Apple and T-Mobile are collaborating to connect up to 1 million California students in need with iPads already equipped with high-speed internet connectivity.
With COVID-19 cases still surging in the state, 97% students in California won‘t be headed back to classrooms this autumn. They’ll be doing distance learning, which requires computers.
Apple and T-Mobile will fulfill orders from school districts —which could reach up to 1 million students — with discounted iPads with 4G LTE built in. These tablets can connect to the internet anywhere T-Mobile service is available.
Apple helping in a time of crisis
“We are proud the State of California has chosen iPad to facilitate remote learning, and during these challenging times we look forward to working with administrators and school districts across the state to help make learning more accessible for their students,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s VP of Markets, Apps, and Services.
Beyond hardware, the iPad maker’s Professional Learning team provides weekly virtual training sessions for California teachers, offering creative strategies for learning remotely. Apple also offers one-to-one virtual coaching sessions and teachers can gain foundational technology skills through the Apple Teacher Learning Center, available at no cost.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced students around the world to learn from home, not just in California, and many of them turned to iPad. That lead to a surge in sales of these tablets in the second quarter of 2020, with iPad shipments up 20%.
Source: California Department of Education
