Boy if Apple dumps the 16GB iPad 4, and now sells the 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB, what a burn to iPad owners.
.
They'll probably offer some token iTunes amount for users who bought them within a certain time frame as goodwill gesture.
Though they will have committed to ultimate consumer boob, in the fact that by creating bad will in iPad buyers in two consecutive generations / 6 month periods. Those folks looking to upgrade in future will be far more hesitant to do so.
One of the reasons attributed to the iPad 4 not selling as many units as the mini was price, but I think another important factor was the very short refresh after the iPad 3. People who had already bought or upgraded within that first 6 month period to a 9" tablet were unlikely to upgrade once more to the 4, and those that ain't upgraded were fearful / reluctant in case a new one was released in the Spring. It was too soon, and creating this 6 month doubt and speculation in consumers will carry over to the retail environment where people go looking for a new tablet but are hesitant to pick up an iPad as they feel their $500-800 will be outdated within a very relatively short time.
Speeding up iPad refresh is not a way to keep on top of competition, or a way to inflate stock prices.
Apples stock price soared on the back of innovation.
Not speed bumps hardware wise and terrible software boobs in iOS (Maps) and then added to what seems a lack of any real innovation is OSX and macintosh software the last few years...
Apple need to 'think differently' once more.