paint Space AR and My Country, all of which were fun to use and informative at the same time. You also have AR-based games to keep yourself busy.
The camera in Apple iPad (2018) is something you won’t be surprised to use if you already own an iOS device. As is the case with Apple devices, the camera performance is impressive as always. You also have the newest camera tricks onboard. The cameras are ought to be good as the iPad uses it to map the area for AR apps and scan documents as well. For the record, it has an 8MP rear camera with f/2.4 aperture in addition to a 1.2MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture. Don’t go by the numbers as they might seem low on paper. The real life performance is far better.
All these features conspire to make the iPad a versatile device that can prove itself as the educational tool and a media consuming device at the same time.

Battery
Apple iPad tablets have always been known for their long lasting batteries and being a media consuming device, it is rather expected to carry a powerful one. The 2018 iPad model is claimed by Apple to run for almost 10 hours. However, on our daily usage we got something around 9 hours to 10 hours. But this is something that is subjective and changes with how you use them. You could feel it going slightly warm at the back while charging or doing some heavy AR-app based task but that shouldn’t be a deal breaker at all.

Verdict
After using the Apple iPad (2018) model for weeks, we can conclude it to be one of the most productive tablets around at a starting price of Rs 28,000. The functional quotient of the iPad is raised further when the Apple Pencil comes into the picture. It makes the tablet feel almost like the ‘Pro’ models but with certain under-the-hood changes. It sure brings a tremendous change in how you interact with the content and how productive that can be.

Apple has cleverly included the Pencil and has targeted its use at students. After all, most students love to scribble to show their artistic side or just for fun. With improved AR focus, animations are better and for students visual content is more fun and easier to remember. In that sense, the new iPad makes all the right noises and presses the right buttons. Throw in the Pencil support for apps like Froggipedia and you are staring at one of the most affordable educational tools for students.
As the adage goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. So, we won’t blame those whose first reaction to the new iPad would be “what’s new in this” looking at its design. Apple CEO Tim Cook might not get on the cover of The Economist for revolutionising the education sector with the new iPad but Apple has knocked it out of the park by pitching it to the right audience with the right product.