Apple Unveiling Smaller iPad, Seeking Solid Grip On Education Sector

Noting that California's San Diego Unified School District has purchased over 25,000 iPad tablets for classroom use, Bloomberg News (10/23, Satariano) reports that many districts nationwide may be drawn to the price point of the "new, smaller version of the iPad that Apple will unveil tomorrow at an event in San Jose, California. Apple has long been a leader in education, and schools began embracing the iPad soon after its 2010 debut. Yet as fiscal budget shortfalls crimp spending all the more, schools in growing numbers are warming to the handheld devices as an alternative to more expensive laptops." This version, according to Balclays Plc, could cost $249, as compared with the $499 to $829 price tag for currently marketed versions.