iPad Aspiring iPad 4 buyer

Buy one now. I doubt apple will be releasing a new one any time soon. If they do end up releasing one at the end of this month or next month, sell your iPad 4 the second the invites are going out. Your loss will be minimal. The iPad 4 is already plenty fast for every app currently in the app store and will be for a while until apps catch up with hardware. IF the iPad 5 were to be released in the next couple months I wouldn't expect anything more than a new design to match and a minor spec bump. I doubt we'll will see anything with the A7 until the iPhone.

Anything anyone says though is purely speculation. Nobody knows and the best advice I can give you is to just buy now.

 

Buy one now. Seems like you need it.

Who knows, Apple could've just shifted the iPad release to October to maximize profits in the holiday season.

 

They just released a 128gb model last week. I doubt they are going to replace it in a month.

edit: released last month* point still stands

 

Apples lusting over wristwatches at the moment.

Smart, they'll do anything to keep the blogosphere talking about Apple.

In fact I do believe the brand "Apple" is now more valuable & influential than anything they build.

iPad? Oh that's so last year. Just buy one. No questions asked.

 

How badly do you need one? If it were me, I'd wait. I remember when they announced the iPad 2 in March 2011. I was ready to buy one around June 2011, but I decided to wait until the iPad 3 was announced 9 months later. But as I said, that's just me!

It was announced January 29th. We are now in March.... It wasn't last week.

 

I'd wait. If you don't NEED it, which I'd argue most people don't, then just wait for the revised model with the new body style. Hopefully it will be noticeably lighter. I don't much mind if it's thinner, but I would love if they shaved off .3lbs. It's a bit heavy as it is (iPad 4) but I don't mind it. That said, the second Apple starts sending invites for their event, I will be selling mine to buy the new one.

 

Buy it. When Apple releases the next iPad and you decide you would rather have that one, sell the iPad 4 and buy the iPad 5. Rinse and repeat.

 

Here's the thing. If they DO come out with a new one so soon...if they are apparently moving to a 6-month schedule...then the changes will be minimal.

So maybe it'll have a slightly faster processor or a brighter screen. Who knows what, exactly, but I can tell you it won't be a big change. Such is the nature of the fast refresh cycle. (If it's even going to happen. Personally, I'm not so sure.)

But that's the beauty of it. Either way, buy now, and there will be no regrets.

 

Currently, Apple is very unpredictable. iMore suggests that Apple is considering announcing the new iPad 5 in April. If you could, I'd wait a month - iMore has been a reliable source.

 

The new iPads will be released in April, the iPad 5 will be in the new thinner form factor, same size screen, less bezel, nice Retina screen, with a 128GB SSD option,improved battery life.TheiPad mini same as it is now with the exception of a Retina Screen,and the 128GB SSD option. I sold my iPad 3 to Gazelle,months ago, have been limping along with the original iPad.I will buy the 5 in WiFi flavor, and the Mini w/Verizon LTE for the business .
Wait, I am!

Don't flame me over the specs, it's going to happen!
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/05/next-generation-ipads-due-in-april-iphone-5s-in-august/

 

The 3rd gen was the surprise, the 4th gen was released on schedule.

Incorrect. iPads are locked to carriers just like iPhones.

To answer the actual question: buy what you need. If you need an iPad now, get it. If not, wait. I honestly doubt we'll see a new iPad before the fall event, though.

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The fact that you're talking about SSDs in an iPad shows that you must know exactly what you're talking about. I won't deny the possibility, but I think it unlikely.

 

What do you have to loose? Buy now, use it now, be happy. If the 5 comes out decide if you want to even be bothered with it, if not you lost nothing, if so sell the 4 as soon as 5 is announced and buy the 5 with the funds of the 4.

 

macrumors says that they are...but look at their past predictions (also from macrumors):

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/10...-display-coming-in-october-priced-at-200-250/
Got the price wrong, and it doesnt have a retina display. and it doesnt look the same as the big ipad.

http://www.imore.com/iphone-gigantic-screen
screen size change was disputed

I like Kuo's (analyst) track record better:
http://www.mactrast.com/tag/kuo/

and he says no new ipad until the fall

 

Actually, you are wrong. All iPads up until the iPad 4 had been announced in the Spring. Then they announced the iPad 4 in October.

 

I think the off timeline of the iPad 4 was in response to market pressure brought about by Apple's inability to bring the A6 to iPad 3.
the iPad 3 was released with iPad 2's (re: 1 year old) internals. At the time, this was okay as there were barely any good ipad competitors out there. They had slack.
However, had the iPad 3 be kept in the lineup towards the holiday season, Apple'd be betting its tablet business on an almost 2 year old technology against the influx of new tablets just released/to be released with modern specs (nexus, surface, galaxy..)
I think the iPad 4 was supposed to have the new design. but they brought it 4 months early, sacrificing the new design for better internals to keep it competitive and keep the iPad name superior as people started researching prior to the holiday season.

 

I'd wait until April and if there is nothing then grab one.

Personally I think the next ipad will be a big change:

Thinner, lighter, redesigned with possible less reflective screen and slightly faster.

Those are pretty big factors in a device like an iPad.

 

You are correct! After I made my comment, I happened to see a timeline of iPad releases, and I realized my error. My bad!

 

The only reason why you have carrier specific iPads is for the LTE, of which there isn't a universal one that supports all the bands.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti..._new_iPad_can_run_over_AT_T_s_3G_data_network