iPad 5 Set for October Debut with Design Similar to iPad Mini? iPhone 5S and Lower-Cost iPhone Moving Forward

[quaternio]

It seems to me that fixing on a Fall release schedule for the iPad would be a mistake. With a Spring release, the year plays out so that early adopters who can afford it will buy early and you'll see a stream of customers continue to buy until late in the cycle when you get a lot of windfall from holiday shoppers at a time when production should be at its strongest, and therefore when demand can be met. In this scenario, the level of motivation to buy remains constant throughout the lifecycle of the device (except maybe the last 3 or 4 months after the holidays are over). But if the release schedule fell into a Fall cycle, you'll see a demand spike at the beginning of device's life cycle, at a time when demand will be hard to meet, and then demand will fall off after the holidays and probably never recover for the rest of the 8 months of the device's life. And being unable to buy during the holidays is probably when people will most likely choose to switch to other tablet manufacturers; who knows when Apple would get those customers back again?

These problems aren't as pronounced with phones, because most consumers probably tie their buying habits to the ebb and flow of contract terms; people tend to buy phones when they need them, not so often as a Christmas present.

So all this says nothing of anomalous years, but I doubt Apple would stick to a Fall release cycle for the iPad. They probably shouldn't, anyway. If they can't get it out in Spring, they should at least aim for Summer. That's my opinion.

Though I suppose that the alternative argument would be that if the iPad is already 7 months old before Black Friday, consumers may be prone to looking more closely at the tablets that Samsung and ASUS released as recently as October.

[righteye]

Originally Posted by iGrip

Apple does not make lots'o'sizes because Apple knows best what is good for its customers.

If Henry Ford had listened to his customers, he would have invented a faster horse. If Steve had listened to his customers, he would have invented the mainframe comuter. But no. Henry Ford invented the automobile and Steve invented the personal computer.

Customers don't know what they want - not until Apple shows them. And Apple has shown us that we do not want a larger screen on our telephones.

Apple customers Think Different. That is why Apple only makes one screen size on its current-line telephones. Because it is the right size for each and every customer.

Yes way of the Apple, but we do have iPad and iPad mini if we ask nicely do you think we could the iPhone i'am secure about my size and the new iPhone phallic for those who would like a size boost

[frosse]

I find it a bit strange that Horwitz (?) has seen a casing for the iPad 5 NOW if it's set to be released in October. Of course, it could be an early prototype but I find it more plausible that it's in fact a March iPad. Just a thought

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by iGrip

Apple does not make lots'o'sizes because Apple knows best what is good for its customers.

If Henry Ford had listened to his customers, he would have invented a faster horse. If Steve had listened to his customers, he would have invented the mainframe comuter. But no. Henry Ford invented the automobile and Steve invented the personal computer.

Customers don't know what they want - not until Apple shows them. And Apple has shown us that we do not want a larger screen on our telephones.

Apple customers Think Different. That is why Apple only makes one screen size on its current-line telephones. Because it is the right size for each and every customer.

Very nice - assuming that it's so obvious that <sarcasm></sarcasm> tags weren't needed.

[Navdakilla]

Originally Posted by quaternio

It seems to me that fixing on a Fall release schedule for the iPad would be a mistake. With a Spring release, the year plays out so that early adopters who can afford it will buy early and you'll see a stream of customers continue to buy until late in the cycle when you get a lot of windfall from holiday shoppers at a time when production should be at its strongest, and therefore when demand can be met. In this scenario, the level of motivation to buy remains constant throughout the lifecycle of the device (except maybe the last 3 or 4 months after the holidays are over). But if the release schedule fell into a Fall cycle, you'll see a demand spike at the beginning of device's life cycle, at a time when demand will be hard to meet, and then demand will fall off after the holidays and probably never recover for the rest of the 8 months of the device's life. And being unable to buy during the holidays is probably when people will most likely choose to switch to other tablet manufacturers; who knows when Apple would get those customers back again?

These problems aren't as pronounced with phones, because most consumers probably tie their buying habits to the ebb and flow of contract terms; people tend to buy phones when they need them, not so often as a Christmas present.

So all this says nothing of anomalous years, but I doubt Apple would stick to a Fall release cycle for the iPad. They probably shouldn't, anyway. If they can't get it out in Spring, they should at least aim for Summer. That's my opinion.

I applaud you sir, exactly my thoughts

[Tech198]

umm.. new iPad 5, only similar to ipad mini..

Sounds like Apple is all about it being lighter weight.

[moderngamenewb]

Originally Posted by basesloaded190

If they aren't releasing new iPads until October, I have to imagine the iPhone would be in the summer otherwise it's going to be a boring first couple of quarters for not only customers, but investors as well.

Perhaps both the iPhone and iPad will be released in October, and summer will be the launch of a new Mac Pro, which will be good for the people on this board who've been wanting a new Mac Pro lineup. I'm thinking it will be a new iPhone/iPad for the media event in the fall, with a new Mac Pro release in the summer

[dwward]

The thin iPhone 5 is nice, but I'd bet nearly all of us would gladly go back to iPhone 4 thickness for better battery life.

I vowed I wouldn't upgrade my iPad 2 until the iPad was thinner and offered longer battery life.

The iPad 5 described here sounds great but should we expect miserable battery as the tradeoff for ultra thin? If the battery life decreases, Apple can keep it.

[Abazigal]

Originally Posted by dwward

The thin iPhone 5 is nice, but I'd bet nearly all of us would gladly go back to iPhone 4 thickness for better battery life.

I vowed I wouldn't upgrade my iPad 2 until the iPad was thinner and offered longer battery life.

The iPad 5 described here sounds great but should we expect miserable battery as the tradeoff for ultra thin? If the battery life decreases, Apple can keep it.

The hope here is that they will also use newer parts which consume less power overall, and perhaps even engineer the parts to take up less space overall, to preserve that battery life.

After all, the ipad3 was thicker and heavier exactly to maintain that battery life (they could easily have kept the same dimensions at the expense of shorter battery life), so Apple seems committed to maintaining that aspect of the ipad, at least.

[cmichaelb]

Originally Posted by Darkhrse99

I haven't conditioned it. I've had it for years now and figured it wouldn't help. I did have it in a regular case this past weekend and was on the phone a lot and it only lasted 6 hours.I mainly use a Mophie case and it is capable of 150% battery life, which works well for me.

I love Mophie. I first starting conditioning the battery with my 5.5 Gen iPod with video. it seems to help.

[Samtb]

Originally Posted by frosse

I find it a bit strange that Horwitz (?) has seen a casing for the iPad 5 NOW if it's set to be released in October. Of course, it could be an early prototype but I find it more plausible that it's in fact a March iPad. Just a thought

Prototypes would be made over 6 months in advance of release. If you think about it, prototyping can be done fairly easily in Apple's own labs. Mass production takes at least 3 months to set up.

[polaris20]

Will be buying an iPad 5. I need an A6 or faster, as I'm already hitting the limits easily on my iPad 3 in terms of proc speed and RAM.

[shopboy0301]

Ill buy the ipad mini if it comes with a 128gb storage,if not then the ipad 5,my question is,will the ipad 5 have a 128gb storage?cause the 4 has?knowing apple they update there products longer.

[kazmac]

Having finally seen an iPad mini at the 5th Avenue Apple store this morning, the only thing I'd like the regular iPad to adopt is the lighter weight.

If Battery life and/or other factors take a hit because of the lighter weight, I probably would just suck it up and I get an iPad 4.

[moderngamenewb]

Originally Posted by Jetson

That's what I'm talking about!

However, if the iPad 5 will be similar to the iPad Mini in terms of size, of what use is the Mini?

In that case, I think the iPad Mini will be to the iPad 5 what the Macbook Air is to the MacBook Pro. I bet there will be different technical specs, such as processor speed. The mini could be used more for e-readers and web browsing with some gaming, where as the iPad 5 could be more for watching videos, and heavy gaming, and even better multitasking.

[baryon]

Obviously, bigger screen = better phone, so I'm waiting for Apple to finally release the 32 inch iPhone. That would be awesome. I sure hope it gets thinner though, I think the current thickness is quite bulky, it doesn't fit into my pocket. Also a pen would be nice, since Android phones often have pens, which means pens are good.

[rovex]

Originally Posted by baryon

Obviously, bigger screen = better phone, so I'm waiting for Apple to finally release the 32 inch iPhone. That would be awesome. I sure hope it gets thinner though, I think the current thickness is quite bulky, it doesn't fit into my pocket. Also a pen would be nice, since Android phones often have pens, which means pens are good.

Haha I thought you were being serious for a minute.