iPad 3 Expected to Launch in Around March-April

[MacRumors]

​

DigiTimes reports that Apple's next generation iPad will become available in about 3-4 months. The publication's supply chain sources indicate that the next generation iPad parts are starting to ramp up while the iPad 2 production is starting to decline.

OEM production of iPad 2 will remain high at 14-15 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 but decline to 4-5 million units in the first quarter of 2012, paving the way for the launch of the new iPads, the sources noted.

Volume production is expected to start in February and reach 9.5-9.8 million units in the first quarter of 2012.

March or April should come as no surprise to regular Apple followers. While Apple first announced the original iPad in Jan 2010, the company didn't start shipping the first units to customers until April. In 2011, the iPad 2 was announced around the same time of year.

The iPad 3 is widely expected to carry a high resolution "Retina" display.

Article Link: iPad 3 Expected to Launch in Around March-April

 

[clibinarius]

And if it has that high resolution display, I will get one, finally.

 

[AJH1993]

Cool. Wonder if it will be thicker, like rumors say. I wouldn't mind. Would also be cool if the 3G iPad could be replaced with an LTE iPad. I know LTE uses a lot of battery, but I've seen the big battery in the iPad and I think Apple can squeeze in a battery with big capacity.

 

[haruhiko]

Is this news?

 

[donga]

Is this news?

Yes. Yes, this is news.

 

[AJH1993]

Is this news?

Yes, AND rumors you care about.

 

[haruhiko]

Yes, AND rumors you care about.

Haha...

I thought that everyone knows that a new iPad is coming in March or April.....

 

[Piggie]

I guess Apple will do exactly the same as they did last year with the iPad1.

Advertise really heavily direct to Apple customers to get them buying iPad2's as gifts for valentines day to try and clear as much old stock as possible just before they launch the new model.

 

[Jayse]

Couldn't come soon enough!

 

[GBPac12]

The is great news for those that have been holding out for a higher resolution iPad.

I on the other hand will be waiting for the new Macbook Pro.

Pacs 4 Life.

 

[cvaldes]

Is this news?

No, it's a rumor.

If you want news, please consult www.apple.com.

 

[Akack]

Woohoo.

 

[314631]

I'll be holding out for the next Kindle Fire.

 

[SPEEDwithJJ]

Cool. I guess now is probably the best time for me to sell my iPad 2 while it still holds very high resale prices & then wait about 3 more months to buy the upcoming iPad 3 with "retina" display.

 

[belltree]

And if it has that high resolution display, I will get one, finally.

I'll be in line right behind you. I have been holding off since the release of the original for this.

 

[splashman]

Will Apple do same with iPad as with iPhone? Sell both models simultaneously?

Two questions:

1) Will Apple sell iPad2 and iPad3 simultaneously, with the iPad2 being the value choice (like iPhone4 or 3GS)? Or will they drop the iPad2 and sell only the iPad3?

Given what they've done with the iPhone, I'm thinking they'll sell both models. Lots of people would be satisfied without a Retina Display, and would prefer to pay less. And lots of folks would gladly pay more for the premium product -- especially business users, who are used to paying a lot for tricked-out laptops.

2) If Apple does sell both models at the same time, will they drop the price of the entry-level iPad2 below $499 (to, for instance, $399) and sell the entry-level iPad3 for $499? Or will they keep the iPad2 at $499 and price the iPad3 higher -- say $599 or $649?

This one I'm less sure about. We know that Apple's margin on the iPad2 is slimmer than their other products, so it's not a foregone conclusion that they'd drop the price on iPad2 like they did on the older iPhones. But given that they have precious little competition so far, they might decide an aggressive move to grab share now will pay dividends later, given the lock-in factor (music and apps).

 

[Bernard SG]

Two questions:

1) Will Apple sell iPad2 and iPad3 simultaneously, with the iPad2 being the value choice (like iPhone4 or 3GS)? Or will they drop the iPad2 and sell only the iPad3?

Given what they've done with the iPhone, I'm thinking they'll sell both models. Lots of people would be satisfied without a Retina Display, and would prefer to pay less. And lots of folks would gladly pay more for the premium product -- especially business users, who are used to paying a lot for tricked-out laptops.

2) If Apple does sell both models at the same time, will they drop the price of the entry-level iPad2 below $499 (to, for instance, $399) and sell the entry-level iPad3 for $499? Or will they keep the iPad2 at $499 and price the iPad3 higher -- say $599 or $649?

This one I'm less sure about. We know that Apple's margin on the iPad2 is slimmer than their other products, so it's not a foregone conclusion that they'd drop the price on iPad2 like they did on the older iPhones. But given that they have precious little competition so far, they might decide an aggressive move to grab share now will pay dividends later, given the lock-in factor (music and apps).

I've been wondering about those points too but, my best guess is no. iPad 2 will be discontinued.
iPhone is different insofar that it's having heavy competition; iPad not so much. So there's no interest for Apple to undermine the sales of the newer product.

 

[smulji]

I've been wondering about those points too but, my best guess is no. iPad 2 will be discontinued.
iPhone is different insofar that it's having heavy competition; iPad not so much. So there's no interest for Apple to undermine the sales of the newer product.

It might be a good idea for Apple to sell the iPad 2 along with the iPad 3 at a discounted price of say $399. It should help hold any competition the Kindle Fire has.

 

[illian]

how about an iPad2s

original ipad ->(new design)ipad 2 -> ipad2s

original iphone -> (new design)iphone3g ->iphone 3gs -> (new design)iphone 4 ->iphone 4s

 

[SandynJosh]

Two questions:

1) Will Apple sell iPad2 and iPad3 simultaneously, with the iPad2 being the value choice (like iPhone4 or 3GS)? Or will they drop the iPad2 and sell only the iPad3?

You pose a good question. My thinking is that the iPad3 won't be more then the iPad2 prices. Apple has rarely increased the price of a product when it was upgraded. Actually, I don't think they ever have during Jobs leadership.

However if the Amazon Fire is considered the low end tablet, then Apple may drop the iPad2 to some point in between so there's no breathing room in between the iPad3 and the low end.

If Apple can successfully dominate the mid to high range for another year, it will give them more time to make the ecosystem so powerful that no one, including Samsung, will be able to do more then just gnaw around the edges of the tablet market.

By making the iCloud work with the iPhone and both the iMac and MSOS PCs, Apple has done two things...
1. Apple ceded the PC market to Microsoft's OS, while declaring that market a fading market.
2. Hardened Apple's dominance of the tablet market, while making only room in the iCloud for people with an iPhone. This should add more value to the iPhone and start a turn-around for iPhone iOS market share.

As Jobs once said on "All Things D" he expected to have a five year lead on the competition with the iPhone. Google's spy on the Apple board cut that lead down to less then three years. I think Apple's hidden game plan will see see an iPhone market share resurgence of smart phone market share, along with a fall out of weaker smart phone manufacturers. The Carrier IQ scandal will hurt the Andriod platform just as Apple is entrenching the iOS ecosystem.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.

 

[SandynJosh]

I'll be holding out for the next Kindle Fire.

You may be waiting quite a while. Amazon is selling the Fire at or below cost to stimulate sales of their site's products. As long as it can do that, there's no reason to enhance the Fire.

 

[travis64]

ipads and iphones ipods should come out in november!

people get these for xmas and then they are outdated right after xmas

 

[pwhitehead]

I think it'd be a great idea for apple to release new IOS late Jan early Feb; this way customers can get use to the new operating system before the hardware comes out. We all know too that apples products aren't perfect when first shipped, there's always something wrong; remember the iphone 4s? heh.. Apple always when it comes down to the nitty gritty though, their products always end up being perfect.

 

[Sankersizzle]

ipads and iphones ipods should come out in november!

people get these for xmas and then they are outdated right after xmas

Haha, I feel you. I just bought an iPad 2, and now it's going to get discontinued LOL

 

[wolfshades]

There's a bittersweet aspect to this. For those who, like me, tend to buy a new one each time it comes out, there's a wait time to find the best (read: correctly engineered) cover or case for it. Having spent a few hundred on buying cases for the iPad 2, it's time to begin the hunt again, shortly after the new iPad3 - with different dimensions from the iPad2 - comes out.

Not that I'm complaining. I'm not. It's just a sort of "gotcha" that I'm guessing a few of us are going to be aware of. Nevertheless - bring on the 3!!!