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BuckusToothnail

macrumors member
Nov 11, 2012
72
0
This isn't really surprising considering Apple is around a YEAR behind even its own targeted release schedule for rolling out new technology, never mind falling behind the rest of competition.

People forget that Apple initially wanted to release iPhone 5 in October of 2011. Yield issues involving the 4" Retina Display among other problems caused Apple to delay the iPhone 5 release and introduce the iPhone 4S instead.

Releasing the iPhone 5S in March/April 2013 gives Apple an opportunity get back on track to its own targeted schedule and release iPhone 6 in October 2013.

iPhone 5S will use the rest of the 4" Retina Display inventory while iPhone 6 will introduce a new 5" screen and adopt the CinemaScope aspect ratio of 2.35:1.

Though the iPhone 6 will share the same 4.87" x 2.3" height and width dimensions of iPhone 5, it will feature a reduction of the bezel thickness on the top and bottom of the phone, allowing for the extension of the screen.

The "Home" bottom will be designed and re-sized to accommodate this change.

The iPad Mini 2 will be launched at the same time with a "Retina Display" of 1536x1152 with 245 PPI, A6 chip and 1GB RAM. Keep in mind that it WON'T have the full-sized iPad's resolution of 2048x1536. That is being saved for iPad Mini 3 to be released in 2014.

Note the "quick" turnaround for releasing iPad Mini 2 in March/April 2013 serves two purposes.

One, it allows Apple to not only catch up, but SURPASS its competitors in display supremacy for the 7" tablet class. Note that the iPad Mini 2's 245 PPI will be the highest offered, taking the crown away from the NOOK HD which has a 1440x900 screen and 243 PPI.

If Apple waited until November 2013 to release the Retina version of the iPad Mini, the product line would have fallen behind its competitors for more than a YEAR, and would have been TWO generations behind the competition when the second generation of Nexus 7 was released in summer 2013.

Secondly, Apple wants to separate the release schedules of the iPad Mini and the full-sized iPad. Keeping the release dates for both products the same will invariably increase the cannibalization of the two product lines.

By separating the launch dates by six months, Apple will be able to increase the tempo of planned obsolescence in the iPad lines without obliquely doing so like when it released iPad 4 just seven months after iPad 3.

While the iPad Mini will never exceed the CPU and processing capabilities of the full-sized iPad, Apple could give it advantages elsewhere, like the stereo speakers found in the Mini that's not available in any model of the full-sized iPad.

It will also allow Apple to respond quicker to new developments in technology, where a six month product refresh allows it to maintain a competitive edge as opposed to an annual update, which leaves its products vulnerable of being made obsolete by its competition for nine months out of that year.
 

TsMkLg068426

macrumors 65816
Mar 31, 2009
1,498
343
I think Apple forgets most people are in a 2 year contract with their provider and they can not afford to pay penalties for a new phone. Maybe they should consider some kind of deal for upgrading your iPhone instead of forcing people to buy a new one. How much loss could they be already if they gave a upgrade discount? I am pretty sure the discout won't be that much as we know this is Apple.


Sorry, I just get annoyed when you just buy something new another new ones come out. Around the 90s I really do not remember technology changing this rapidly but around late 90s or end of the 90s this trend started.
 

Macist

macrumors 6502a
Mar 13, 2009
783
458
This report is a bunch of BS, but if it were true, it would backfire big time on Apple. The media and public backlash might do Apple in.

Why? Some people want much faster refreshes from Apple. The Spamdroid players are launching phones every five minutes.
 

cgdrennan

macrumors newbie
Sep 24, 2012
14
0
They should make the new iPhones more like the new touch. It has a way better feel with the rounded edges. I can't use the iPhone 4,4s, or 5 without a case
 

jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
OLD: "Apple doesn't update their phones often enough"

NEW: "Apple is updating their phones too often."

----------

In all honesty, if Apple simply migrated back to a summer launch with the iPhone, I think they'd be better off.

iPhones in June/July
iPads/iPods in Sept/Oct
Macs in January/Feb/March

voila!
 

mittencuh

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
146
192
Colorado Springs
I think Apple forgets most people are in a 2 year contract with their provider and they can not afford to pay penalties for a new phone. Maybe they should consider some kind of deal for upgrading your iPhone instead of forcing people to buy a new one.


Sorry, I just get annoyed when you just buy something new another new ones come.

Who is being "forced" to buy a new iPhone exactly? If you don't like rapid product cycles, don't buy the updated products!
 

jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
Carrier subsidies should just end. When iPhone was first released on AT&T there was no subsidy. I think I paid $399 for a 4GB model in September of 2007. I believe the subsidy started with iPhone 3G.

No subsidies, no contracts. No contracts and people could simply upgrade as often as they wanted to or could afford to, paying the full cost of the phone.
 

TsMkLg068426

macrumors 65816
Mar 31, 2009
1,498
343
Who is being "forced" to buy a new iPhone exactly? If you don't like rapid product cycles, don't buy the updated products!


Sorry, I used the word "force" incorrectly, I really meant was they are not giving a chance for us to enjoy the new phone. I know no one is telling us to get the new phones but at the rate they are making everyone feel their new phone is already becoming out of date.


It least let it last longer than 6 months for a new one. But if someone does want to upgrade while in a contract they should it least give some kind of discout instead of penalizing for wanting to get their new phone.

----------

Carrier subsidies should just end. When iPhone was first released on AT&T there was no subsidy. I think I paid $399 for a 4GB model in September of 2007. I believe the subsidy started with iPhone 3G.

No subsidies, no contracts. No contracts and people could simply upgrade as often as they wanted to or could afford to, paying the full cost of the phone.


Yep I remember those days, but I am still amazed the amounts of people that still are buying it when no longer those deals exist. I guess people can afford to pay penalties not sure. I guess I am going to wait until iPhone 7 comes out not the 6 lol. I wonder what iPhone 7 features will be since we kind of know what to expect for iPhone 6.
 

rockametrics

macrumors regular
Apr 16, 2010
133
0
6 months refresh cycles may be the new norm? Who knows. No one saw iPad 4 coming. We can all agree that yearly upgrades are too far apart to be keep up with competition. Perhaps Apple is making use of the cash they have just sitting and trying to stay fresh. As for someone who jumped from the 4S to the S3 after owning every iPhone from the 3G to the 4S, I think minimally they need to overhaul iOS and possible reconsider the screen size of the their phones.

Personally I like Apple, but I don't miss my iPhone at all.

I am not saying I wouldn't go back to one if they made some changes. But It's not just about being thinner and lighter for every product. Not sure they get that yet. I personally thought the 5 was too light. I liked how the 4S felt in my hand more than the 5.
 

DrumApple

macrumors 6502a
Jan 30, 2009
546
1,417
They should focus on their crappy software and crappy/obsolete line of Mac computers first.
 

Clocksetbyfeel

macrumors regular
Sep 18, 2012
107
61
California
Really, WHY?

If this were true, Apple will lose a lot of respect. They use to come out with something great and keep it out and fresh for a year or 2. Now it's every year moving to every 6 months. Calm down Apple, seriously. :mad::confused::eek:
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
Yeah right.

I agree and disagree.

I agree that it is highly unlikely that they are going to massively advance the release of the next phone, particularly to something like Feb/Mar.

But I disagree that this report is definitely 100% off base. They could be doing a trial production for testing purposes this early. In fact it makes sense given the rumors that they stopped doing field testing after the whole iPhone 4 thing. They would need longer to test to try to find all possible bugs.
 

scoobydoo99

Cancelled
Mar 11, 2003
1,007
353
good. the sooner the 5S comes out, the sooner we can look forward to the 6, and (hopefully) a decent form factor. That long, skinny 5 just looks embarassing. (sigh) a long wait ahead.
 

xofruitcake

macrumors 6502a
Mar 15, 2012
632
9
I think Apple forgets most people are in a 2 year contract with their provider and they can not afford to pay penalties for a new phone. Maybe they should consider some kind of deal for upgrading your iPhone instead of forcing people to buy a new one. How much loss could they be already if they gave a upgrade discount? I am pretty sure the discout won't be that much as we know this is Apple.


Sorry, I just get annoyed when you just buy something new another new ones come out. Around the 90s I really do not remember technology changing this rapidly but around late 90s or end of the 90s this trend started.

why worry.. Wait until your contract end in a couple years and you can pick up whatever is the current generation of device at the time. If you are the type that want/need the latest and greatest, always. Then it will give you the chance to trade in your Iphone 5 in a few months and you won't get bored by iphone 5. It is all good...
 

jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
Anyone who thinks Apple should hold off on refreshing a product when they have the ability and capacity to do so, even slightly , just so those who bought a particular prior version won't feel like their product is outdated is ridiculous.

The 4th gen iPad was a good move. It's not really a new iPad. It's just a revised version of the current "new iPad." It incorporates Apple's latest technology and that's a good thing for consumers. It shouldn't matter that someone else bought one 7 months ago. There's simply no reason to hold back because of some outdated cycle mentality.

Obviously there has to be a limit to how often a product can be refreshed, based on manufacturing, logistics, consumer demand, etc., but I am fairly certain that the people working at Apple have a good handle on how often is appropriate for its business.
 

mantan

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2009
1,742
1,030
DFW
Carrier subsidies should just end. When iPhone was first released on AT&T there was no subsidy. I think I paid $399 for a 4GB model in September of 2007. I believe the subsidy started with iPhone 3G.

No subsidies, no contracts. No contracts and people could simply upgrade as often as they wanted to or could afford to, paying the full cost of the phone.

That'll never happen. An unlocked iPhone would$650-$899. The overwhelming majority of current iPhone users would think long and hard before dropping 3-4 times their initial investment into another iPhone, especially when comparing them to subsidized prices on other phones.

There is no way Apple would cut their own throat by ending carier subsidies.
 

makotoisle

macrumors 6502
May 31, 2012
256
26
I think it makes sense for Apple to move their iPhone launches to the spring. If they plan on doing iPhones and iPads all around the Holidays, people are going to choose one or the other - but at Apple prices, I think few would choose both.

This would hurt launch day hype for both products, as you're splitting your sales across multiple devices - i.e. iPad 4 vs iPad Mini.

Especially having to do Christmas shopping, etc. I can see iPads in the Fall because they make good gifts, but iPhones are generally tied to carrier contracts for most people.
 

iMule

macrumors 6502
Feb 11, 2009
309
8
Greenville, SC
Absolutely ridiculous. When you have shorter cycles in between gens and it becomes habitual, personally, I get the feeling that they're not providing us with a good enough initial model. Apple usually future proofs its devices. Knowingly, they released an iPad 3 with a legacy connector and fooled the nation last month.
 

baryon

macrumors 68040
Oct 3, 2009
3,875
2,922
I heard Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6, and go straight to iPhone 7, that way, they will double the rate of how fast the number after "iPhone" increases each year. That way, "iPhone 100" is closer than you expect, you might want to hold off of buying the iPhone 5.
 

Woodcrest64

macrumors 65816
Aug 14, 2006
1,303
515
I'm getting pretty fed up with having to go to a store every two weeks to keep my tech at the bleeding edge.

Apple needs to take it to the next level and allow us to download hardware updates through iTunes.

At what point from Apple would you stop upgrading to have the bleeding edge of technology?
 

irDigital0l

Guest
Dec 7, 2010
2,901
0
I think Apple forgets most people are in a 2 year contract with their provider and they can not afford to pay penalties for a new phone. Maybe they should consider some kind of deal for upgrading your iPhone instead of forcing people to buy a new one. How much loss could they be already if they gave a upgrade discount? I am pretty sure the discout won't be that much as we know this is Apple.

1. There not forcing anyone.
2. Usually people that have a 2 year contract don't have a reason to buy a phone every year.
3. Its only the people that buy the new models every year as a hobby honestly.
 
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