iPad iPad update March 2013

One of about 3 topics on this board lately.

gadget123 said:

...The smart buyers are the ones keeping Ipad 2/3 now awaiting the redesign.

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And what exactly makes them smart? They don't get the use of the new devices for another 6-12 months. Not sure how that is considered smart.

ZBoater said:

And what exactly makes them smart? They don't get the use of the new devices for another 6-12 months. Not sure how that is considered smart.

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Actually, I agree with him. An argument can be made for the Mini's portability enabling users to use it in more places. But for the most part, there is nothing that the new products can do which the old ones can't. And I'm saying that as someone that just sold their iPad 2 and 3. I love the new mini but in the end it's the exact same product.

urkel said:

Actually, I agree with him. An argument can be made for the Mini's portability enabling users to use it in more places. But for the most part, there is nothing that the new products can do which the old ones can't. And I'm saying that as someone that just sold their iPad 2 and 3. I love the new mini but in the end it's the exact same product.

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So smaller size and half the weight isn't a compelling reason to switch?

It is for me.

I have the 3, but whether it be the 2 or 3, size and weight are very important factors to many people. Having the option of the same functionality is a smaller package that is half the weight is big.

lol every time.

I suppose i shouldnt have bought a laptop in August because the new Haskell CPUs will be out next year?

i'll never understand why people are always after the perfect time to buy something. If you want something, then buy it. Unless there is a new one out next week (in which case you are a bit of a muppet, but you can probably still return it), then who gives a monkeys.

buy it, use it, and if you want the new one, sell it and upgrade for about £100-150.

ZBoater said:

So smaller size and half the weight isn't a compelling reason to switch?

It is for me.

I have the 3, but whether it be the 2 or 3, size and weight are very important factors to many people. Having the option of the same functionality is a smaller package that is half the weight is big.

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Im not arguing and I already said I upgraded from an iPad2 and iPad3 to TWO Minis so I can personally recognize the benefits just like you can. But looking at it from the general consumers perspective thenwhat we have this gen is an iPad 4 where Apps aren't written to take advantage of the speed boost, and an iPad Mini where the OS/UI isn't optimized to a 7.9" screen. So a valid argument can be made that "These are transition products and next gen will be much MUCH better" so if you can wait then you should.

gadget123 said:

But this update cycle is six months not the usual 12 months.

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Who says? Rent-a-analyst? Karl Rove? Some factory worker in Asia? Digitimes lol?

There's been ONE instance of a six month iPad upgrade, and now we assume ALL future upgrades will be 6 months? Get real.

Anyway, what does it matter. Forumgoers live in a bubble, myself included. *Everything* is incremental once a product line is established, buy it when you want it, or don't. My own personal opinion is, if you're a forum goer, you're best to always buy early in a cycle, can't really go wrong that way. My 3rd gen is still a great tablet, fast as hell. The 4th gen is fastER. Do I give a crap? Not in the slightest.

urkel said:

...So a valid argument can be made that "These are transition products and next gen will be much MUCH better" so if you can wait then you should.

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There's always something better coming next year. If one were to wait one might as well not buy anything.

ZBoater said:

There's always something better coming next year. If one were to wait one might as well not buy anything.

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That's presuming one does not already have an iPad that already meets one's needs.

If Apple releases a new iPad in 6 months, so be it. If it offers enough features and value to justify buying a new one, I'll buy it. If it doesn't, I'll keep using my version 3.

yegon said:

There's been ONE instance of a six month iPad upgrade, and now we assume ALL future upgrades will be 6 months? Get real.

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Yep, plus it was more like 7 months, and this consolidated the upgrade cycles for iPad products (to a more sensible "holiday shopping" date), introduce the new connector, update LTE (kind of "engineering tidying up" so to speak) ... just quite a few things that make this early update seem like a one off instance of breaking the cycle.

ZBoater said:

There's always something better coming next year. If one were to wait one might as well not buy anything.

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Yes, but some years offer a more dramatic jump than others. ESPECIALLY in Apples history where Apple switching between incremental and radical upgrades are what keep consumers constantly buying.

With the Mini and iPad4 then right now many are singing their praises. But if we're seeing backlash against the iPad3 then imagine how it will be when the Retina Mini or Re-imagined iPad4 come out. These are fantastic devices, but it is very rare that you see Apple release products that feel outdated even before they hit the shelves.

gadget123 said:

With all rumours pointing to a update in March as they failed to make mini a retina and Ipad 4 looks like a stop gap for a redesign back and thinner Ipad 5..so who regrets taking the plunge and getting Ipad mini or Ipad 4?

I reckon there will be parts leaks on here in a month or two..and I don't think Apple will make fall/end of the year the update schedule.

Looks like Ipad mini 2 + Ipad 5 March 2013
Iphone 5S maybe summer but more likely September

Everybody hoping for a new update cycle are wrong..we all know Ipad mini was just pushed forward for xmas sales..the next one will be less than a year away!

The smart buyers are the ones keeping Ipad 2/3 now awaiting the redesign.

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Something something u ass u me...

the real idiots are those who buy the ipad mini 2 with the outdated A6 processor.

the A7 ipad mini 3 will be out in september 2013

You have no reason at all to think any new iPads will be released in March 2013.

gadget123 said:

With all rumours pointing to a update in March as they failed to make mini a retina and Ipad 4 looks like a stop gap for a redesign back and thinner Ipad 5..so who regrets taking the plunge and getting Ipad mini or Ipad 4?

I reckon there will be parts leaks on here in a month or two..and I don't think Apple will make fall/end of the year the update schedule.

Looks like Ipad mini 2 + Ipad 5 March 2013
Iphone 5S maybe summer but more likely September

Everybody hoping for a new update cycle are wrong..we all know Ipad mini was just pushed forward for xmas sales..the next one will be less than a year away!

The smart buyers are the ones keeping Ipad 2/3 now awaiting the redesign.

Click to expand...

THFourteen said:

lol every time.

I suppose i shouldnt have bought a laptop in August because the new Haskell CPUs will be out next year?

i'll never understand why people are always after the perfect time to buy something. If you want something, then buy it. Unless there is a new one out next week (in which case you are a bit of a muppet, but you can probably still return it), then who gives a monkeys.

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But isnt the unpredictability of the next model exactly the problem?The OP is mentioning iPad 2/3 owners so why shouldnt those people overthink when the "perfect" time to buy is? It is very possible that Apple maintains its Spring iPad release schedule and the whole point of the iPad 4 and iPad Mini is to be placeholders for their "lower tier" offerings for when their successors get released.

My guess for next gen is this:
$229 iPad Mini
$329 iPad Mini wRetina

$399 iPad 4 (Same old model but already lightning equipped)
$499 iPad 5 (Fully redesigned)

Apple seems to have made a clear path for their next updates so the only big question is "When does next gen begin". And it can still be Spring.

THFourteen said:

lol every time.

I suppose i shouldnt have bought a laptop in August because the new Haskell CPUs will be out next year?

i'll never understand why people are always after the perfect time to buy something. If you want something, then buy it. Unless there is a new one out next week (in which case you are a bit of a muppet, but you can probably still return it), then who gives a monkeys.

buy it, use it, and if you want the new one, sell it and upgrade for about £100-150.

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Indeed. Is there really a perfect time? I mean, in theory, the best time would be immediately after a product release; but many forum members who are early adopters then complain of shoddy construction and then many more are waiting till they get the manufacturing process right. But WAIT! It's already too late... by the time they almost got it right, they're already prepping to move onto the next product. Oops.

From MacDailyNews: "Apple begins iPhone 5s, next-gen iPad, Apple "iTV" pre-production for early 2013"

http://macdailynews.com/2012/11/12/...tv-pre-production-for-early-2013-sources-say/

Hmm....normally I'd take something like this with a several grains of salt. But lately, who knows?

At this point I'm going to be happy with my iPhone 5 and iPad 4. If they update them in March, oh well. I'm satisfied with what they have done with the current models so I won't mind keeping them for a little while.

For those that choose to wait until March for a possible update, and they do, why buy one then? You know there will be another update after that, even better so wait for that one but then the next one will be better than that and the next one...

Just because they put out a new ipad after 6 months doesn't mean there going to release another one in 6 months again. Especially after the negative feedback, its doubtful

gadget123 said:

With all rumours pointing to a update in March as they failed to make mini a retina

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With what rumors pointing to a march release ? WE KNOW from the supplier of the actual retina displays for the mini that they wont be into mass production until Q4 2013 so how can there possibly be a March update ?

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gadget123 said:

But this update cycle is six months not the usual 12 months.

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On 1 iOS product, the iPad 3 - 4

This is far from normal.


On the iPhone 4 to 4s it was 15 months

But if you average them all out its a 12 months schedule.

I think the 6 month cycle is a one trick pony, they did it so they can line up future releases at the holidays.

iEvolution said:

I think the 6 month cycle is a one trick pony, they did it so they can line up future releases at the holidays.

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I agree

gadget123 said:

Everybody hoping for a new update cycle are wrong..we all know Ipad mini was just pushed forward for xmas sales..the next one will be less than a year away!

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Source/Link?

or are these just "sources familiar with the matter"?