Apple event - as it happened: No new iPhones, but plenty of education updates and an affordable, upgraded iPad

New iPad features support for computer learning in schools

Apple has held its latest product launch, revealing new iPads and sweeping updates to its education offering.

The event didn't bring with it many new announcements, despite expectations that Apple could update the iPhone SE or other products. Those sorts of updates have been expected early in the year, but it's likely that it will either be in a press release sent out after the event or in another announcement later on.

Instead, the event focused on education, revealing a range of new releases intended to be used in the classroom. They're ranged from new products – most affordable iPad ever, which can support the Apple Pencil – to software that allows teachers to more easily use Apple computers in their classroom.

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[27 March 2018 16:50 · Andrew Griffin]

Still talking about this curriculum, and the power of the Swift programming language that underpins it, and which Apple invented.

[27 March 2018 16:53 · Andrew Griffin]

They're so excited about their coding curriculum that.... they're building an entirely new one!

[27 March 2018 16:54 · Andrew Griffin]

It's called Everyone Can Create. (Like Everyone Can Code.) And it seems to be much the same thing, but even broader: a curriculum for learning, built around creativity rather than coding, which gives teachers and students a complete set of strategies and lessons.

[27 March 2018 16:54 · Andrew Griffin]

Free resources for teachers, focusing on things like photography, music and drawing.

[27 March 2018 16:55 · Andrew Griffin]

That creativity can be applied elsewhere, says Apple. It's not just about drawing a new masterpiece, but using those drawing skills in your history report.

[27 March 2018 16:59 · Andrew Griffin]

Tim Cook is back on stage, which presumably means everything's coming to a close.

[27 March 2018 17:02 · Andrew Griffin]

Going back through everything.

As a reminder, that's:

• New iPad
• which can use Apple Pencil
• AR apps for learning
• Apple Teacher
• Schoolwork
• ClassKit
• and updates to the iWork suite

[27 March 2018 17:03 · Andrew Griffin]

Everything's wrapping up with a video. Which, of course, you can't see – so unless something surprising happens, that will be the end of our live blog. Thanks for following!

[27 March 2018 17:05 · Andrew Griffin]

Here's the press release on everything else that's not the iPad:

Building on its 40-year history in transforming education, Apple today announced a new 9.7-inch iPad with support for Apple Pencil* and programmes designed to spark student creativity and inspire them to succeed. Everyone Can Create is a new, free curriculum that makes it fun and easy for teachers to integrate drawing, music, filmmaking or photography into their existing lesson plans for any subject. The new curriculum joins Apple’s successful Everyone Can Code initiative as one-of-a-kind programmes for teachers that keep students excited and engaged.

Everyone Can Create is designed to take advantage of the new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil, so teachers and students can be even more creative. The new iPad starts at a discounted price for schools and is more versatile and capable than ever, featuring a large Retina display, the A10 Fusion chip, enhanced cameras and advanced sensors and providing unmatched portability, ease of use and all-day battery life.** iPad also gives teachers and students access to free, powerful, built-in apps like Pages, Numbers, Keynote, GarageBand, Clips and iMovie, along with the more than 1.3 million apps in total built for iPad in the App Store. 

Apple also announced Schoolwork, a powerful new app that helps teachers create assignments, see student progress and tap into the power of apps in the classroom. Schoolwork builds on the success of Apple’s Classroom app, which is used in schools around the world to help integrate iPad into the classroom. Schoolwork and Classroom are designed to help teachers and administrators get the most out of integrating Apple technology into schools. 

“Creativity sparks a deeper level of engagement in students, and we’re excited to help teachers bring out that creativity in the classroom,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “When you combine the power of iPad, the creativity of Apple Pencil, over a million iPad apps in the App Store, the rich curriculum in Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create, and unique Classroom and Schoolwork apps that support students and help schools manage technology in the classroom, we believe we can amplify learning and creativity in a way that only Apple can.”

[27 March 2018 17:05 · Andrew Griffin]

Thanks everyone! Full report to follow.