iPad Pro Apple will never release an iPad Air 3

[lockerc18]

I know what they say about saying "never", but it struck me just now how Apple uses the iPad Air 2 as the reference point for comparisons to the iPad Pro in their advertising. Like,

"nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2"

"It delivers up to 1.8 times the CPU performance and double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2"

"The 12.9‑inch screen offers 78 percent more display area than that of iPad Air 2."

"Since iPad Pro has 2.5 million more pixels than iPad Air 2..."

"Despite having 78 percent more display area than iPad Air 2, iPad Pro feels reassuringly solid in the hand."

"With 1.8 times the CPU performance of iPad Air 2, the A9X chip delivers incredible speed and responsiveness."

"Despite having nearly twice the pixels in its Retina display, iPad Pro still offers up to double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2."

These are all from the Apple site.

Sure, the Pro is a cool, new device, and has gobs of performance and exquisite screen real estate. But this isn't just positioning a new product in the family line. It's like Apple is saying, "Just look at how our new toy compares to that crappy old Air 2. Who'd ever want to buy one of those when you can get the much more sexypants iPad Pro instead?" It's like the Air 2 is a Samsung product and Apple is selling against it with the Pro.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an Air 3.

 

[mdridwan47]

but it struck me just now how Apple uses the iPad Air 2 as the reference point for comparisons to the iPad Pro in their advertising

Because iPad Air 2 was the most powerful iPad until iPad Pro.

I wouldn't hold my breath for an Air 3.

Apple will announce the iPad Air 3. Just not this year. Next year. The reason they didn't do it this year is because Apple will update iPad once every two years. And also it would take away attention from the Brand new iPad Pro.

 

[asleep]

They will.

 

[ron7624]

Yup. About 11 months away, maybe 7. This is Apple we are talking about. They do a lot of thinking about marketing and from looking at their cash reserves, they call the shots pretty good. Not what we want, but what they want us to have. I'm typing this on an iPad Mini 4 that was about a year late in my opinion, but not in theirs.

 

[Tom G.]

I don't believe Apple will come out with an iPad three. With the iPad Pro I think they are looking at a different direction for the iPads. I believe there will be however iPad mini's in the future.

 

[newellj]

I know what they say about saying "never", but it struck me just now how Apple uses the iPad Air 2 as the reference point for comparisons to the iPad Pro in their advertising. Like,

"nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2"

"It delivers up to 1.8 times the CPU performance and double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2"

"The 12.9‑inch screen offers 78 percent more display area than that of iPad Air 2."

"Since iPad Pro has 2.5 million more pixels than iPad Air 2..."

"Despite having 78 percent more display area than iPad Air 2, iPad Pro feels reassuringly solid in the hand."

"With 1.8 times the CPU performance of iPad Air 2, the A9X chip delivers incredible speed and responsiveness."

"Despite having nearly twice the pixels in its Retina display, iPad Pro still offers up to double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2."

These are all from the Apple site.

Sure, the Pro is a cool, new device, and has gobs of performance and exquisite screen real estate. But this isn't just positioning a new product in the family line. It's like Apple is saying, "Just look at how our new toy compares to that crappy old Air 2. Who'd ever want to buy one of those when you can get the much more sexypants iPad Pro instead?" It's like the Air 2 is a Samsung product and Apple is selling against it with the Pro.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an Air 3.

There's no reasonable basis for this. The 9.7" iPad is likely to remain the heart of iPad sales. A change in the usual refresh cycle is not an indication that the product line has been abandoned, and I don't expect many 9.7" buyers will jump ship for the Pro, if only because of its much greater size and higher price. If any iPad remains in danger, it would be the Mini because of its proximity to the iPhone Plus series - but I don't think the Mini is in much danger, either.

 

[Genkakuzai]

Pretty sure they will. The Pro is way too big and expensive for most people.

 

[chfilm]

sure they will. I'm on the fence with my Air1 right now, I want the air 2, but I'm afraid to experience the same like back then with the 3, when they released the 4 a few months later.

I think I'll force myself to stick to the air1 and hope they come out with a new one in march.

 

[Count Blah]

sure they will. I'm on the fence with my Air1 right now, I want the air 2, but I'm afraid to experience the same like back then with the 3, when they released the 4 a few months later.

I think I'll force myself to stick to the air1 and hope they come out with a new one in march.

I'm in the same exact boat. Apple wants to charge me full price for old tech.

No thanks, Timmy.

On the other hand, I WILL be picking up the new AppleTV. Since that is new, and FINALLY contains an App Store, like it should have years ago.

 

[Dave245]

I think they will next year, I think the mini and the Air are advertised towards the general consumer and the iPad Pro towards the power user and business, that's not to say the Pro can't be used for watching movies, playing games and listening to music.

 

[Freyqq]

I think it will come out next year with the A9X. Seems they want the iPad Pro to always have the fastest chip, so they're giving it a head start.

Also. competition is pretty weak atm from android tablets.

 

[Rogifan]

I think Apple has figured out that there's no need to refresh iPads every year. Maybe the iPad Pro will get yearly updates like Macs do but iPad mini and iPad Air will most likely be on 2 year refresh cycles now (alternating years).

 

[lockerc18]

There's no reasonable basis for this. The 9.7" iPad is likely to remain the heart of iPad sales. A change in the usual refresh cycle is not an indication that the product line has been abandoned, and I don't expect many 9.7" buyers will jump ship for the Pro, if only because of its much greater size and higher price. If any iPad remains in danger, it would be the Mini because of its proximity to the iPhone Plus series - but I don't think the Mini is in much danger, either.

I wasn't referring to the refresh cycle. What I was saying is that Apple is beating the heck out of the Air 2 in its advertising. They are really going out of their way to say how inferior a device it is. Does anyone really think they would suddenly come out with an Air 3 and say "Oh, never mind all those cheap shots we took at the Air 2, just kidding"? I'm sorry to say that the 9.7" form factor is dead. I was hoping for an Air 3 because Apple obsoleted my iPad3 with IOS9, and I need to move to a new platform. But it won't be the Pro. That's just me, and others will differ.

People believe that Apple is targeting the Pro at creative people. Yes, they are, but that's too small a demographic to support a major new project like this. Apple is aiming the Pro directly at the Surface, and wants to create a desktop replacement with it. That's a much bigger market. But they will fail with this if they don't make the Pro at least equivalent to a laptop or desktop for apps and user interfaces. Microsoft is way ahead of them in this. How can Apple ship a product they intend to replace the desktop with and not include a pointing device or mechanism other than the brute force of your finger? The Apple Pen surely isn't that. And how can the Pro succeed if the apps are crippled versions of desktop apps? That makes no sense.

I'm very happy with my rMBP and my iPhone 6+. I am very upset with Apple about my iPad3 and what they did to it with IOS9. The Watch is interesting, but honestly, it's not going to be a big winner. The iPad Pro is too expensive, suffers from IOS constraints, and is too big for normal mobile use. It, too, will not be a major winner.

What the heck is Apple doing?

 

[newellj]

I wasn't referring to the refresh cycle. What I was saying is that Apple is beating the heck out of the Air 2 in its advertising. They are really going out of their way to say how inferior a device it is. Does anyone really think they would suddenly come out with an Air 3 and say "Oh, never mind all those cheap shots we took at the Air 2, just kidding"? I'm sorry to say that the 9.7" form factor is dead. I was hoping for an Air 3 because Apple obsoleted my iPad3 with IOS9, and I need to move to a new platform. But it won't be the Pro. That's just me, and others will differ.

People believe that Apple is targeting the Pro at creative people. Yes, they are, but that's too small a demographic to support a major new project like this. Apple is aiming the Pro directly at the Surface, and wants to create a desktop replacement with it. That's a much bigger market. But they will fail with this if they don't make the Pro at least equivalent to a laptop or desktop for apps and user interfaces. Microsoft is way ahead of them in this. How can Apple ship a product they intend to replace the desktop with and not include a pointing device or mechanism other than the brute force of your finger? The Apple Pen surely isn't that. And how can the Pro succeed if the apps are crippled versions of desktop apps? That makes no sense.

I'm very happy with my rMBP and my iPhone 6+. I am very upset with Apple about my iPad3 and what they did to it with IOS9. The Watch is interesting, but honestly, it's not going to be a big winner. The iPad Pro is too expensive, suffers from IOS constraints, and is too big for normal mobile use. It, too, will not be a major winner.

What the heck is Apple doing?

Point taken, and I agree on the target market. I also agree that at least for me the iPP is simply never going to compete with or replace a 9.7" iPad. So, to your point, I guess the advertising is at least a little strange. On the one hand, yeah, why slight the Air 2. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense anyway to compare a much bigger, much faster piece of hardware to a smaller, more mainstream piece of hardware. At the end of the day, though, I do expect to see an Air 3.

 

[Supermallet]

I wasn't referring to the refresh cycle. What I was saying is that Apple is beating the heck out of the Air 2 in its advertising. They are really going out of their way to say how inferior a device it is. Does anyone really think they would suddenly come out with an Air 3 and say "Oh, never mind all those cheap shots we took at the Air 2, just kidding"? I'm sorry to say that the 9.7" form factor is dead. I was hoping for an Air 3 because Apple obsoleted my iPad3 with IOS9, and I need to move to a new platform. But it won't be the Pro. That's just me, and others will differ.

People believe that Apple is targeting the Pro at creative people. Yes, they are, but that's too small a demographic to support a major new project like this. Apple is aiming the Pro directly at the Surface, and wants to create a desktop replacement with it. That's a much bigger market. But they will fail with this if they don't make the Pro at least equivalent to a laptop or desktop for apps and user interfaces. Microsoft is way ahead of them in this. How can Apple ship a product they intend to replace the desktop with and not include a pointing device or mechanism other than the brute force of your finger? The Apple Pen surely isn't that. And how can the Pro succeed if the apps are crippled versions of desktop apps? That makes no sense.

I'm very happy with my rMBP and my iPhone 6+. I am very upset with Apple about my iPad3 and what they did to it with IOS9. The Watch is interesting, but honestly, it's not going to be a big winner. The iPad Pro is too expensive, suffers from IOS constraints, and is too big for normal mobile use. It, too, will not be a major winner.

What the heck is Apple doing?

There are a lot of assumptions in your post that you're taking as a given.

You seem to assume that if an iPad Air 3 comes out with some of the specs as the iPad Pro, then it will make the iPad Pro pointless. It won't. However, what Apple won't do is compare the Air 3 to the Pro when they release it. They'll compare it to the Air 2. Also, there's no way the Air 3 will get all the specs from the Pro. Some things will be retained exclusively for the Pro line to justify the higher price. Not even the 6 and 6 Plus share all the same specs, and they are much closer to each other than the Air and Pro are.

Furthermore, you assume that the comparisons between the Pro and the Air 2 were intended to denigrate the Air 2, and I don't think that could be further from the truth. Apple is still selling the Air 2 at its original price, which says to me that they are confident in it. It's an amazing device, it's just that the iPad Pro IS faster and IS more powerful. And when the Air 3 comes out, it will also be more powerful than the Air 2 and the wording will reflect that. They won't try to compare the Air 3 to the Pro because I suspect that the Pro will still be clocked a bit higher than the Air 3, even with the same A9X chip, and the Pro will have more RAM, etc.

As for the iPad Pro, it's going to take time to achieve its full potential, and it may not do so until gen 2 or 3. Apple has had a fundamentally different strategy than Microsoft about app scaling, so it's no surprise they're not putting OS X on the iPad Pro.

Anyway, don't go all chicken little. You're reading too much into things.

 

[iPadCary]

The idea that Apple won't make an iPad Air 3 is misguided.
Think about what you're saying: it's gonna be just Minis & Pros from now on?
C'mon ....

What the heck is Apple doing?

Being blindly led by a very competent beancounter who's a very imcompetent CEO.
That's what Apple's doing.

 

[masotime]

The claim would have a lot more credibility if the words "this year" were appended to it....

 

[Dranix]

I think the lineup will move to something like this:

iPhone 4.7"
iPhone+ (the real iPad mini) 5.5"
iPad at around 8"
iPad Pro 12.9"

Reasoning: iP+ and iPadMini are to close in size.

 

[kring]

I think the lineup will move to something like this:

iPhone 4.7"
iPhone+ (the real iPad mini) 5.5"
iPad at around 8"
iPad Pro 12.9"

Reasoning: iP+ and iPadMini are to close in size.

That's silly - iPhone+ is just a larger Phone. the Mini is massive, you wouldn't put that in your pocket or use as a phone. the LTE in the Mini is data only... you are really crossing products here... and an 8" mini is a kids toy, anything less than the 9.7" is too small for an adult to use more than 5 minutes. the iPad 3 will be coming, it's the perfect size for a casual device and it has an acceptable (but high) price range.. the Pro is a way over priced at $1100 for LTE service so it won't sell much... I bet 1 iPad Pro for every 40 iPad Air 3's. Apple isn't going to ditch their bread and butter tablet.

 

[mtneer]

I have no idea what Apple's plans for the iPad lineup are next year. They may or may not have an iPad Air 3. But I have to disagree with the OP's assertion that the fact that Apple pits the iPad Pro against the iPad Air 2 is an indication of the future. Apple could not compare the iPad Pro to a future/ nonexistent product at this time. Maybe if and when the iPad 3 shows up, Apple would move its marketing comparisons appropriately.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Apple will announce the iPad Air 3. Just not this year. Next year. The reason they didn't do it this year is because Apple will update iPad once every two years. And also it would take away attention from the Brand new iPad Pro.

Agreed. With iPad sales slowing down, I think Apple will start updating the iPad models every other year.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

I think Apple has figured out that there's no need to refresh iPads every year. Maybe the iPad Pro will get yearly updates like Macs do but iPad mini and iPad Air will most likely be on 2 year refresh cycles now (alternating years).

Thats how I see it.

 

[pat500000]

I know what they say about saying "never", but it struck me just now how Apple uses the iPad Air 2 as the reference point for comparisons to the iPad Pro in their advertising. Like,

"nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2"

"It delivers up to 1.8 times the CPU performance and double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2"

"The 12.9‑inch screen offers 78 percent more display area than that of iPad Air 2."

"Since iPad Pro has 2.5 million more pixels than iPad Air 2..."

"Despite having 78 percent more display area than iPad Air 2, iPad Pro feels reassuringly solid in the hand."

"With 1.8 times the CPU performance of iPad Air 2, the A9X chip delivers incredible speed and responsiveness."

"Despite having nearly twice the pixels in its Retina display, iPad Pro still offers up to double the graphics performance of iPad Air 2."

These are all from the Apple site.

Sure, the Pro is a cool, new device, and has gobs of performance and exquisite screen real estate. But this isn't just positioning a new product in the family line. It's like Apple is saying, "Just look at how our new toy compares to that crappy old Air 2. Who'd ever want to buy one of those when you can get the much more sexypants iPad Pro instead?" It's like the Air 2 is a Samsung product and Apple is selling against it with the Pro.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an Air 3.

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

 

[newellj]

The claim would have a lot more credibility if the words "this year" were appended to it....

And would be, I think, a true statement, or at least likely to be true. I think the question is whether the 9.7" iPad gets refreshed in the spring or fall of 2016, not whether it gets refreshed at all. The tablet market doesn't really seem to support an annual refresh cycle anyway (thankfully ).

 

[Dave245]

Why do people think that Apple will only be updating the iPad every other year? The only reason they have not updated this year is probably because the iPad Pro being released.