Yesterday, Apple unveiled “The New iPad.” Many of us were probably expecting the iPad 3, but some of the specs on this new digital specimen will likely outweigh the missing single digit. Here’s what we think the new iPad is going to do to the real estate industry and how it will impact homebuyers, sellers and real estate agents.
The Resolution is Beyond Ridiculous
The new iPad sports a 2048 x 1536 retina display. This dwarfs any screen resolution out there, no matter what device–including the 1080 HDTV in the man cave primed for March Madness. To give you an even better idea of how sharp the visuals are, this is what Apple had to say about the display: “The new iPad is a true high-definition device, with its 10-inch screen containing some 3.1 million pixels — a million more than the HDTV that sits in your living room.” This resolution is going to set a new standard for graphics in the real estate industry. Look for new and improved images on broker websites in the coming weeks and months.
The outstanding resolution will also help homebuyers see homes in greater detail. A picture of a home’s interior will now be able to tell a story like never before.
Under the Hood
The new iPad is gosh darn fast. The engine of this latest release is the high-speed A5x chip, which also boasts quad-core graphics. Quad core graphics will provide 4 times the performance of the iPad 2. In addition, the new release will offer 4G LTE support in equipped areas, providing an even faster browsing experience.
We think one of the greatest benefits of this upgrade will be in loading and playing video. Video, particularly on sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo, has become a standard in the real estate industry. Short of taking a live walking tour of a home, a video is the best first impression a homebuyer can get of a property. It’s in a broker’s and agent’s interest to make sure that impression is pleasurable. With the new iPad in hand, that won’t be a problem.
The Takeaway
If you’re an agent or broker, you may have some work to do. Make sure any images you use to portray your home are as crisp as possible-at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). If possible, shoot video in HD to ensure the best visual and playback.
If you’re a consumer, prepare to be wowed. Real estate brokers, us included, have a wonderful opportunity to add a new dimension to our marketing, particularly video-all to impress your socks off.
The dominance of the iPad amongst realtors and consumers is no longer a trend, but a standard. We look forward to seeing how the new release will further change the way we communicate, in business and in life.
