Apple launches new thinner, lighter iPad Air

October 23, 2013 02:23

Apple Inc is refreshing its iPad lineup and slashing the price of its Mac computers ahead of the holiday shopping season, as it faces an eroding tablet market share and growing competition from rival gadget makers.

Apple unveiled a new, thinner, lighter tablet called the "iPad Air" along with a slew of new Macs today at an event in San Francisco. The iPad Air weighs just 0.45 kilogram, compared with 0.64 kilogram for the previous version.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller called the tablet a "screaming fast iPad." He said it is eight times faster than the original iPad that came out in 2010.

The iPad Air will go on sale November 1 and start at $499 for a model with 16 gigabytes of memory. Apple plans to phase out its third and fourth generation iPads while the iPad 2, which launched in 2011, continues selling at $399. A new iPad Mini, meanwhile, will be available later in November starting at $399 for a 16-gigabyte model.

The iPad's market share has been eroding compared with cheaper rivals running Google Inc's Android operating system.

Research firm Gartner Inc estimates that Android tablets will end 2013 with a 50 per cent share of the worldwide market versus 49 per cent for the iPad. Just two years ago, the iPad commanded a 65 per cent market share compared to 30 per cent for Android tablets.

Apple also refreshed its computer lineup. A new, 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is thinner and lighter, Schiller said, adding that the laptop has up to 9 hours of battery life, enough to "watch the entire trilogy of 'The Black Knight' on one charge." The notebook's new price is lower: $1,299, compared with $1,499 for the previous version.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

IPL 2024: Mother in hospital yet Gurbaz responds to KKR's SOS

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has revealed that he made the difficult choice of leaving his ailing mother in hospital to play for KK

Porsche teen got bail on Rs 7,500 bond, grandpa's word

A 17-year-old boy, who allegedly crashed his high-end car into a motorbike killing two persons in Pune, was granted bail on a surety of Rs 7,500 and an assurance from his grandfather to keep him away from bad company, as per the order.

Has Huma Replaced Kareena In Toxic?

'Huma has a separate track with Yash with a lot of action.'

Tata Motors overtakes TCS as group's most profitable firm after 10 years

Tata Motors reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 17,483 crore (adjusted for exceptional gains and losses) for Q4FY24, surpassing TCS' consolidated net earnings of Rs 12,434 crore. For the automotive major, this marked a 213.7 per...

Prajwal case: 'People fleeing their homes in Hassan'

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has asserted there were no lapses on the part of the government in handling cases relating to the alleged sexual abuse of women by Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and that the Special Investigation Team...