With Apple having fallen behind Google and Microsoft in the education market in recent years, the company has launched a push to close the gap. Apple’s initiative began last week at its “Field Trip” event in Chicago and the launch of a new iPad, which comes at a discounted price for bulk purchases by schools.
While the company’s moves to place its early computers in educational institutions in the 1970s and ’80s are a huge part of the company’s history, Apple has of late been falling behind its rivals when it comes to getting its products into schools. According to stats released by Futuresource Consulting last month, 58 percent of the K-12 computing devices market is currently held by Chromebooks, compared with 22 percent for Windows devices and 19 percent Apple (of which iPads are 14 percent and Macs five percent.)