It seems that Apple is planning to launch a new finish for its iPads: the titanium. A priori the idea is a good one, since titanium is lighter and stronger than the aluminum that the company usually uses for the casing of its iPads.
But I see two drawbacks. A, the price. If a small Apple Watch increases the price by about 300 Euros in a titanium finish compared to the same model in aluminum, I don't even want to think what an iPad with the case of that material would cost. And second, I think that the finish on the back is usually not important, since most of us put a protective case on our new iPad as soon as we take it out of the box.
According to publish DigiTimes, Apple is working around the clock to introduce a new iPad before the end of this year. This new model will have a chassis of aluminium alloy processed by PVD. The ninth-generation model will not have many significant design changes, but sources in the report say that sales of around 60 million units are expected this year.
This same report also explains that the current aluminum alloy may be replaced in a future revision of the iPad. The company is claimed to be looking to introduce a metal chassis titanium-based on future generations of today's iPads.
Undoubtedly, a titanium housing can offer many benefits, such as making it possible to slimmer and lighter designs while maintaining the structural integrity of the device. But the problem lies in the high cost of production with such material.
That would make the price of iPad, and it would not be good for the device. It is not unreasonable, then, that the company launches a model with the "option" of titanium finish to see how the market would accept it. It could be a sales fiasco, as has happened with the titanium Apple Watch. We will see.