Apple introduces new 9.7-inch iPad, classroom software

New Delhi: Apple has unveiled a new 9.7-inch iPad that will be available for schools in the US for just $299 ($329 for consumers) and some classroom software.

In India, the popular iPad with support for Apple Pencil will be available from April, starting at Rs 28,000 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and Rs 38,600 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Apple Pencil is available for purchase separately for Rs 7,600.

The new iPad features a large Retina display, the A10 Fusion chip and advanced sensors that help deliver immersive augmented reality.

iPad’s 9.7-inch Retina features a higher-resolution touch sensor that enables Apple Pencil support. "Apple Pencil delivers a remarkably fluid and natural drawing experience. Advanced sensors measure both pressure and tilt, and provide pixel-perfect accuracy and low latency for activities from note taking to illustration in apps like Notability, Pages, Numbers, Keynote and Microsoft Office. iPad’s palm rejection technology even makes it possible to rest your hand on the screen while you use Apple Pencil," Apple said.

First introduced for iPad Pro, Apple Pencil has become a popular and versatile tool among students, professionals and creative professionals and is now available to even more customers.`

The front- and rear-facing cameras offer exceptional low-light performance and HD video recording for document scanning, moviemaking and "FaceTime" calls.

The new iPad for schools comes with 200GB of free iCloud storage -- up from 5GB. The Dock provides quick access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen, and makes it easier to multitask with Split View and Slide Over. Drag and Drop makes moving images, text and files between apps easier than ever. Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iPad with support for inline drawing. The Files app provides a central place to access and organize files no matter where they are located — on iPad or in the cloud with built-in support for iCloud Drive and providers like Box, Dropbox and others.

Apple also released some new classroom software and a creative curriculum called "Everyone Can Create".

A new free app "Schoolwork" lets teachers distribute handouts, make assignments, assign specific activities within apps, check on students' progress.