The Google Chromebook has become the tech tool of
choice for many K-12 schools,
but Apple isn’t going to let the business just walk away without a fight. The
computer company is revamping its iOS education platform that allows student
sharing of a single device.
“Apple is clearly gunning for Chromebooks,” Eric Zeman
wrote in a post for InformationWeek. “The iPad maker would prefer to see students using its
tablet instead of Google’s inexpensive laptops.”
Using the new Apple platform, students will be able to
log into any school-issued iPad with their Apple ID and find their individual
apps, books, and documents on the device. The Shared iPad feature uses a photo
login system so students find their assigned iPads. There’s also a PIN system to
make it easier for younger children to log on.
The new iOS 9.3 upgrade lets teachers launch and close
apps remotely. The Screen View feature allows teachers to view what’s on a
student’s iPad at any time and provides locks to keep students on task,
according to a report in MacRumors.
“Apple’s
strategy means to make tablets more flexible in the classroom, both for
teachers and their students,” Igor Bonifacic wrote in a tech blog for MobileSyrup. “With iPad sales stalling over the last two years, this could
be a way to spur sales, especially of older, less expensive models.”
