All iPads: When are we expecting next iPad/iPad mini update?

[marcperrot]

I want to get a new (cellular) iPad before I travel for a few months in late April, and I'm wondering when you think the next update will be? March/April or next fall?

I currently have an iPad 3 (Wi-Fi), but I'm considering the iPad mini for increased portability on the road. I don't need a new one right now, because my current iPad meets my needs for the time being, but I'm wondering when the next update might be to try to determine if I should pick one up now or just wait until April in the event of an update.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[ZBoater]

Any response to this would be pure speculation.

So, speculating, a late fall release of iPad 5/Mini 2.

[scupking]

iPad 5 march and mini 2 in the fall.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by ZBoater

Any response to this would be pure speculation.

So, speculating, a late fall release of iPad 5/Mini 2.

I think it is possible Apple could update them in late summer, in time for back to school buying, but no sooner than that.

[davideotape]

I just bought the mini so probably 3 days after my return policy expires

[mtneer]

Originally Posted by marcperrot

I want to get a new (cellular) iPad before I travel for a few months in late April, and I'm wondering when you think the next update will be? March/April or next fall?

I currently have an iPad 3 (Wi-Fi), but I'm considering the iPad mini for increased portability on the road. I don't need a new one right now, because my current iPad meets my needs for the time being, but I'm wondering when the next update might be to try to determine if I should pick one up now or just wait until April in the event of an update.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

If you don't need an iPad mini now, why don't you wait until April to pick one up? If apple does release an update, you can pick it up. If apple does not release an update, you can walk into an apple store and pick up any model you want - supply constraints would have eased by April.

[ekrueger24]

Whereas it's anyone's guess right now, I would like to think they would wait their typical year to refresh the iPad product line. It would give those who bought this year's model and wish to upgrade again the chance to gather the money together.

[iHeartsteve]

Someone posted article earlier that parts for retina display won't be ready to be shipped until quarter 4 of 2013. So early fall. I would have waited for retina if update was in spring as well, but those cheap bastards are probably going to wait until late summer at the earliest.

[marcperrot]

Originally Posted by mtneer

If you don't need an iPad mini now, why don't you wait until April to pick one up? If apple does release an update, you can pick it up. If apple does not release an update, you can walk into an apple store and pick up any model you want - supply constraints would have eased by April.

I think that's what I'm going to end up doing, I just don't like the idea of buying near the end of a product cycle.

[kodeman53]

Originally Posted by marcperrot

I think that's what I'm going to end up doing, I just don't like the idea of buying near the end of a product cycle.

And how do you know April, 2013, will be 'near the end of a product cycle'?

[darngooddesign]

Six months from now... or maybe a year from now.

[jrbd90]

They will update the ipad in March.

They cannot go more than one year without a redesign.

The 4th gen was a spec bump (a great one though)

it's still considered an ipad 3 in the numbering system ipad 3,x

I expect the ipad 5th with same A6x but lighter, thinner.

[kodeman53]

The certainty of these posts are hilarious.

[Appl3FTW]

my speculation based on history of apple releases

ipad 5- spring/summer 2013 A6x
iphone 5s- fall A7
ipad mini 2- fall (after 5s) A6 (one processor lower than the current iphone.. i.e. iphone 5/A6.. ipad mini/A5)

ipad 6- spring/summer 2014 A7x
iphone 6- fall A8
ipad mini 3- fall (after 6) A7

[Tor Eckman]

I haven't really seen this mentioned, but my guess is that Apple released the Mini and the 4 in the fall to coincide with the holiday season. Clearly ipads make excellent Christmas gifts, and clearly the buzz is strongest right after a new release. I suspect we are on a fall release schedule from now on with ipads.

If anything the phone release schedule needs to be pushed back to early summer, because phones are not traditional holiday gifts.

[marcperrot]

Originally Posted by kodeman53

And how do you know April, 2013, will be 'near the end of a product cycle'?

Well it's further into the cycle than it would be if I bought it now.

[kodeman53]

Originally Posted by marcperrot

Well it's further into the cycle than it would be if I bought it now.

Ah, 'nearer' the end of a product cycle versus 'near' the end of a product cycle.

The speculation posts are less specific than even Apples announcements, e.g., 'spring/summer 2013', a 6 month window. Wow, really going out on a limb with that guess. Lighter and thinner? Yah think? How does such a post help you make a decision? It doesn't. Is there some magic number of months that people need to use a device, before the next generation is available, that they won't feel 'ripped off' and start threads about it? How many 'problems' can people devise to make themselves miserable, let me count the ways.

[The Game 161]

Christmas season

[marcperrot]

Originally Posted by kodeman53

Ah, 'nearer' the end of a product cycle versus 'near' the end of a product cycle.

The speculation posts are less specific than even Apples announcements, e.g., 'spring/summer 2013', a 6 month window. Wow, really going out on a limb with that guess. Lighter and thinner? Yah think? How does such a post help you make a decision? It doesn't. Is there some magic number of months that people need to use a device, before the next generation is available, that they won't feel 'ripped off' and start threads about it? How many 'problems' can people devise to make themselves miserable, let me count the ways.

While I agree with most of what you're saying, I was simply checking to see if there was an kind of consensus as to when we should expect an update to help me in my decision-making. However, it doesn't seem like there is, so it's not something I'll be taking into consideration.

[kodeman53]

Originally Posted by marcperrot

While I agree with most of what you're saying, I was simply checking to see if there was an kind of consensus as to when we should expect an update to help me in my decision-making. However, it doesn't seem like there is, so it's not something I'll be taking into consideration.

Understood and appreciated but everyone needs to be realistic, no one on MR knows anything about Apple's product plans and a consensus of guesses that span 6 months are worthless.

[ThatsMeRight]

This is difficult to call.

One could argue that the iPad hasn't really been upgraded since last March, and I don't think even Apple sees it as an upgrade. If you look at the iPad internals, you see there is no 'retooling' at all. For example, take the smaller Lightning connector: there is an empty space around the Lightning connector - they simply replaced the 30-pin connector without removing all unnecessary space.

So for the 9.7" iPad, I could really see an upgrade in March - but than we have the iPad min which has only been out for less than a month now. Is March too soon? One might say yes, someone else might say no.

I don't think Apple wants a 9.7" iPad in spring and a 7.9" iPad mini in fall every year. I think they want the iPads together: so every year a new iPad mini and 9.7" iPad at the same time.

Apple can go any way: they can upgrade both the iPad mini and the 9.7" iPad this spring, or they can upgrade both the iPad mini and the 9.7" iPad after the spring (either summer or fall).

I don't think that they will split the two iPads up: I think they'll announce both a new iPad mini and a 9.7" iPad at the same time.

[ZipZap]

While you might see a better display for any mini 2, it sure wont be retina. That change will most certainly impact the dynamics significantly (heavier and perhaps even a different screen size).

[hval]

Here is my prediction re the next iPad release date and also the specification.

Apples intentions are not to synchronise product refreshes. By keeping them separate Apple are able to keep in the news. It also allows Apple to manage the big bump in sales at the release date for each product, as well as spreading customer spend over the year, increasing potential sales.

The next iPad (iPad 5) update is going to break the two yearly CPU full update and will be a Core 7 paired with an A15. The battery life shall remain the same.

Apple is currently looking at releasing the iPad 5 in four flavours of memory, 16GB, 31GB, 64GB and 128GB. They may or may not release the iPad 5 in 16GB format.; that decision shall be made at a later date.

The screen shall go to the edges of the unibody, similar to the iPhone. Edge detection (for fingers) shall be used. By taking the screen to the edges the body the physical size of the iPad shall reduce to 216mm by 165.5mm. The iPad shall also be 1mm thinner than the current iPad at 8.4mm thick.

Oh yes, despite saving on materials for the glass and the unibody the prices shall be similar.

Well? What chances of the above? Will any of the above come true?