Apple has announced a price increase across part of its product range, and this includes iPad. The change took effect immediately and applies at the manufacturer level, which means it affects iPad pricing for every Australian retailer, including Assistive Tech. We want to explain what has happened, why, and what it means if you are partway through ordering an iPad or seeking funding approval for one.
What has changed
The pricing for iPad has gone up. The increase is driven by a global shortage of memory and storage chips, which has pushed up manufacturing costs across the entire technology industry. This is not a change Assistive Tech has chosen to make, and it is not unique to us. It flows directly from Apple and is reflected in the recommended pricing that all retailers work from.
Our website now shows the updated iPad pricing. Because the change took effect straight away, we are unable to honour any iPad prices that were advertised or quoted before the increase.
What this means if you have a quote or agreement in progress
If you received a quote or a service agreement from us before the increase, the iPad pricing on that document is now out of date. Where an agreement has not yet been signed, we are issuing an updated version that reflects the current pricing so that everything is accurate before you proceed.
We understand this is frustrating, particularly if you were close to making a decision or had already begun the funding approval process. The timing is outside both your control and ours, and we are doing what we can to make the transition as smooth as possible.
If your purchase involves NDIS funding
For participants whose Replacement Support Approval applications are currently being assessed, we are engaging directly with the NDIS so that the updated iPad cost can be captured during the approval process. Our aim is to ensure participants are not disadvantaged by a manufacturer price change that occurred while their application was already underway.
Assistive Tech is a registered NDIS provider. Funding decisions rest with the NDIS, and outcomes can vary between individual applications, so we are not able to guarantee a particular result. What we can commit to is providing clear, current pricing documentation and supporting your plan manager or support coordinator with whatever they need to keep your application moving.
What happens next
If you are an existing customer with an unsigned agreement, you will hear from us directly with your updated documents and an explanation of the change. There is nothing you need to do in the meantime. If you have questions about an order, a quote, or how the change affects a funding application already in progress, our team is here to help and happy to talk it through.
We know that for many of the families, carers, and clinicians we work with, an iPad is not a discretionary purchase. It is a communication tool, a learning aid, and in many cases an essential part of daily life. We are sorry that this increase affects products that matter so much, and we will continue to do everything we reasonably can to support our community through the change.
