Apple’s iBooks on iPad vs. Textbook Costs (Infographic)

You may have heard that some schools across America provide iPads for each of their students. This $500 device is used as a calculator, notepad, word processor, and more. Despite the fact that the cost of those individual items barely hit $50, the iPad can be a useful learning tool. In January of 2012, Apple released iBooks 2, which happens to include high school textbooks. The infographic below gives the cost breakdown of converting schools in the U.S. to iPads from regular old textbooks.

If a brand-new school is opening and they have to provide new textbooks for their students, turning the iPad instead would actually be cheaper in the long run. The long-term problems of insurance, responsibility, and who foots the bill for books themselves are a little more complicated. Traditionally, schools pay for textbooks, and unless the student loses it or completely destroys it, they never spend a dime. With iPads, students and parents would likely be responsible for covering the cost of each $15 book, which puts further strain on low-income families across the country. It would be nice if Apple had the ability to donate to these families or school districts, but that seems unlikely, considering 31% of families in the United States are now classified as low income.

Some thing Apple will revolutionize education, but unless they’ve got secret methods for making this option more affordable, that result is a long shot. Check out the infographic below for the full details.

Created by: Online Teaching Degree