Mark Gurman of Bloomberg recently revealed that Apple is trying to reverse the decline in sales of Apple MacBooks and iPads. The report divulged that Apple will debut a refreshed Mac and iPad in March 2024. The upcoming Apple iPads are expected to equip the M3 chipsets that debuted with the recent Apple MacBook. Now, another report from Nikkei Asia reveals Apple’s intention to debut low-cost iPads in 2024 and that it is shifting production resources to Vietnam.
Apple to Move iPad Engineering Resources to Vietnam
Vietnam is known as a manufacturing hub for electronic products after China, with Samsung and other brands exporting products from Vietnam to other parts of the world. Apple reportedly wants to have a manufacturing hub outside China, more so after the pandemic, and this explains why it is shifting resources to other countries.
According to Nikkei Asia, Apple is considering allotting more production resources for iPad to Vietnam, especially new products.
The report states that China-based BYD is one of the key iPad manufacturers, which is working to move Apple’s production resources to Vietnam and will likely be the manufacturer of the upcoming low-cost iPad. Apple will likely debut the low-cost iPad in the second half of 2024, adds the report.
The engineering verification of the upcoming iPads is likely to begin in mid-February. The report also reveals that the forthcoming low-cost iPad will be an 11th-generation iPad.
Vietnam is not the only country where Apple is looking to increase its manufacturing footprint. Apple has recently tied up with Tata Group in India to manufacture iPhones. Tata Group has acquired the Wistron Plant in the country to manufacture iPhones.
The exact launch timeline of the upcoming low-cost Apple iPad is still under wraps. There is no significant information regarding the specifications of the forthcoming low-cost iPads. Apple might equip the upcoming low-cost iPad with an improved display from the existing 10th-generation iPad. The low-cost iPad is also tipped to sport an “A1x series” chipset.
Apple retails the 10th generation iPad at USD 449 (approx. Rs 37,500), and the upcoming low-cost iPad might debut around the same price tag. Apple is expected to continue with the existing designs for the forthcoming iPad. The upcoming low-cost iPad will feature the same fingerprint scanner integration on the power button and trimmed-down bezels.
Apple is also rumoured to improve the rear camera sensor of the upcoming low-cost iPad. The Cupertino giant is also expected to announce the upgraded version of the iPad mini in the second half of 2024.
The 10th generation iPad sports a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina LCD with 500 nits peak brightness and oleophobic coating. Under the hood, the device sports the Apple A14 Bionic chipset built on a 5nm process, along with a 12MP rear camera and 12MP selfie snapper with f/1.8 aperture and f/2.4 aperture.
