Apple to Launch 128 GB iPad on February 5 for $799/$929

dissdnt said:

Is this a reaction to Surface being released?

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No, the Mini. I think the drop in Apple's profit margin last quarter was mostly the Mini's fault. It's taking over Apple's sales, fast.

They're going to have to fight hard to convince people that buying a large iPad is still a good choice. The retina screen is only just barely doing the job, and they know that difference wont' last forever.

FSMBP said:

I think it will go like this:

iPad 4 16GB $399.99
iPad 5 32 GB $499.99
Etc...

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I hope so, as I think this is a rip off at the current price points. I have a 16 GB iPad 2 that I do fine with, but I would like more storage, but not at these ludicrous price points.

DDaddyx2 said:

Disappointing. I had hopes the next iPad would come with 32/64/128gb starting at $499. You can buy a 16gb microsd card for $10 and 32gb for $25.

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I agree, I was all but convinced that was what was going to happen. "Apple is overpriced" jokes aside, Apple do use to realign specs like that. For example, every now and then upgrade hard drive sizes and CPU's for the identical price point. So this is actually kind of unexpected. I don't think their mobile devices should have a special treatment compared to all of their other products.

now does this mean the iPhone will get the same treatment?

Stega87 said:

From 16GB to 32GB = 16GB --> 100$
From 32GB to 64GB = 32GB --> 100$
From 64GB to 128GB = 64GB --> 100$

Now i am thinking 100$ for 16GB more is a little bit overpriced

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I work in the produce business. Our cantaloupes are 99¢ per pound. But, if you want to buy only half of a cantaloupe, the price then becomes $1.49 per pound. You pay more for buying a lesser amount.

That same logic could apply here. Buying "less iPad" costs more per megabyte than buying "more iPad."

Small White Car said:

No, the Mini.

They're going to have to fight hard to convince people that buying a large iPad is still a good choice. The retina screen is only just barely doing the job, and they know that difference wont' last forever.

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Agreed. I don't think there is any real reaction to the Surface Pro but for the mini, yes. I think more and more people are starting to realize that retina is fantastic but not having it on the mini isn't really as big of an issue as some would think. Hanging around here will make people think retina is 100% necessary.

SimonTheSoundMa said:

Why more expensive?

Moore's Law and also price per gigabyte has dropped by 50% in the last 12 months should mean the 128GB should be cheaper than the 64GB retina model when it launched.

16GB iPad is pretty useless even for a none power user. 8GB iPod is similar too.

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Bigger margins. More expensive iPads / iPhones subsidize for the cheaper ones. That's why the best **value** is always getting the smallest version, that's how you get the most bang for your buck (but of course, limits yoru ability to store stuff)/

It would have made more sense to announce and introduce this with the next iPad...

KanosWRX said:

Cant believe people are complaining already about this meaning their won't be an early iPad 5 release.. They just released the iPad 4 a couple months ago!! And it hasn't even been a year since the iPad 3 came out. Seriously people settle down.

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I'd like to take my iPad 3 in and get it upgraded with a chip swap. But that technology hasn't been innovated yet.

MacRumorUser said:

err

16 > 32 $100
32 > 64 $100
64 > 128 $100

total $300

16 > 128 $300

What's not fair ? Your maths ? j/k

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no, i used to do my homework , I was just trying (not in the right way ) to point out that Apple considers 16 or 64 gb increases in the same pricey way

KanosWRX said:

Cant believe people are complaining already about this meaning their won't be an early iPad 5 release.. They just released the iPad 4 a couple months ago!! And it hasn't even been a year since the iPad 3 came out. Seriously people settle down.

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Yeah, now THAT I didn't expect. It's as if the attention span keeps getting shorter, haha. In particular the iPads have seen an extremely rapid release schedule (to the point of people complaining), and the iPad 4 is still very fresh, even this new variant aside.

ri0ku said:

It would have made more sense to announce and introduce this with the next iPad...

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Its all about milking as much money as they can

I fill my 64g ipad 3 regularly to capacity with HD movies and large apps, so more memory options are great, but not as happy about the cost jump of the larger models of course.

I think like others whenever the ipad 5 is released (I doubt it will be until the fall) they will shift the price points back down and eliminate the 16 gb model.

Until I replace my ipad (in a few years), I am considering other less elegant solutions to offload the movies to, such as those wifi equipped hard drives from seagate.

DDaddyx2 said:

Disappointing. I had hopes the next iPad would come with 32/64/128gb starting at $499. You can buy a 16gb microsd card for $10 and 32gb for $25.

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Those cards are lower speed.

How obvious

A blatant attempt to increase margins.

kcamfork said:

I'm glad there are options. But these prices are getting ridiculous for simply more storage.

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Agreed. Apple may be waiting to push users to cloud-based storage. iTunes Match for example....

And I'm still happy and productive with my 16 Gb iPad 1.

I hate to be the one to say it. But it seems like with Steve Jobs gone, there's little direction left at Apple. QC is non existent anymore, their product line is becoming stale REALLY fast, and their stock has been going south FAST! I hope Jony can breath some new life into Apple.

What they really need is native Bluetooth mouse/trackpad support. Then it will kill off the Surface and put a major dent in all ultrabooks, even the MacBook Air.

As much as I want the next Mac to have a touchscreen display, I don't see myself typing, then reaching for the screen to activate the magnifying glass to modify text. I have to use the mouse.

So, with the iPad, that seems to be the only way to quickly move and edit on the screen. That's the same reason why I never bothered with a hardware keyboard on the iPad.

pimentoLoaf said:

I'd like to take my iPad 3 in and get it upgraded with a chip swap. But that technology hasn't been innovated yet.

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Sure you can. Those chips are house in an iPad-shaped case.

dustinsc said:

Ten bucks says prices drop across the board for storage capacities in the next generation. They'll drop 16 gb and make 32 gb the entry level at $500.

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Doubtful. Apple loves money.

FSMBP said:

I think it will go like this:

iPad 4 16GB $399.99
iPad 5 32 GB $499.99
Etc...

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I hope so... Dropping 16GB from the iPad 5 seems about right now since apps are so much bigger because of the retina display.

jayducharme said:

I wouldn't doubt it. I'm amazed it's taken Apple this long to offer a 128 gb version. The chips are cheap enough that they couldn't have added that much cost to the manufacturing. I wonder if the extra storage takes up much more room? Apple's so obsessed with thin, maybe they had to reconfigure the circuit board.

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Why amazed? if you want to sell more of a product you add improvements incrementally. That way you can add a number (Ipad 5) and the product becomes new and improved. People will buy the 128 gb version, then when the iPad 5 goes on sale, they will buy it. Marketing, gimmicks, smoke and mirrors that's what keeps customers coming back.

I am just happy they didn't do a keynote for this.

I know 2 Peoria personally that use iPads instead of laptops. I did it myself for a while. I can see why they made this move. Higher capacity for local information plus iOS.

Who will pay almost a 1000 dollars for an iPad?. Seriously, what would be the profit be on that thing, maybe 300-400 dollars to make, so 600 dollars profit?