Five things to know about Apple's new iPad

Red hot

Apple made a surprise announcement this week with new additions to its product lineup - the release of a new 9.7-inch iPad and a new special edition color for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, called (Product)Red. While rumors of a red iPhone and new iPad had been in circulation, Apple opted to unveil the products without a scheduled event. In the following slides, we've rounded up the key things to know about Apple's newest iPad and iPhone.

iPad: display

Apple said that its 9.7-inch iPad (which is an iPad Pro) is currently its most popular size, so the company is now releasing a non-"Pro" version at the same 9.7-inch display size. The display will use Apple's bright Retina technology and feature resolution of 2048 x 1536. It will also feature oleophobic coating for fingerprint resistance, Apple said. The new 9.7-inch iPad will replace the iPad Air 2 in Apple’s tablet lineup, the company said.

iPad: Processor and battery life

For the 9.7-inch iPad, Apple opts for a previous-generation processor, the A9, which was the processor used in the iPhone 6S. By contrast, the iPad Pro features the faster A9X and the iPhone 7 features the A10 Fusion. The 9.7-inch iPad comes with a 32.4WHr battery, which promises up to 10 hours of web or video usage.

iPad: other specs

Apple also said the 9.7-inch iPad will weigh about 450 grams and will feature options for 32 GB or 128 GB of storage. The tablet will include an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, along with HD video recording. Meanwhile, the 9.7-inch iPad will be available in three colors - silver, gold and space gray.

iPad: price and availability

Apple said the 9.7-inch iPad will be available in wi-fi-only and wi-fi/cellular models. The wi-fi-only iPad has a starting price of $469, with the wi-fi/cellular model starting at $669 (for the 32-GB models in both cases). Apple will open up ordering for the 9.7-inch iPad on 25 March, and will begin shipping next week (a specific day wasn't disclosed).

iPhone: details

Apple said it will offer a special edition of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with a red aluminum finish, dubbed (PRODUCT)RED. Apple said the color is a "celebration" of Apple's decade-long partnership with (RED), an organization that funds programs to fight HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Apple said the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 will have a starting price of $1229, and will be available on Friday March 25.