'iPad 4' Headed for October Launch with iPad 3 as Interim Upgrade?

[sparkhill]

It's official: the time has come to completely ignore Digitimes (and those annoying Kardashians too).

[tigress666]

I will say I would wonder if this rumor has some basis in some sort of truth (remember the rumor of the smaller iPad? which I'll say I'm a lot more willing to entertain than this rumor of an iPad 3 and 4 in the same year).

It could be they are planning on the smaller iPad (yes, I know people are almost as skeptical of that but I think it's more likely than this rumor and there are more reasons Apple might decide to do it. Just cause Steve said it wouldn't happen doesn't mean it won't... how many things has he said no that later happen ?). And maybe who ever started this rumor saw something about another iPad being released but assumed it was for the iPad 4?

I have no idea but it's an interesting thing to think about .

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Originally Posted by arkitect

It still begs the question, what advantage would there be for a twice yearly iPad release?

It's not a twice yearly rumor, it's a twice this year rumor.

The advantage could be that Apple simply has something nice ready to go early in the year and something nicer ready to go later in the year (just like laptops, iMacs, etc). Maybe some killer technology advance is not quite ready for Spring but will be ready for Fall and Apple would still like to upgrade a nearly 1-year old device sooner than Fall.

Maybe there was always a plan for iPad1 & 2 to be spread out for a year but 3 & 4 to come in the same year?

If we see iPad as still ahead of all competition, we can imagine 3 as maintaining that lead. A 4 arriving only 6+ months later could be imagined as another big leap out ahead. If we see iPad as being competitive or slightly behind some other hardware, maybe 3 brings parity or jumps back ahead and 4 leaps far ahead.

Maybe iOS6 brings some innovative new feature that requires a hardware change that can't yet go into iPad3. For example, maybe iPad3 with 3G hardware because Apple doesn't yet like the LTE options, and iPad 4 with iOS6 brings LTE? LTE is already increasingly available in competitor devices. Would Apple really want iPad 3 (with perhaps "old" 3G-only) to still be THE iPad until Mar 2013?

Maybe Apple has got a thorough whiff of some innovations coming out at CES or before Mar, 2013 and has accelerated their cycle in response.

There's a few for you. I'm sure there are many more.

In a nutshell, 2 versions this year only "doesn't make sense", "is stupid", etc only until Apple rolls out 2 versions this year. Then, we see iPad4 in late 2012 as "genius", "best iPad ever", "my credit card is ready", etc.

Personally, I very much like that other Apple tech is updated more than just once each year (I don't like potentially paying full price for 365+-day old Apple tech up to the day before it is updated with brand new Apple tech). For example, if Apple upgrades laptops, iMacs, iPads or iPhones THREE times in 2012, it would be fine by me. I can appreciate the desire that what someone buys is the latest for a year, but I personally don't buy so I can brag about having the latest- I buy for utility, what Apple tech can do for me, etc. If a 3 is desirable I'll buy it. If a 4 is desirable, I'll sell the 3 and buy it. However, I can enjoy the 3 until there is a 4 and not feel bad that I didn't wait another 6+ months for a 4 that may or may not show.

[ramuman]

Why do you guys mention any news from these hack jobs?

[wrinkster22]

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Keyword: Occasionally reliable=
99% of the time it means nothing

[xgman]

If ios 5.1 now refers to a quad core device, then maybe there will be a significant boost in 2012 at some point.

Oh and by the way, this IS A RUMOR SITE, so lighten up a bit.

[Patriot24]

Digitimes doesn't care if their guesses end up being accurate or not. All they care about is the influx of page views and ad revenue every time they make some bogus claim.

As demonstrated here daily, it works. Our insatiable appetite for rumors is padding their wallets.

[Steelers7510]

Yeah right.

[Wicked1]

Originally Posted by HarryKeogh

And don't forget the iPad 5 to be released in December 2012 in time for the holiday season.

Then get ready for 2013. "The Year of the iPad". New iPads every month!

I am waiting for the iPad 7, also hoping it is a special bundle with Rocky 7, I have been waiting for this to upgrade.

[milo]

Originally Posted by unrose

If I were a tablet maker and I was going to launch against the iPad3, I would leak a story that an iPad4 was sure to follow. It puts some cold water on the iPad3 hype and opens people up to explore the whole market. And it worked, against the iPhone4s: how many people on this forum declared they would hold off for a phone with a "5" in the name?

"Worked" would mean that people ACTUALLY held off, not that anonymous people insisted they were doing that on a web forum. Actual sales of the 4s have been excellent and I have to wonder how many more they'd be selling with a new case design and a "5" in the name, particularly given supply constraints (which would likely be tighter with an all new design).

[VenusianSky]

I bet the person that wrote the article just got an iPad 2 for xmas.

[mytdave]

I've given consideration to the thought that maybe Digitimes might exist to create rumors with the intent to be a detriment to Apple. They get people all whipped up on imaginary rumored products only to be disappointed when the real, actual product comes out...

...Oh, and 1 iPad upgrade per year is plenty, thanks.

[Icaras]

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Originally Posted by 5aga

same price, real computer

Great, take out the Mac Mini, plug it into a power supply and then what? Stare at it's awesome unibody enclosure?

It's not the same price without a display, mouse, and keyboard. Nor is it portable.

[Chopper9]

Only thing more stupid than this "rumor" is that MacRumors regurgitated it.

[ironpony]

When was the last time that Digitimes got a rumor correct?

[314631]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

OMG! I can believe a rag like Digitimes is throwing out this tripe again, but really MR! After last year you really deem this a Page 1 story? I understand that the site name is MacRumors but seriously, you need to discern between credible and realistic ones and unicorn laced ones.

MR is driven by pageviews. And people visit MR for stories like this.

[lucas123]

This makes sense to me.

iPad 2 . Drop the price. One budget model.

iPad 3. Retina, A5, most common model.

iPad 3s. Retina, A6, later in the year.

[Patriot24]

Originally Posted by lucas123

This makes sense to me.

iPad 2 . Drop the price. One budget model.

iPad 3. Retina, A5, most common model.

iPad 3s. Retina, A6, later in the year.

Then what? Release iPad 4 two months later in Feb 2013? heh

[nfl46]

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Doesn't this sound all too familiar from 2011, but instead of it being iPad 3 and iPad 4, it was 2 and 3. In a month, they will claim there's been some delays and the iPad 4 will be out for XMas 2012.

[Liquinn]

Originally Posted by lucas123

This makes sense to me.

iPad 2 . Drop the price. One budget model.

iPad 3. Retina, A5, most common model.

iPad 3s. Retina, A6, later in the year.

Yeah I agree with this. Sounds about right to me :P

[Cg313]

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********.. Complete ********. Everyone want to be an Apple analyst, yet no one gets Apple.

[blackcrayon]

Originally Posted by lucas123

This makes sense to me.

iPad 2 . Drop the price. One budget model.

iPad 3. Retina, A5, most common model.

iPad 3s. Retina, A6, later in the year.

No way in Hell they will release an iPad 3 with 4x the pixels and then include the same SoC as the iPad 2.

[ILikeTurtles]

Originally Posted by CylonGlitch

Wasn't it reported that the iPad3 would be out in October 2011 shortly after the iPad2? Sounds like someone who likes to create rumors likes this one.

I cannot see this happening.

Yes that's exactly the rumor that went around at that time. Total BS.

[thinkthis]

I don't think the A6 chip will be ready in time for a march iPad 3 release.

Maybe they will do a Retina / form factor upgrade in March (like the iPhone 4) and then do the "S" version in the fall when the A6 is ready.

[Pez555]

macrumors i am ashamed at you for even posting this.