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godslabrat

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 19, 2007
346
110
Three different iPad models, each of which has several capacity options, cellular options, and two color options. It's almost absurd. Is it time for Apple to thin the herd a little? I think it would be in their best interest to keep customers seeing the iPad as a no-brainer purchase.

Here's what I see happening... do you agree or not?

*iPad 2 has to go. Even before the iPad Mini was confirmed, it felt like just a placeholder product until Apple could offer a sub-$500 iPad. Now that the iPad 4 is so much better, and the Mini is cheaper, iPad 2 feels like a product without a market.

*16GB iPads need to go. I think with the introduction of the 128GB model, the lower capacity units will quietly be discontinued, similar to how Apple upgraded the iPods year after year. I say this also because I DON'T think Apple would lower prices, so the only way they can maintain those margins is to offer more tech for the same price. That's a VERY Apple thing to do.
 

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,916
9,418
Atlanta, GA
It's fairly obvious that the iPad2 will go away because it has the 30-pin connector. Getting rid of 16Gb won't reduce choices, you'll still have 3 capacity sizes, 32, 64 and 128. Its not clear if you can fit 128GB in the Mini so what should happen is:

16, 32, 64 Mini
32, 64, 128 iPad 5
 

Paulywauly

macrumors 6502a
Sep 26, 2009
766
0
Durham, UK
I disagree, having a full sized budget model (iPad 2) a premium model (iPad 4) and a more portable model (Mini) makes sense for Apple in the current tablet marketplace. It's not 2010 anymore and the if Apple doesn't compete with its competitors in each area of the market it will lose customers to them.

I also don't see any disadvantages in offering options for each. You do mention that in principle an iPad should be a no brainier purchase and I agree with that, although minimising options reduces Apples target market and potential consumer base E.g. Take away the 16GB option from each model you increase the starting price of each iPad significantly, widening the already existing price gap between Apple tablets & their competition. Same story with cellular, take it away & customers who need it will go Android, make it mandatory & the starting cost increases again.

In regards to colours, I don't understand why that would also need to be thinned out? If the impressions i get from these forums are anything to go by people would actually prefer a larger variety of colours
 

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
I agree with the "too many options" thing. Look at it right now:

iPad 2: black/white, wifi/3g, 16GB
iPad Mini: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64GB
iPad 4: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64/128GB

That means there are currently 32 models of iPad. Not counting the whole AT&T vs Verizon thing we've had in the past too. Do we really need 32 different models??
 

Brounmoney

macrumors 6502
Jan 31, 2012
361
0
I agree with the "too many options" thing. Look at it right now:

iPad 2: black/white, wifi/3g, 16GB
iPad Mini: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64GB
iPad 4: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64/128GB

That means there are currently 32 models of iPad. Not counting the whole AT&T vs Verizon thing we've had in the past too. Do we really need 32 different models??

You can't look at it like they are different models. They are all iPads that come in different colors and capacity. Sure you have choices, but really all you need to do is choose a color and how much space you need on the ipad. What do you want them to do start cutting out capacity space on the ipad only offer like a 64gb and 32gb? People like having those choices. Apple needs to stick with what is working not try to limit people's choices. Consumers always love choices. It is not like you go into an Apple store and say "man there are too many choices I am not going to buy and ipad cause I can't decide". People don't do that.
 

nilk

macrumors 6502a
Oct 18, 2007
691
236
This is more a question of how well their supply chain is working and how quickly they can move the product with all the different options.

Apple makes huge profits on the higher capacities that have a huge market, so if they make the 32GB the base while pricing it the same as what the 16GB they will be giving up a huge chunk of profits.

From my perspective, as a user, I think 16GB is inadequate and 32GB should be minimum across the board, and they should lose the 16GB while pricing the 32GB the same as what the 16GB is. But of course I would want that as a user.

BTW Android phones that have only 16GB but no larger option and no SD card slot really annoy me (e.g. Nexus 4 and previously GSM Galaxy Nexus). Even with SD card slot, you can't use the SD card for everything. For my next phone, I've got a big wad of cash that I'm willing to pay for whoever can give me 128GB of internal storage while providing a well-supported OS update experience. So that leaves an iPhone or a Google Nexus phone -- and obviously the iPhone is more likely to get 128GB first.
 

ucfgrad93

macrumors Core
Aug 17, 2007
19,522
10,810
Colorado
It's fairly obvious that the iPad2 will go away because it has the 30-pin connector. Getting rid of 16Gb won't reduce choices, you'll still have 3 capacity sizes, 32, 64 and 128. Its not clear if you can fit 128GB in the Mini so what should happen is:

16, 32, 64 Mini
32, 64, 128 iPad 5

Agreed. I can see Apple doing this as well.
 

xkmxkmxlmx

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2011
885
113
The only thing that really needs to go is the iPad 2. Then you have the normal sized version and the mini.

Once the mini comes in retina, it will be a no brainer for apple.

Also, agree with most here about the capacity. 32/64/128 standard without a price increase. Nix the 16 across the board.
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
Doesn't make sense to drop the iPad 2, especially since its selling well in various countries, where people can't really afford high-end premium devices.

1. The ipad 2 definitely acts as an entry level tablet, in many emerging countries and it will simply continue to sell.

2. with the ipad 5 coming, there will be two tablets with retina, and with the large selling points being the lightweight, new design and some updated internals. Ipad 4 will hardly move at all.

3. As long as the iphone 4 & 4S continues to sell with 30-pin connector, so will the ipad 2.


At best, they can update the design of the ipad 2 with the lightning connector, (similar to what they did with the ipad 4) but its quite unnecessary. Dropping the ipad will be a waste of money and market share...and in no way the mini can replace a full size iPAD 2.
 
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S

syd430

Guest
I agree with the "too many options" thing. Look at it right now:

iPad 2: black/white, wifi/3g, 16GB
iPad Mini: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64GB
iPad 4: black/white, wifi/3g, 16/32/64/128GB

That means there are currently 32 models of iPad.

Using that logic, there is probably 158 different models of MacBook's.

Also, as apple said several years back, they no longer regard themselves as a "PC company", and are going to further focus on touch devices (and other post PC devices). It shouldn't come as a surprise then that they will continue to push out new variants of an increasingly important product line.
 
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hobx

macrumors regular
Sep 6, 2010
127
1
Nothing to add here except, I do hope they drop the base line to 32gb for the ipad 5. As mentioned by others, they could still keep the 16, 32 and 64 for the mini to add differentiation...
 

Banjoguy

macrumors newbie
Jan 23, 2013
4
0
I'm an economy scale type of guy. I think the lessor the number of models the cheaper the product can be offered and the more they will be sold. There is much competition out there and Apple can't rest on its laurels. I think the 16 and 32 should go and just leave the 64 and soon to be 128 models.

Not sure about the wifi and G models. Everyone I know has the wi-fi only.
 

TyPod

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2006
1,745
18
Minneapolis, MN
It's fairly obvious that the iPad2 will go away because it has the 30-pin connector. Getting rid of 16Gb won't reduce choices, you'll still have 3 capacity sizes, 32, 64 and 128. Its not clear if you can fit 128GB in the Mini so what should happen is:

16, 32, 64 Mini
32, 64, 128 iPad 5

My thoughts exactly! This seems logical.
 
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