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Apple Gearing Up for 'iPad 2 Plus' Release Later This Year?

darthraige said:
"This is the year of the iPad 2." -Steve Jobs
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Yeah, 'cause Steve has never said something and then done the exact opposite. Nope. A man of his word. ;)

That aside, it just seems wacky business sense to upgrade a super high demand product. And so soon. I don't run one of the world's most successful tech companies, but the whole concept just does... not... feel... right. To me.

As one who has uncharacteristically passed on TWO versions of the post-PC device (I still have no idea where that willpower came form), I welcome a 3rd version as soon as Apple can roll one out. Tomorrow would be just fine by me. :D
 
ChrisNM said:
I am not that knowledgable about tablets - I am curious how the new tablets from Samsung, HP, and others stack up against the iPad 2.

Does anyone know?

If they have something better - such as a sharper display - then I could see Apple releasing another version of the iPad to close the gap.
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Samsung's Galaxy 10.1 is the most competitive. It's 0.01" thinner and has a higher resolution (1280x800 at 10.1" versus 1024x768 at 9.7"). People have praised the display, but I haven't seen unanimous opinion that it is clearly better. The build quality is also praised. Software aside, I would say it is equal with the iPad 2. No burning need to release another iPad given how fast they are selling unless they are hell-bent on cornering the market with a blistering upgrade pace at the risk of decreasing their maximum profit by too frequently investing in new technology, not allowing current technology to reduce in production cost while still selling acceptably, etc.
 
This is great news for customers. Apple keeps pushing the envelope and all of us will be queuing up to purchase iPad 2+. I hope it happens.
 
chrmjenkins said:
Samsung's Galaxy 10.1 is the most competitive. It's 0.01" thinner and has a higher resolution (1280x800 at 10.1" versus 1024x768 at 9.7"). People have praised the display, but I haven't seen unanimous opinion that it is clearly better. The build quality is also praised. Software aside, I would say it is equal with the iPad 2. No burning need to release another iPad given how fast they are selling unless they are hell-bent on cornering the market with a blistering upgrade pace at the risk of decreasing their maximum profit by too frequently investing in new technology, not allowing current technology to reduce in production cost while still selling acceptably, etc.
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Thanks - that makes sense, Apple is not known for putting profit maximization at risk :)
 
I'd be very happy to see an iPad 2 Plus with higher resolution (Retina) display and improved back/front camera. More memory would be a plus but not necessary. Why not charge about $100 premium for this improved feature? I'd bite it. iPhone 4's Retina display makes iPad 2 screen somewhat dull and much less clear and vivid. Retina display alone would be a big improvement.
 
JamesDo said:
Could you please stop posting this crap, it doesn't make any sense. The editor should use his common sense, a new version would mean that developers have to update their applications again <--- costing a lot of money. And Apple doesn't benefit either since the iPad 2 is doing fine, and the production costs will be lower every month.
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good for you sir!

t's like the new iphone 5 rumours......... wait 'till it is released

i personally believe that apple shall not release a new ipad 3? before 2012

maybe? quadro switching/real stereo speakers on 4 corners on top of glass/ small bass unit at back? better cameras fore and aft...

resolution bumpup? ....uhm, seems fine to me for 2011

the current ipads 1 & 2 are just doing swell.................
 
dloomer said:
iPad ][+
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How about iPad IIe
:D

Everyone needs to get over this "retina" display for the tablet thing.

Yeah, Apple is going to put a higher resolution display on a $500 tablet then they have in their $2000 MBP. Right....

I would prefer that an ipad not be turned into a hotplate that I can't hold on my lap for fear of being burned, all to achieve some "retina" fetish.

Give it up already.

Maybe on iPad 5, which will actually just be running OSx....

Back OT, I was going to skip the second generation, but if they slap 1GB of RAM in this baby and offer 128 GB of storage, I will jump onto the bandwagon.
 
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u know they could just keep selling the iPad 2 for the regular customer and the iPad 2+ as the high end version for tech freaks. why not promote the fresh released iOS5 with a new iPhone and a minor yet big enough iPad 2 upgrade
 
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Why do people think a new iPad is coming out at the end of the year when Apple is talking about increasing production numbers of the iPad 2 for the 3rd and/or 4th quarters of this year?!?!? Wasn't it cited about a week ago on here?!? I know this is "MacRumors" but let's try to look through the obvious rumors & put what makes sense together.
 
saxman said:
"We will be at 3GHz in 12 months" - Steve Jobs on the G5
"...Nobody reads anymore" - Steve Jobs before Apple had an iBookstore

Things change. It's often the truth at the time, but the market can change quickly. If they are able to get a better price on an improved component, they will
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Both the quotes that you have quoted are entirely different. Apple couldn't go 3GHz due to their technical limitations. I'm not sure if 3GHz is the right limit or 3.5GHz. But whatever.

Reading on the other hand is a common practice. Again it wasn't the market that influenced Apple's decision. Steve has misguided other companies on a number of occasions - whether its the video iPod or the iPhone or even the iPad. He just does it every time. He also recently claimed that Apple won't go into the search business. Let's see how that goes.
 
dloomer said:
iPad ][+
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ckd said:
The iPad ][+? Will it come with Applesoft BASIC and be followed by the iPad //e? :)
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How about iPad 2gs? Why not? We had an Apple IIgs and an iPhone 3GS.

:)

Personally, if I were Apple I would want to do something to get my new product coming out in late summer or early fall for the Christmas buying season. Right now, the iPad revisions happen too soon after Christmas.

A plausible iPad 2 update though will likely just be about a RAM upgrade from 512mb to 1024mb, possibly a 128gb storage option, and maybe some new colors. With photostream and iCloud coming, I can't ever see a built-in SD-card camera card slot coming to iPad, but I could imagine Apple licensing "PhotoStream/iCloud" to some camera manufacturers. I can't see the Retina Display making an appearance this soon either -- even though I have said in the past that I would love to see an "iPad 2HD" this fall.

But I don't know jack about Apple's actual plans, which makes my opinion only as good as these analysts who keep spewing forth speculation.
 
Not a rat race, but a game of leapfrog...

Apple wants to bury its competitors as soon as possible and take an ever higher percentage of the nascent tablet market even as the market itself is expanding. They see it as an opportunity to create a near unbreakable foundation for selling their devices and services in the long term. It's easier to catch a customer who's entering the market for the first time than to tear one away from a competitor.
To keep the media and hardware reviewers attentions, a shorter product cycle is necessary, especially as a new Android or WebOS device seems to spring up all the time.
For those customers already won over, Apple still wants to squeeze dollars out of their wallets, and this type of release, upgraded specs with the same form factor, can do it.
Remember, retina-resolution icons have already been found for iOS on iPad and developers had an easy enough time adjusting for the iPhone and iPod Touch - they'd turn around and do it even more quickly for the iPad.
Plus, maybe all of the money Apple seems to be pouring into building new factories and ascertaining exclusive deals with component manufacturers could have something to do with the iPad 2 and a half.
 
if the technology is advancing to where they can make significant upgrades faster than once a year this would make sense, they dont want to lose any of their enormous market share
 
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