According to DigiTimes, “Sales prospects for the new 10.8-inch iPad devices are also bright as the new lineup, which feature high performance CPUs, will be available at more affordable prices, the sources indicated.” It is unclear how much cheaper the tablet will be, but right now the cheapest iPad you can get is the regular iPad model which is priced starting at $329.
As for the iPad Air, the base model with 64GB is priced starting at $399, so we’re not sure if this more affordable model will mean that it will be cheaper than the current iPad Air, or if it will be the cheapest iPad out of the entire iPad models. However, in either situation, it sounds like it will still be a pretty good value for money purchase, especially given the rumored larger display and upgraded hardware.
Apple has seen quite a bit of success in introducing more affordable products. The iPhone XR and its successor, the iPhone 11, have been dominating smartphone sales and have been selling more than its more expensive siblings, so there is an argument for it.