Apple Reportedly Prepping for September Launch of New iPad, but iPad Mini Still in Flux

[zorinlynx]

I want that smaller bezel. I need that smaller bezel!

Umm, how is a smaller bezel a good thing?

With the current iPad, I ALREADY find myself accidentally touching the edges of the screen, especially when reading in iBooks which causes unwanted page turns.

A smaller bezel will reduce the number of positions I can comfortably hold the iPad in. I see that as a step backwards, not forward. It makes sense on the Mini because you can hold it with one hand on both sides, but not the regular size iPad.

 

[Cory Bauer]

New thinner tech is almost always more expensive.

As I understand it, the "thinner tech" of the display itself is essentially the same as that used in the less expensive iPad Mini:

Semenza also pointed out that a shift to a film-based touch sensor might also serve to reduce bulk. The current iPad mini incorporates a DITO film touch panel sensor which contributes to its 7.2mm thickness.Link

The remainder of the thinness will come from only requiring one backlight instead of two, and from a smaller battery as the display will be more efficient.

Improvements to the iPad's LED backlighting will allow Apple to create a thinner iPad 5, NPD DisplaySearch's Paul Semenza told CNET.
"It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in an e-mail to CNET.
The Retina displays of the third and fourth generation iPads required a dual-LED backlight along with a bigger battery, which caused them to be thicker than the previous iPad 2.Link

So in this case, thinner should actually be cheaper; reduction of parts, less battery, reliance on tech used in already-cheaper products.

 

[needfx]

Still waiting for iphone 5s and ipad mini retina to jump on the lightning cable wagon

 

[joshuarayer]

New thinner tech is almost always more expensive.

Except that Apple is completely ripping people off on the storage upgrades. I think I remember reading an article a year ago saying that the bump from 16GB of storage to 32GB costs the consumers $100, but only costs Apple $16 to $20.

They could be destroying Android tablets(which I prefer at the moment) if they both dropped the price to $399 for the iPad and increased the base storage to 32GB. One of the main reasons Android tablets do so well is the very low cost of many of them. And while some of those cheap cost tablets are also cheap products, there are plenty of low cost ones that have awesome performance.

 

[hacke]

If the Mini is not retina I guess I'll just have to wait another year before buying one.

Apple's plan might be that these people will just buy the iPad 5 instead of an 2nd gen iPad mini without retina...

BUT I hope this is not true, I'd really like to have an iPad mini retina. That will be my first tablet!

 

[lars666]

Except that Apple is completely ripping people off on the storage upgrades. I think I remember reading an article a year ago saying that the bump from 16GB of storage to 32GB costs the consumers $100, but only costs Apple $16 to $20.

They could be destroying Android tablets(which I prefer at the moment) if they both dropped the price to $399 for the iPad and increased the base storage to 32GB. One of the main reasons Android tablets do so well is the very low cost of many of them. And while some of those cheap cost tablets are also cheap products, there are plenty of low cost ones that have awesome performance.

Believe me: If Apple does ONE research thoroughly and knows better about it than all of us together - then how much they can charge on their products to make maximum profit. (Yes, also considering the trade off higher margins - "lost" sales.) And if this changes to their disadvantage, they will react, like they probably did with the Retina MacBook Pro. Simple as that.

I always find it quite amusing that so many Joe Averages here on the board think they are either tech geniuses who know the simple solution to antenna problems etc. the Apple tech team just is too dumb to come up with - or genius sales strategists who can only throw their hands up in horror how much money one of (or THE?) most valuable and successful company in the world let itself slip through the fingers...

 

[nia820]

I might consider getting a full size ipad if it's lighter. The current ipad is too big and heavy.

 

[Glideslope]

Product Line Change....

Going to be: iPad(7") / iPad Pro (10") iPhone / iPhone Pro, MacBook Air / MacBook Pro, iMac / Mac Pro

 

[CmdrLaForge]

It's all personal preference, but yes, for me anyway, the Mini size is much better. It's far more convenient for reading, for carrying, for, well, lots of things. I can stick my mini in my back pocket of my jeans. Heck, I can fit my Mini (amazingly) in the FRONT pocket of my jeans, as long as I don't sit down with it in there. I just much prefer the size. Apparently a lot of people feel the same way, as the mini has been outselling the full size iPad since it was released. Now, some of that is surely due to the lower price point, but that certainly isn't the case with all of the demand.

Well, for sure you are right. To each his own. I love he size of the regular iPad. to me it is just right. A good friend has the mini and I used his to better understand the difference.

So for me personally the regular size is right. The one thing I don't like about it is it weight. Just to heavy to hold for long in one hand. For that I really prefer the mini.

But now the rumor says that they will bring it down in weight and so it might end up being just right.

For carrying around I really don't mind my 15" cMBP, and neither the iPad.

 

[fertilized-egg]

They could be destroying Android tablets(which I prefer at the moment) if they both dropped the price to $399 for the iPad and increased the base storage to 32GB. One of the main reasons Android tablets do so well is the very low cost of many of them. And while some of those cheap cost tablets are also cheap products, there are plenty of low cost ones that have awesome performance.

I think it'll do very little in "destroying" Android tablets and instead will destroy Apple's margin. All 10" Android tablets have been mediocre sellers at best, even at the $399 point such as the Nexus 10 which was very cheap for its specs. As a consumer I'd welcome Apple giving us a $399 32GB model but realistically it won't happen since it almost definitely won't increase sales much.

The Android tablets that are selling aren't $399 tablets but the $149 and $199 7" tablets.

Well, for sure you are right. To each his own. I love he size of the regular iPad. to me it is just right. A good friend has the mini and I used his to better understand the difference.

I'm in the 10" camp as well. The larger display is much better for my usage pattern. I'd like to see it lose some weight but otherwise if anything I want the display to grow a bit more.

 

[commander.data]

Yes, it would make one-hand around the back much easier for me since I don't have large hands. 7" android devices are narrower so it's easier to hold it that way.

I wouldn't worry about thumb intrusion since iPad Mini already has the software to reject unintended touches.

It's not about unintended touches, it's that the thumb will be more in the way of visual content which will probably become an increasing problem in iOS 7 due to it's emphasis on edge-to-edge content.

 

[olowott]

Patiently waiting

 

[Amazing Iceman]

i'm guessing special event in september for iphone launch (the 5S and low cost iphone) and of course the new iOS 7

and another event in october for ipad 5 launch, new rmbp, maybe new iwork.

I know it says september launch for ipad, but apple could switch it up to highlight the iphone launch first.

It makes little sense they will launch the new iPad with iOS 6 if this new iPad is supposed to support a lot of new features, including the rumored Fingerprint sensor.

Apple promised iOS 7 to be released this fall, so unless they are ahead of schedule, I would expect it by the end of September, with the new iPad and new iPhone.

And the new iWork should be launched with iOS 7.

The next event could be for OS X and MAC Pro and any new MACs they are planning to release, which could fit well in October.

We'll see...

 

[appleisking]

Except that Apple is completely ripping people off on the storage upgrades. I think I remember reading an article a year ago saying that the bump from 16GB of storage to 32GB costs the consumers $100, but only costs Apple $16 to $20.

They could be destroying Android tablets(which I prefer at the moment) if they both dropped the price to $399 for the iPad and increased the base storage to 32GB. One of the main reasons Android tablets do so well is the very low cost of many of them. And while some of those cheap cost tablets are also cheap products, there are plenty of low cost ones that have awesome performance.

Until Android developers start developing separate apps instead of upscaled versions from smartphones in their tablets, the iPad will always be ahead. I can see this start changing very soon if Google steps up their game tho.

 

[willcapellaro]

I wish they would add 128GB model to the mini as well. Oh I also need more ram in it. With 512MB my safari seems to reload most of the time I reopen it.

More RAM would be nice, but what you're seeing is just Safari being Safari.

 

[TimeSquareDesi]

Welcome to a RUMORS site. You must be new here.

Oh man, this is so much fun! We should've had a lot of new iPads by now.

Next-Generation iPad and iPad Mini Rumored for March Launch

Apple iPad 5 Rumors: Release Date Coming In April With Redesigned Features And Specs?

iPad 5 Leak Points to June Release

Apple iPad Mini 2 Scheduled for July 2013 Release Date with New iOS 7 Multitasking Features?

Rumor: Low-cost iPhone, new iPad mini coming in August, but no 'iPhone 5S' until 2014

And now this article.

 

[Brittany246]

Hopefully the 5th gen iPad will be released before the end of September so I can buy one for my 21st birthday.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Hopefully the 5th gen iPad will be released before the end of September so I can buy one for my 21st birthday.

Let's hope so. Add a beer to the package too!

 

[ridwan47]

 

[Mattsasa]

This is what the lineup will be after the event

All devices with lightning connector and iOS 7. All features of iOS 7 will be allowed on these new devices. Except no camera filtering on A5 devices.


iPod Touch (Will have no major updates) - all with 4inch display:

16gb - ($199 or $229) - A5 - no back camera - no colors - 512MB RAM

32gb/64gb - $299/$399 - A5- colors - 512MB RAM





iPhone (all with 4inch retina display and all with LTE) -


Plastic iPhone - 16gb - ($300-$350) - A5 - 512MB RAM - colors - cheap back camera

iPhone 5 - 16gb - $550 - A6 - 1GB RAM - black/white - 8MP back camera

New iPhone -32gb/64gb/128gb - $650/$750/$850 - A7? (Quad-core) - 1GB - black/white - 13MP back camera - dual LED FLash - same form factor


So the US iphone contract priicing will be: $0, $99, $199/$299/$399


iPads:


iPad Mini - no retina sorry

16gb/32gb/64gb - $299/$399/$499 - with cellular ($429/529/629) - A6 - 512MB RAM - 5 or 8 MP back camera - little thinner and lighter


iPad 2 discontinued


Full sized retina iPad - new form factor duh - same retina display

32gb/64gb/128gb - $499/$599/$699 - with cellular ($629/$729/$829) - A7X - 1GB RAM - 8 or 13 MP back camera - weigh about 1 pound


This is what it is going to be folks, whether you like it or not.
Any questions?

 

[asthamapheo]

but i just got my ipad 4...
looks like i'll skip the ipad5 and buy the upcoming ipad mini instead.

 

[SoAnyway]

Gimme, gimme, gimme!!!!

 

[AppleRobert]

My crystal ball forecasts Halloween for release. It has been in the sun though and it has been very very hot so who knows.

Trick or treat at your local Apple Store on Halloween.

 

[koban4max]

I might consider getting a full size ipad if it's lighter. The current ipad is too big and heavy.

then, you must have weak hands, because the current one is not heavy.

 

[user418]

Looking forward to the next iPad. I guess I finally replace my 1st gen.

Me too. Thought I was the only person still holding on to the 1st Gen. model. Have you found that yours is getting less responsive and apps crash quite often? Perhaps I should do a complete reset and see if that improves things?