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Macalway

macrumors 68040
Aug 7, 2013
3,865
2,375
I’m starting to worry about how future-proof these things will be with M4 coming soon. Do you guys think they’ll refresh again next spring or will it be another year and a half?

Edited to add: I got burned with the iPad 3 when the 4 was released six months later.
This is now a valid point unfortunately: Apple rushing to get out the AI stuff, resulting in creating an already obsolete line-up that hasn't even been released because it's late. They are practically on top of one another.

If you can, hold off. This may be the best option, at least until we know more. It's just a few months. Then again, it's only Gurman we are getting info from it seems, so....
 
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mtngal

macrumors member
Jun 28, 2015
48
21
A good point, but I’m probably not going to wait. I pulled out my 12.5 M1 iPad today, to keep it up to date and used it for a while, in spite of the fact that the battery has issues. I sure loved having the bigger screen, so I’m really impatient for the one that may (or may not) get released in May. If mine didn’t have the issues it has and if I liked the smaller Air better, I might wait.

Only thing is that there’s always something coming down the pike that is newer and better and if I always waited for it, I’d never get anything. So I’ll not wait for the M4 (though I may buy an M4 MBP, depending on reviews).
 

erikkfi

macrumors 68000
May 19, 2017
1,686
7,926
Edited to add: I got burned with the iPad 3 when the 4 was released six months later.
No iPad out today is remotely comparable to the iPad 3. It was replaced that quickly because its hardware was too slow to drive the new Retina display.
 

Jay-Jacob

macrumors 6502a
Sep 10, 2015
503
290
England
No iPad out today is remotely comparable to the iPad 3. It was replaced that quickly because its hardware was too slow to drive the new Retina display.
Yep exactly and it is rare for to happen. Apple made mistake with iPad 3 and thought it was enough but it wasn’t so they update iPad to fix issue.

All other iPad been fine. We all know M1 and M2 is powerful and iPad doesn’t use all it power so it extremely unlikely there be repeat of iPad 3-iPad 4 thing. M3 defo will be plenty of power too!
 

nj-morris

macrumors 68000
Nov 30, 2014
1,813
728
UK
I personally think they might release an M4 Pro in the fall just so they can go back to staggering the releases of the Air and the Pro, like they do with the MacBooks. I doubt it will be anymore than an incremental upgrade though.
 

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68020
Feb 25, 2011
2,220
2,664
I’m starting to worry about how future-proof these things will be with M4 coming soon. Do you guys think they’ll refresh again next spring or will it be another year and a half?

Edited to add: I got burned with the iPad 3 when the 4 was released six months later.
I mean....it's a valid concern. I do think WWDC will tell us a lot. If there is a vast difference between the M4 abilities and the M3, then you have even more reason to be concerned.
 

Macalway

macrumors 68040
Aug 7, 2013
3,865
2,375
I suppose it's not all the unusual to have this type of back to back release. It's your choice to hold off or not
 
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realtired

macrumors newbie
Mar 26, 2024
10
13
Gurman says in Bloomberg this morning:



On the one hand I like hearing “imminent,” but the lack of dwindling Pro stock is a concern. If they release Airs before Pros I’ll burst.
With price hikes being almost certain, this could be a situation similar to macbooks where older models are readily available at a discount.
 
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Dopestdude2

macrumors regular
Apr 19, 2022
104
133
With price hikes being almost certain, this could be a situation similar to macbooks where older models are readily available at a discount.
Yeah I’ve been kind of thinking they’ll keep one configuration of the 11 inch and or 12.9 as a base model for those that balk at the price increase for the new ones (maybe me included lol).

Also stop me if you’ve heard this before this year, maybe we are only two weeks from announcement!
 

Apple Mac Daz

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2011
2,836
2,858
Manchester
Yeah I’ve been kind of thinking they’ll keep one configuration of the 11 inch and or 12.9 as a base model for those that balk at the price increase for the new ones (maybe me included lol).

Also stop me if you’ve heard this before this year, maybe we are only two weeks from announcement!
If you want a cheaper iPad than the Pro that’s why the Air exists
 
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xxray

macrumors 68040
Jul 27, 2013
3,043
9,187
I mean....it's a valid concern. I do think WWDC will tell us a lot. If there is a vast difference between the M4 abilities and the M3, then you have even more reason to be concerned.

It's probably not a bad idea to wait until WWDC before ordering. Also, iPad Pros have gone on sale at other retailers for $100-$150 off not long after launch for years now. But then again, if you're in this thread, I don't how willing you are to wait or how much you care about discounts.
 
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Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
6,905
8,216
It's probably not a bad idea to wait until WWDC before ordering. Also, iPad Pros have gone on sale at other retailers for $100-$150 off not long after launch for years now. But then again, if you're in this thread, I don't how willing you are to wait or how much you care about discounts.

Peronally, worrying about a processor that doesn't even exist yet is not the way forward. The M3 iPads aren't even out yet, and people are already wanting the M4. If you keep doing that, waiting for the next great thing, you'll never have or enjoy anything.
 

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68020
Feb 25, 2011
2,220
2,664
Peronally, worrying about a processor that doesn't even exist yet is not the way forward. The M3 iPads aren't even out yet, and people are already wanting the M4. If you keep doing that, waiting for the next great thing, you'll never have or enjoy anything.
Also a good point. The device doesn't change just because something new comes out--even if it is only 6 months. It does all the things it did the day before.
 

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
6,905
8,216
Also a good point. The device doesn't change just because something new comes out--even if it is only 6 months. It does all the things it did the day before.

Plus, to be honest, I am not really impressed with current AI. Its not true AI, its still just computers trying to act like humans, often with hilarious results.
 
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erikkfi

macrumors 68000
May 19, 2017
1,686
7,926
Just as a test I went through the order process of an iPad Pro (side note: it takes so many clicks to get to the end of this process) and found that a silver 11-inch 1TB iPad Pro can't be picked up in-store til Wednesday if I order now. That seems to support the idea that in-store stocks are dwindling. I could've gotten it delivered very quickly. Several configs of iPad Air also need two days for pickup.

I still can't believe it's almost May and we have no new iPads.
 
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Dopestdude2

macrumors regular
Apr 19, 2022
104
133
Just as a test I went through the order process of an iPad Pro (side note: it takes so many clicks to get to the end of this process) and found that a silver 11-inch 1TB iPad Pro can't be picked up in-store til Wednesday if I order now. That seems to support the idea that in-store stocks are dwindling. I could've gotten it delivered very quickly. Several configs of iPad Air also need two days for pickup.

I still can't believe it's almost May and we have no new iPads.
Was at Costco yesterday and noticed their sale, couldn’t find a single 256-512gb of the 11 inch in any Costco in my city. Doesn’t likely mean anything because they are running a sale but still interesting only the 128gb could be found.
 

Fraserpatty

macrumors 6502
Mar 5, 2015
343
300
I’m starting to worry about how future-proof these things will be with M4 coming soon. Do you guys think they’ll refresh again next spring or will it be another year and a half?

Edited to add: I got burned with the iPad 3 when the 4 was released six months later.
I’ve got burnt with the iPad 3 also, however, I have owned the M2 iPad for a while now, and it’s been the latest and greatest for a while since Apple is delaying iPad Pro M3 so now I feel vindicated
 

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
6,905
8,216
I’ve got burnt with the iPad 3 also, however, I have owned the M2 iPad for a while now, and it’s been the latest and greatest for a while since Apple is delaying iPad Pro M3 so now I feel vindicated

We are getting to the point of processor singularity now, where it is hard to make any significant improvements in processing power anymore. The M1 will be just as good as the M3, and Intel processors from 3 or 4 years ago still match up to the latest 14th gen processors today. M2 iPads will be good for a long time.

Battery life may be the only real thing you can improve right now, as the nanometers shrink.
 

kjwamlex

macrumors 6502
May 13, 2016
253
274
Since when did Apple Store Online get spam protection? I was going through inventory stocks for nearby Apple Stores for various iPad Pro models and it now doesn't let me view them.
 

wxnats

macrumors 6502a
Sep 10, 2014
899
598
Northern Virginia
I went through the ordering process and had no issue getting an in stock iPad Pro for pickup in nearby stores tomorrow. I think we’re still 2-3 weeks away from a Pro release.
 
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