That would make sense if their competitors marketshare didn't double or triple for the same time period. Apple is throwing dollars away with their slow production and release schedule.
Give me a break. Apple is in a transition year. New product lines and redesigns have dictated a push to the fall for releases. This isn't how it will be from here on out of course, but would you rather have them releasing half-ass products like the iPad 3 only to replace it 6 months later?
Other companies release new tablets every 6 months from a huge variety of muddied product lines (Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. Galaxy Note 10.1?). I prefer Apple's way - take their time, release a product when its ready and keep the product lines concise and efficient.
Despite the fact that everyone thinks Apple can just pop a retina display into the mini and they simply choose not to, there are limitations to today's technology that cause some of these products to be delayed. I think Apple learned from the iPad 3 mistake (making the iPad THICKER and heavier to accommodate the retina display) and are simply holding off until they can take the current mini form factor (that is PERFECT IMO) and add a retina display to it without sacrificing the amazing battery life or form factor.
2014 we'll see things return to normal. Product launches in the spring, summer and fall. IMO, they should release the iPhone in the beginning of the year and the iPad near Christmas time. Phones are less "impulse buys" because of contracts and such, whereas tablets are seemingly disposable (people buy new ones every year, multiple sizes for multiple uses).
I would like to see - iPhone 6 (larger iPhone) in the Spring, Macs (iPhone refresh as well) in the summer, iPads in the fall. Then move ALL iPhones to spring in 2015.
