My iPad 3 Price Predictions
G77 said:
Yes, I think it will be:
iPad 2 - 16GB - 399$
iPad 3 - 32GB - 499$
iPad 3 - 64GB - 599$
iPad 3 - 128GB - 699$
1080p said:
1080pThat's what people thought about iPhone 4S... then it turned out to be:
iPhone 3GS 8GB - Free
iPhone 4 8GB - $99
iPhone 4S 16GB - $199
iPhone 4S 32GB - $299
iPhone 4S 64GB - $399
No price drops for memory capacities.
However, the original iphone came in 4 and 8GB. A 16GB version came out a bit later. When the 3G launched at 199 and 299, the sizes were 8GB and 16GB. Then, 32GB took over for 16GB at the $299 price point with the 3GS and iPhone 4. The 4S is the first subsidized phone to hit the $399 mark. So, there's both a precedent for them replacing the highest capacity with higher capacity at the same price point and introducing a new price point. They may not even introduce 128GB though. They didn't for the iPod touch when they could have.
Wow, so much speculation. And anyone could be right.
However, in this case, since there is so much more technology likely to come with the iPad 3,
and Apple doesn't usually change the prices with new versions. I think the iPad 3 will come out at the same prices for the same memory, and 128 GB version (because of new power, uses, and added consumer market (for high-res, Airline, Medicine, Text Books, etc.) in the iPad 3.
So because of the new (more expensive) technology, so no price drop for memory capacity, but an additional amount of memory (128 GB) is possible. I think the iPod didn't get 128GB when it could have because, either Apple felt not enough people would use it because of iCloud, and/or Apple didn't want a $499/$599 iPod (remember 128GB cost more per GB still and it's an
additional 64GB!)
It's easier to charge a $499 starting price point an extra $100 or $200 for the additional 64GB to make it a total of 128 GB, than it is to charge the extra same amount for something that starts at only $199. So maybe that's why there is not 128GB iPod, too expensive, Apple still wants everything to profit and not sell
only a few thousand of one version.
So, I think it will be:
iPad 2 (16 GB) - $299-$399 (not to compete with the "Fire" but may sway first time buyers)
iPad 3 (16 GB) - $499
IPad 3 (32 GB) - $599
iPad 3 (64 GB) - $699
iPad 3 (128GB) - $799-$849
So, no drop in price for memory capacity, but an additional high price point. Unfortunately, flash memory seemed to stop dropping in price dramatically since 2010?
(In 2010, I figured we'd have a 1TB iPhone in 2014 because of doubling memory at mostly same prices
every year, but it looks like either 1TB iPhone won't happen, or it'll be ~2016 at $399-$599)