Apple finally gives India a 9.7-inch iPad that doesn't cost a lot

After several years, Apple finally has a full-sized new iPad that won’t require Indians to break the bank.

Much like other places, the newly introduced iPad is affordable in India. The base model of the new iPad, seen as the true successor to the three-year-old iPad Air 2, will retail at a starting price of Rs 28,900 ($440).

This is a welcome change for people looking for a new iPad in the country. The iPad Pro that the company launched in the country last year, in contrast, is much more expensive (it costs at an additional $300). Even the iPad Air 2 was launched at a base sticker price of Rs 35,900 ($550).

As is the case with smartphones, Indians really love affordable tablets. The market for a tablet that costs north of $700, for instance, is nearly non-existent in the country, according to marketing research firm Counterpoint.

For a refresh, the new iPad comes with A9 chipset that is used in the iPad Pro, and also sports a display that is "brighter than ever." The base model of the new iPad sports 32GB internal storage (up from 16GB seen in iPad Air 2).

On the sidelines of the new iPad launch, Apple also introduced a new 32GB variant of the iPhone SE, and red variants of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The new tablet, as well as the new iPhone models, will go on sale in the country next month.