Hello!
I've noticed that every couple of threads here are repeats of the same rumors, and same questions and same threads over and over again. I was hoping the Mods would consider writing something similar (or if you think mine is good enough, sticky it), or SOMETHING to help clean up this area of the forum. The questions and discussions are legitamate and useful, I mean if we don't talk about that kind of stuff what even call it an iPad forum? I do think, however, that it should be centralized for quick reference for all of the users that are constantly posting about it. Here is what I think are the most commonly asked questions, and I also think the threads about the various iPad case rumors and things should be combined.
Please note that, to the best of my abilities, the following answers are not my own but the consensus of what I HAVE READ on this forum, very open to criticism.
I am considering buying an iPad, but I am concerned due to the rumors of an iPad 2 coming out as early as January or February that I will regret my purchase and want an iPad 2, and I can't afford both.
While some journalists seem to believe the iPad 2 may be announced as early as January or February, some here on this forum (as well as some of the more reputable technologic journalists) believe it will not be announced until closer to April (although the last one was announced in January, they may wait later for the announcement of the second, to prevent hurting first gen iPad sales.) Even after it's announcement, there will be some time before it's ready to purchase. With Apple, anything is possible. Understand that we will not KNOW anything for sure until the moment Steve Jobs himself announces it, if it follows what Apple has been doing for the past (how long have they been around?). While some believe it won't hold the 12 month design cycle, some of us are of the opinion that indeed it will, for reference, it was announced on January 27, 2010 and released on April 3, 2010. So you should safely anticipate an April release, but it's not unreasonable to wait until the end of January to decide on your purchase, as it may be announced before that, and you can then make your decision.
A good portion of the members here are of the opinion that the iPad has a lot of utility, as it is out of the box. You must also consider how little was actually changed in the first three versions of the iPhone, theres a chance that the iPad will go through a "tweak" phase before substantial new features are added. The original iPhone was a early adopter product, followed by one that supported the 3G standard (but almost nothing else), then followed by one with a quicker processor that could handle more powerful software, then FINALLY one that had significant improvement over the original design.
So that is point number one, that despite the hype, there may not be enough of a change to warrant waiting that long for the second version. If your waiting for new features and significant improvement, you might not get it. Furthermore, if you don't like the current iPad enough to justify it's cost, you should certainly wait for the second one to see if Apple surprises us and it is indeed quite a bit different, but if you like the current iPad, you might not see enough improvement to justify the wait. Again, if you waiting for new features, your probably going to wait a while.
Second, is carrier. Soon we should find out if the rumors are true about a CDMA iPhone. If a CDMA iPhone IS coming out, there is a good chance that CDMA will come to the iPad as well, as they often share radio components. This only matters if you intend to buy the WiFi + 3G version, but if that is the case, and AT&T is not your provider of choice (Perhaps Verizon or Sprint offer better features or coverage in your area), then you may want to wait it out to see if you can get a 3G iPad. Note that the Current model is pre-unlocked, so you can use any GSM carrier without any modification (including T-Mobile in the US and I am told most carriers in Europe.)
Third, is cost. If you do want to wait, there is a very good chance that the iPad will sell cheap, and the market will be flooded with used but mint condition iPads the second Steve Jobs makes the announcement. Many iPad 2 hopefuls have already sold their iPads on the cheap, and once the iPad 2 comes out they will only get cheaper, ESPECIALLY if the second gen is at the same price point as the first. If you aren't sold on the hype of the second model (for reference: It's believed to have improved speakers, dual cameras, and some believe a higher resolution screen, included USB/SD card slot, and perhaps even a 7" version, but the latter are not likely based on what Steve Jobs has said.), then you might still want to wait, for the sheer fact of saving money on the first model. You may even get a new one cheap from Apple, as they might want to liquidate them for the next model. (Not likely, but there is hope.)
The final, and most determining factor, is a horrible disease called "Buyers Remorse". Assuming a likely April release, would you feel bad about dropping $500+ on something that will be quote "Outdated" in 4 months. Some wouldn't be, I myself love my iPad and although I'd also love a second gen iPad, I don't believe the second gen will make the first gen obsolete. Meaning I can use it just as much now as I can use it when the second one comes out, and I love mine too much to part with it, and even though I just recently got mine, if the next one hit the shelves tomorrow I wouldn't regret it, but if you would, then consider waiting. That's a lot of money.
Bear in mind, however, that these products ARE on a 12 month cycle, whatever you buy from Apple will be replaced in a short time, so don't buy just based on bleeding edge, buy based on what you can get use out of, and what you will enjoy using.
What if I buy an iPad now, will it be worth anything if I decide to Upgrade?
Considering the flood of people who will be doing just that, it's a safe bet that there will be some significant depleted value. The value $100 has been floating around, but thats purely 'made up', and it may be right, it may be wrong, but I have yet to find any actual data that would support how much it would drop in value (if there was a way). The iPhones don't drop in value much, but folks can buy those with contract discounts, and sell them back for a pretty penny. The idea is, a T-Mobile consumer who intends to unlock and use an iPhone will have to buy it outright, and while some places like Newegg will sell it to you New in Box (for over $800 last time I checked), as far as I know (I could be wrong, but this is what I was told at my local Apple Store) in order to buy new from AT&T/Apple you HAVE to be an AT&T customer, so a T-Mobile user couldn't go to an Apple store and buy a new iPhone (according to the guy at the Apple store). So, the option is eBay, and it's a sellers market on that device for that reason. However, anyone can buy an iPad, even the 3G version is unlocked. The general consensus has been that it will drop by at LEAST $100. Now, that said, that might mean the price for upgrading your iPad would only be in the $100 range, not too bad eh?
Will there be a 7 inch iPad?
The rumor is, a particular supplier has allegedly sold a large volume of 7" displays for Apple. However, Steve Jobs has said that nobody wants a 7" Tablet, that it's too small to get any use out of. Additionally, the apps currently don't scale much, so Apps made for the 10" iPad might be hard to use on the 7" iPad, and alternatively iPhone/iPod native apps would still scale up poorly, many iPad users don't like the way iPhone apps work on the iPad. Given the way Apple has designed their products, it's not likely that they will ask developers to develop for a THIRD platform. However, there is still the supposed screens, so it's 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other.
Where do these rumors come from?
It's hard to say for sure, but allegedly, the sources are high-up Apple employees (often forum members claim they have a friend or relative who is significant enough in the Apple world to know these things.), or factory managers / factory workers from Foxconn, the production company that Apple contracts for Assembly. One thing that should be understood, is that people who make these claims get considerable attention. Those who are legitimately in cognito with the Apple inside can stand to make some money off of these secrets. There is considerable motivation to make stuff up, and your likely going to make up what people will believe (like a 7" iPad, dual cameras, the kinds of things people would expect even without the rumors). Once again, it's very 50/50, and nothing is for sure. In the past, the rumors have been very poor and inaccurate, save for a few that may very well have been "lucky guesses". The original iPad, for example, was almost certain to run OSX, have USB ports, essentially be a macbook air minus the keyboard and trackpad. Some rumors included a popout keyboard, nearly all of them mentioned multiple cameras, et cetera.
Please let me know of what else should be added, and Mods, let me know if something like this could be considered. I think this forum-consenus information should be consolidated and posted for folks who want to know. And by all means, don't let me be the only one grabbing this information. If anyone sees something that should be changed/added let me know. I'm not interested in personal opinions, or someone saying "Your dumb it won't do this this and this", I'm looking for what the GENERAL CONSENSUS of the Forum is, not the handful of opinions here and there. The purpose of a sticky like this would not be the minority opinions, but what is generally agreed upon by the majority of the forum. While users may subscribe to one or the other, I think the ideas I presented represent the ideas of most of us.
-John
I've noticed that every couple of threads here are repeats of the same rumors, and same questions and same threads over and over again. I was hoping the Mods would consider writing something similar (or if you think mine is good enough, sticky it), or SOMETHING to help clean up this area of the forum. The questions and discussions are legitamate and useful, I mean if we don't talk about that kind of stuff what even call it an iPad forum? I do think, however, that it should be centralized for quick reference for all of the users that are constantly posting about it. Here is what I think are the most commonly asked questions, and I also think the threads about the various iPad case rumors and things should be combined.
Please note that, to the best of my abilities, the following answers are not my own but the consensus of what I HAVE READ on this forum, very open to criticism.
I am considering buying an iPad, but I am concerned due to the rumors of an iPad 2 coming out as early as January or February that I will regret my purchase and want an iPad 2, and I can't afford both.
While some journalists seem to believe the iPad 2 may be announced as early as January or February, some here on this forum (as well as some of the more reputable technologic journalists) believe it will not be announced until closer to April (although the last one was announced in January, they may wait later for the announcement of the second, to prevent hurting first gen iPad sales.) Even after it's announcement, there will be some time before it's ready to purchase. With Apple, anything is possible. Understand that we will not KNOW anything for sure until the moment Steve Jobs himself announces it, if it follows what Apple has been doing for the past (how long have they been around?). While some believe it won't hold the 12 month design cycle, some of us are of the opinion that indeed it will, for reference, it was announced on January 27, 2010 and released on April 3, 2010. So you should safely anticipate an April release, but it's not unreasonable to wait until the end of January to decide on your purchase, as it may be announced before that, and you can then make your decision.
A good portion of the members here are of the opinion that the iPad has a lot of utility, as it is out of the box. You must also consider how little was actually changed in the first three versions of the iPhone, theres a chance that the iPad will go through a "tweak" phase before substantial new features are added. The original iPhone was a early adopter product, followed by one that supported the 3G standard (but almost nothing else), then followed by one with a quicker processor that could handle more powerful software, then FINALLY one that had significant improvement over the original design.
So that is point number one, that despite the hype, there may not be enough of a change to warrant waiting that long for the second version. If your waiting for new features and significant improvement, you might not get it. Furthermore, if you don't like the current iPad enough to justify it's cost, you should certainly wait for the second one to see if Apple surprises us and it is indeed quite a bit different, but if you like the current iPad, you might not see enough improvement to justify the wait. Again, if you waiting for new features, your probably going to wait a while.
Second, is carrier. Soon we should find out if the rumors are true about a CDMA iPhone. If a CDMA iPhone IS coming out, there is a good chance that CDMA will come to the iPad as well, as they often share radio components. This only matters if you intend to buy the WiFi + 3G version, but if that is the case, and AT&T is not your provider of choice (Perhaps Verizon or Sprint offer better features or coverage in your area), then you may want to wait it out to see if you can get a 3G iPad. Note that the Current model is pre-unlocked, so you can use any GSM carrier without any modification (including T-Mobile in the US and I am told most carriers in Europe.)
Third, is cost. If you do want to wait, there is a very good chance that the iPad will sell cheap, and the market will be flooded with used but mint condition iPads the second Steve Jobs makes the announcement. Many iPad 2 hopefuls have already sold their iPads on the cheap, and once the iPad 2 comes out they will only get cheaper, ESPECIALLY if the second gen is at the same price point as the first. If you aren't sold on the hype of the second model (for reference: It's believed to have improved speakers, dual cameras, and some believe a higher resolution screen, included USB/SD card slot, and perhaps even a 7" version, but the latter are not likely based on what Steve Jobs has said.), then you might still want to wait, for the sheer fact of saving money on the first model. You may even get a new one cheap from Apple, as they might want to liquidate them for the next model. (Not likely, but there is hope.)
The final, and most determining factor, is a horrible disease called "Buyers Remorse". Assuming a likely April release, would you feel bad about dropping $500+ on something that will be quote "Outdated" in 4 months. Some wouldn't be, I myself love my iPad and although I'd also love a second gen iPad, I don't believe the second gen will make the first gen obsolete. Meaning I can use it just as much now as I can use it when the second one comes out, and I love mine too much to part with it, and even though I just recently got mine, if the next one hit the shelves tomorrow I wouldn't regret it, but if you would, then consider waiting. That's a lot of money.
Bear in mind, however, that these products ARE on a 12 month cycle, whatever you buy from Apple will be replaced in a short time, so don't buy just based on bleeding edge, buy based on what you can get use out of, and what you will enjoy using.
What if I buy an iPad now, will it be worth anything if I decide to Upgrade?
Considering the flood of people who will be doing just that, it's a safe bet that there will be some significant depleted value. The value $100 has been floating around, but thats purely 'made up', and it may be right, it may be wrong, but I have yet to find any actual data that would support how much it would drop in value (if there was a way). The iPhones don't drop in value much, but folks can buy those with contract discounts, and sell them back for a pretty penny. The idea is, a T-Mobile consumer who intends to unlock and use an iPhone will have to buy it outright, and while some places like Newegg will sell it to you New in Box (for over $800 last time I checked), as far as I know (I could be wrong, but this is what I was told at my local Apple Store) in order to buy new from AT&T/Apple you HAVE to be an AT&T customer, so a T-Mobile user couldn't go to an Apple store and buy a new iPhone (according to the guy at the Apple store). So, the option is eBay, and it's a sellers market on that device for that reason. However, anyone can buy an iPad, even the 3G version is unlocked. The general consensus has been that it will drop by at LEAST $100. Now, that said, that might mean the price for upgrading your iPad would only be in the $100 range, not too bad eh?
Will there be a 7 inch iPad?
The rumor is, a particular supplier has allegedly sold a large volume of 7" displays for Apple. However, Steve Jobs has said that nobody wants a 7" Tablet, that it's too small to get any use out of. Additionally, the apps currently don't scale much, so Apps made for the 10" iPad might be hard to use on the 7" iPad, and alternatively iPhone/iPod native apps would still scale up poorly, many iPad users don't like the way iPhone apps work on the iPad. Given the way Apple has designed their products, it's not likely that they will ask developers to develop for a THIRD platform. However, there is still the supposed screens, so it's 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other.
Where do these rumors come from?
It's hard to say for sure, but allegedly, the sources are high-up Apple employees (often forum members claim they have a friend or relative who is significant enough in the Apple world to know these things.), or factory managers / factory workers from Foxconn, the production company that Apple contracts for Assembly. One thing that should be understood, is that people who make these claims get considerable attention. Those who are legitimately in cognito with the Apple inside can stand to make some money off of these secrets. There is considerable motivation to make stuff up, and your likely going to make up what people will believe (like a 7" iPad, dual cameras, the kinds of things people would expect even without the rumors). Once again, it's very 50/50, and nothing is for sure. In the past, the rumors have been very poor and inaccurate, save for a few that may very well have been "lucky guesses". The original iPad, for example, was almost certain to run OSX, have USB ports, essentially be a macbook air minus the keyboard and trackpad. Some rumors included a popout keyboard, nearly all of them mentioned multiple cameras, et cetera.
Please let me know of what else should be added, and Mods, let me know if something like this could be considered. I think this forum-consenus information should be consolidated and posted for folks who want to know. And by all means, don't let me be the only one grabbing this information. If anyone sees something that should be changed/added let me know. I'm not interested in personal opinions, or someone saying "Your dumb it won't do this this and this", I'm looking for what the GENERAL CONSENSUS of the Forum is, not the handful of opinions here and there. The purpose of a sticky like this would not be the minority opinions, but what is generally agreed upon by the majority of the forum. While users may subscribe to one or the other, I think the ideas I presented represent the ideas of most of us.
-John
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