Apple, Staples, Best Buy Matching Walmart's iPad Air Pricing

Announced less than two weeks- ago, Apple's iPad Air is now on sale. Of course, you can pick it up at the Apple Store, but if you don't happen to live near one of Apple's retail stores, you can also pop into AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers such as Best Buy, Staples and Walmart.

 

Perhaps the most interesting thing is that the discount Walmart announced last week ahead of the Air's launch is now being matched by other retailers, including Apple stores. Yep. 9to5Mac reports that Best Buy, Staples and Apple will price match Walmart's $479 price for the entry-level model of iPad Air if you go in person to purchase your new tablet. RadioShack has also said that it will offer the iPad Air starting tomorrow.

Apple's iPad Air, which was announced on October 22, is 20 percent thinner than the iPad 2 (7.5 mm vs. 8.6 mm). It has a bezel that is 43 percent thinner than its predecessor and is also significantly lighter than the iPad 2, weighing in at just one pound (the iPad 2 weighs 1.4 pounds). Under the hood, you've got the same 64-bit A7 chip that powers the iPhone 5S, as well as a 9.7-inch Retina display (2048 x 1536 resolution), a 5-megapixel iSight camera, and a 10 hour battery life. Pricing for the iPad Air starts at $499 (from Apple) for the WiFi-only version, while the LTE+WiFi version will start at $629. Apple is still selling the iPad 2 at $399.

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  • rohitbaran
    Hah, now I wonder if apple still wants to keep Walmart as a retailer for its next product. They might be wondering how much they 'lost' due to this 'huge' discount.
    Reply
  • JD88
    Apple didn't lose anything. It is likely Walmart who is taking a hit on their chunk of the profit. Having said that, it is also likely that Walmart may get these products cheaper than others simply because of the sheer volume in which they purchase them.

    Reply
  • clonazepam
    There's next to no profit on these devices. The idea is to get them in the door and buying accessories. When Best Buy first started selling the 1st gen ipods, they had to sell accessories like crazy just to try to break even due to the shipping costs of returning repaired units back to the customer.
    Reply
  • acadia11
    Are you crazy there is huge profit on all apple products, why do you think apple has so much cash.
    Reply
  • acadia11
    Are you crazy there is huge profit on all apple products, why do you think apple has so much cash.
    Reply
  • JD88
    11840864 said:
    11840472 said:
    Are you crazy there is huge profit on all apple products, why do you think apple has so much cash.

    Apple's operating margin (which is the pure profit after everything is taken out) is 33%....Samsung's is 19%. The Apple store matched the $20 off too....very nice.


    Kinda like how they spend about half as much on research and development as the other major technology companies do. But hey, as long as there are people out there willing to mindlessly fork over the cash for the same product year after year, why spend money to even attempt innovation?

    Then again, Apple needs that money to pay lawyers to patent troll everyone else.
    Reply
  • JD88
    Just noting that this is the usual overpriced rerun from the Fruit.
    Reply
  • TwoBridges
    otacon , November 1, 2013 10:32 PM
    Quote:
    Just noting that this is the usual overpriced rerun from the Fruit.


    Yeah a new processor, thinner, lighter, but the same 10 hour battery life, faster, leaves every other tablet in the dust benchmark wise...but just a rerun. You're not too bright.

    Once again you attack people and call them dumb! Hey moderators. how about you do something about otacon!!

    btw, the asus transformer BLOWS AWAY the ipad! destroys it actually/
    Reply
  • Buddy Couch
    In other news, makers of the ipad can't find 20 bucks to feed their children.
    Reply
  • inthere
    Yes, please pay them more so their jobs can go back to America.
    Reply