Thinner, Lighter 5th Generation iPad to Arrive in March 2013?

louis.b · Dec 25, 2012

HarryKNN21 said:
I didn't mean Samsung's products are all commendable, buy we all have to accept the fact that Apple products contain lots of Samsung hardware.

Hating Samsung doesn't always make Apple looks cool.

I dont hate Samsung to make Apple look cool. I dont give a crap if Apple is "cool" or not. I've disliked Samsung since I was using ANdroid.

BigDO · Dec 25, 2012

The stupidity of the people who "would be pissed" if Apple pushed out products more often just because they wouldn't have the current model "for a year" is a fantastic source of amusement to me.

Second only to statements like "I will stop buying iPads then".

MacBH928 · Dec 25, 2012

sputnikv said:
are we really complaining that the ipad is being upgraded so relatively soon? your current ipad isn't going to be any worse

This is not exactly true. When Apple releases more powerful gadgets , newer apps will require "higher" specs . When you can not run apps from the app store, your iphone/ipad will be almost obsolete other than the ability to browse and make phone calls.(ok play music and videos too)

For example, Infinity Blade which was released in later 2010 will NOT run on original iPhone or iphone 3G, and I doubt the performance on a 3gs. Basically it only supported 1 generation back. That means soon we will same games unable to run on iPad 2 and needs a minimum of iPad 3.

On the other hand, guys who bought a ps3 in 2006 are still enjoying the latest releases for ps3 in 2012.

basically, the faster they upgrade the faster your iPad will not be supported, the more obsolete it will be.

it does get worse, because your iPad does not meet the minimum requirements any more

ValO · Dec 25, 2012

I don' t get this moaning about apples upgrading cycle:

They have done this only once with the ipad 4. They wanted to bring out a retina ipad with a lightning connector , so all their ios devices would have one.
They decided to do a few slight hw upgrades as well. Can you blame them?

And now they will continue the one year upgrade cycle in 2013.
March: new 9.7 inch ipad
September: iPhone 5s
Oct/nov:new ipad mini

If you forget about the ipad 4, their update cycle has not changed.

Now: what about the new full-sized ipad?
-larger screen?
- new res?
-ipad mini design?
-a7?
-new material? What about the carbon like metal they tested and ordered?

Rogifan · Dec 25, 2012

Why are some here so bothered about whether people like Samsung or not?

dcorban · Dec 25, 2012

kingmohd84 said:
This is not exactly true. When Apple releases more powerful gadgets , newer apps will require "higher" specs . When you can not run apps from the app store, your iphone/ipad will be almost obsolete other than the ability to browse and make phone calls.(ok play music and videos too)

On the other hand, guys who bought a ps3 in 2006 are still enjoying the latest releases for ps3 in 2012.

basically, the faster they upgrade the faster your iPad will not be supported, the more obsolete it will be.

Good. You know what's worse than having your two-year-old device feel slow or obsolete? Having a brand new device able to run significantly better apps, but developers who cater to the old devices.

The iPad is only $500. $500 for at least two years of mind-blowing functionality is absurdly inexpensive. If you were to go back 20 years and describe the features of an iPad in even the most basic terms and said anyone could own one for $500, they would **** bricks. Tell them that some owners of this fantastic device are actually lamenting the advancement of the technology and they will think those people are insane.

kazinski · Dec 25, 2012

Short sighted or dumb

are they telling us they designers are only able to "see" 4 months into the future" hey apple, its time to stand and let the world catch up, a lick of paint is not needed at every season?"

yinz · Dec 25, 2012

I just can't wait for this smaller bezel iPad. The iPad mini looks awesome. It'll be even more awesome with a 9.7" display!

Chataupiano · Dec 25, 2012

kingmohd84 said:
This is not exactly true. When Apple releases more powerful gadgets , newer apps will require "higher" specs . When you can not run apps from the app store, your iphone/ipad will be almost obsolete other than the ability to browse and make phone calls.(ok play music and videos too)

For example, Infinity Blade which was released in later 2010 will NOT run on original iPhone or iphone 3G, and I doubt the performance on a 3gs. Basically it only supported 1 generation back. That means soon we will same games unable to run on iPad 2 and needs a minimum of iPad 3.

On the other hand, guys who bought a ps3 in 2006 are still enjoying the latest releases for ps3 in 2012.

basically, the faster they upgrade the faster your iPad will not be supported, the more obsolete it will be.

it does get worse, because your iPad does not meet the minimum requirements any more

Actually renewing product lines more frequently only narrows the spec-disparity between two products of different generations. It does not hasten the rate of obsolesence. In other words, there is no reason why a game like Infinity Blade should go unsupported for a device faster if the device were updated in 6-month increments rather than 1-year.

Smug Boy · Dec 25, 2012

RenoGuy said:
Well, Maybe he should take his foot off the gas before he goes over the cliff!

Getting the current products working properly should be 1st priority!!

Personally if I cannot get at least a year out of a device.....I ain't buying!

If there is a NEED, then by all means make it...Not just to milk the cow!

Why? I am still using my original iPad without any issues. This coming May will make 3 years that I have gotten out of it.

26139 · Dec 25, 2012

Huh?

Avatarshark said:
Man it makes my brand new iPad look so bad. Now I am debating whether or not to return it, still got 28 days to decide.

HOW? How does a new model in any way affect your current one?

Ryth · Dec 25, 2012

ValO said:
I don' t get this moaning about apples upgrading cycle:

They have done this only once with the ipad 4. They wanted to bring out a retina ipad with a lightning connector , so all their ios devices would have one.
They decided to do a few slight hw upgrades as well. Can you blame them?

And now they will continue the one year upgrade cycle in 2013.
March: new 9.7 inch ipad
September: iPhone 5s
Oct/nov:new ipad mini

If you forget about the ipad 4, their update cycle has not changed.

Now: what about the new full-sized ipad?
-larger screen?
- new res?
-ipad mini design?
-a7?
-new material? What about the carbon like metal they tested and ordered?

They can't wait a year for the Retina on the iPad mini. That will come in March with a chip and gpu bump and be the 'S'. Then in the fall, the A7 will come in the iPhone in Sept and the new iPad mini and iPad in Oct.

As for the iPad, look for a size close to 11" now for the screen...why?

Because the iPad is no longer the 'portable' carry with you device. That crown goes to the Mini and I've seen enough proof that the mini is taking over as the grab and go commuter device.

The iPad is now the home/work tablet and they can now go up an 1" or so on the screen to around 11"..which helps with all the people that say the iPad is too small to do 'real' work on (blah blah).

macfacts · Dec 25, 2012

jimmirehman said:
You have the Android world, mainly google, to blame for this.

Since Android devices are produced and released every 2 weeks by multiple manufacturers, Apple has no choice at this point but to increase frequency.

I think its a good idea, if gives us more options. I chose not to upgrade from ipad 3 to 4, instead i went from the ipad 3 to side grading to ipad mini having them both exist within my homes iEcosystem. Now i know that i wont have to wait a whole year before getting an ipad 5, i can expect the option to be available within 6 months. Or if i want i can wait the full year and get 2 generations newer! Right now, there is no way i would ever buy an iPad that is more than 6 months old on the market.

That is Apple's fault for not choosing to license iOS to other hardware manufacturers. That is Apple's fault for making hardware that can only use iOS.

Ryth · Dec 25, 2012

macfacts said:
That is Apple's fault for not choosing to license iOS to other hardware manufacturers. That is Apple's fault for making hardware that can only use iOS.

Apple is not at fault...they are smart.

You see the crap that is out there in the Android world...fragmentation, devices that can't run the current OS that are less then a year old, etc.

Apple's success is built on exactly what you are faulting them for.

TennisandMusic · Dec 25, 2012

26139 said:
HOW? How does a new model in any way affect your current one?

I think the worry would be Apple's tendency to quickly drop support for "old" models. If they supported all of their devices like PCs are supported with Windows (you get ALL the features if you upgrade, and your 5-10 year old computer can install the latest OS), it wouldn't matter. However, Apple artificially caps the usage of past devices. A perfect example is Siri and the 4S. Of course Siri would have worked on the 4, and 3GS, etc. but they didn't allow it to drive sales of the 4S.

Are we going to see an iPad 4, 5, 6 and 7 over the next two years with complete software parity? I would highly doubt it. The question is, does an accelerated release schedule exacerbate this problem.

bniu · Dec 25, 2012

manu chao said:
Do you honestly believe that any significant number of iPad '3' owners upgraded to the iPad '4' because it has a faster processor?

----------

I'd say 99% of all iPad or iPhone users only ever upgraded every two years. That will not change with this.

Even as an annual iPhone upgrader, I usually upgrade every 3rd generation of iPads. Just don't see the need to upgrade iPads that often.

macfacts · Dec 25, 2012

SomeDudeAsking said:
Some people do replace their cars every year with the newest model, it's called leasing.

You know who got a new car every 6months? Steve jobs did.

----------

louis.b said:
Let's change to cheap flimsy glossy plastic !

Find me one web page from the past that calls iphone1 or iBook cheap plastic. If you can't find one, I'll just assume your comment is from an Apple fan that likes to "flip flop" on issues.

Rodster · Dec 25, 2012

macfacts said:
You know who got a new car every 6months? Steve jobs did.

Yeah but there was a reason for that. Apparently California has law where you don't need a license plate if you keep the car less than 6 months. He did it so he could go under the radar so to speak.

Dmunjal · Dec 25, 2012

ValO said:
I don' t get this moaning about apples upgrading cycle:

They have done this only once with the ipad 4. They wanted to bring out a retina ipad with a lightning connector , so all their ios devices would have one.
They decided to do a few slight hw upgrades as well. Can you blame them?

And now they will continue the one year upgrade cycle in 2013.
March: new 9.7 inch ipad
September: iPhone 5s
Oct/nov:new ipad mini

If you forget about the ipad 4, their update cycle has not changed.

Now: what about the new full-sized ipad?
-larger screen?
- new res?
-ipad mini design?
-a7?
-new material? What about the carbon like metal they tested and ordered?

I'm going to go out on a limb here.

I think they need to go 16:9 to match the iPhone and upcoming TV. 8.9" screen with mini design and retina display. Probably with iPad 4 internals.

irDigital0l · Dec 25, 2012

macfacts said:
You know who got a new car every 6 months? Steve jobs did.

He's wasn't a typical, regular person...

Try to not use examples involving Jobs.

Cubeeless · Dec 25, 2012

irDigital0l said:
He's wasn't a typical, regular person...

Try to not use examples involving Jobs.

Why should he stop to tell the truth?

SactoGuy18 · Dec 25, 2012

I think a new "full sized" iPad that looks like a bigger iPad mini is possible for one reason: Sharp's IGZO display. (Remember, Apple has invested a lot of money into Sharp to keep that company going.)

With a 9.7" (diagonal) IGZO touchscreen, Apple could cut the thickness of the iPad quite a bit without losing battery life expectancy per charge.

Rm.237 · Dec 25, 2012

Totally expected but it's nice to see the gears start churning. No way in the world Apple was going to leave out the current iPad form factor till a year after the 4th gen came out. The Mini has set the standard of how an iPad should feel while holding it not matter the screen size. And let's be honest. The 4th gen iPad's release was the most under the table release from Apple in a long time. Let the real deal next gen iPad cometh! BRING IT.

lordofthereef · Dec 25, 2012

rhaezorblue said:
Looks like my 3rd gen ipad may be getting sold sooner than expected, or passed down. Insane how much the price has fallen though ($829 to about .. what, $500 on ebay?) Thinner and lighter would be most welcome. The iPad Mini is cool, but I want large screen. My idea of portable is: fits in my backpack for the trip to work...

Not insane at all IMO. Welcome to the way pc components depreciate in value. Apple proud td held their value because a newer model didn't come out more than once a year. As they shift to multiple hardware refreshes we will see precious models dropping on value sooner. Why would someone pay 90% of what was retail on one model iPad when they can get a refreshed model for full retail?

Resale value with Apple products is definitely not as big of a perk as it was half a decade ago.

----------

dcorban said:
Good. You know what's worse than having your two-year-old device feel slow or obsolete? Having a brand new device able to run significantly better apps, but developers who cater to the old devices.

.

This x100

So many times I have said exactly this.

Often falling on deaf ears.

dampfnudel · Dec 25, 2012

Ryth said:
They can't wait a year for the Retina on the iPad mini. That will come in March with a chip and gpu bump and be the 'S'. Then in the fall, the A7 will come in the iPhone in Sept and the new iPad mini and iPad in Oct.

As for the iPad, look for a size close to 11" now for the screen...why?

Because the iPad is no longer the 'portable' carry with you device. That crown goes to the Mini and I've seen enough proof that the mini is taking over as the grab and go commuter device.

The iPad is now the home/work tablet and they can now go up an 1" or so on the screen to around 11"..which helps with all the people that say the iPad is too small to do 'real' work on (blah blah).

I agree. A difference of 1.8" between the mini and iPad 4 doesn't seem quite right. The only question is how will the market respond to a larger 11"+ iPad that wants to replace your laptop.

Thinner, Lighter 5th Generation iPad to Arrive in March 2013?

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