The new iPad's 'brighter Retina Display' is a cheaper version of the Air 2 panel

Ditching screen lamination and anti-reflective coating allows Apple to sell the new iPad much cheaper than its predecessors

How does Apple make money out of a $329 iPad, though? Well, when the iPad Air 2 launched two and a half years ago, IHS estimates pegged the cost of its components and assembly at $275. The nature of the electronics' industry is that cost of components drops drastically over time, that's how Chinese brands like Xiaomi are able to sell phones near cost, but keep them longer on the market, and eventually start to make decent profit when their parts fall in price over time. Apple is likely pursuing a similar strategy, as the only upgrades worth talking about in the new iPad compared to the Air 2 are a faster, A9 chipset, a "brighter Retina Display," and a new Touch ID finger scanner. We wouldn't be surprised if the total cost to make this thing hovers around the $150 mark, so the new slate still offers a decent margin, while Apple's apps and subscription services, whose profitability is growing leaps and bounds, will also add up with each new iPad sold.

What piqued our interest, however, was the phrase "featuring a brighter 9.7-inch Retina display" that Apple starts the new iPad's press release with. While we can't vouch how much brighter the new display will be, as we have to run it through our screen benchmark routines, but it certainly sounds like the display, albeit with the same resolution, will differ somehow from the one that is on the Air 2. But how? 

Well, as you can see in Apple's own iPad family comparison below, the new iPad won't have the laminated display tech and anti-reflective coating of its predecessor. These omissions might allow for more of the backlight to pass through, but will likely diminish visibility outside on a bright sunny day. No lamination of the cover glass with the screen package, and eschewing an anti-reflective coating, however, may have allowed Apple to secure the new iPad's 9.7" display at a much lower cost than what the original panel of the Air 2 used to command, and, thankfully, has passed those savings onto us users now.

source: Apple