iPhone 5 in Spring? Wishful thinking

[sportsfrk214]

I've read multiple posts where people are preaching that the iPhone 5 is coming in the Spring time, and other posts where people think its coming in June like past iPhones. I think both predictions are way off base.

When has Apple EVER (at least in recent memory) released a new product under a year from the release of the previous one? If I'm not mistaken, every new iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac, and Macbook in the last decade has been on sale for at least one year before a new generation was released (please correct me if I'm wrong). There may have been intermittent upgrades for laptops, and maybe the occasional memory bump on an iPhone, but generally a year is the minimum.

That's why I'm convinced that all these people calling for a new iPhone 5 sometime in the spring or summer are just having some wishful thinking. These people are in the first stage of grief - denial. I just cannot imagine Apple releasing a new iPhone before October 2012. I know that there were several software issues, but it seems Apple went out of their way to establish a new iPhone release schedule - why change it again? And why alienate all the people who buy the iPhone 4S with a new phone in 6 months?

My luck a new phone will be released in Spring and this thread will be rehashed to show how wrong I was, but I firmly believe it will be at least 12 months until another iPhone is released.

 

[superdudeo]

2nd Macbook Air released October 2010
Latest MBA June 2011

Under one year

 

[sportsfrk214]

2nd Macbook Air released October 2010
Latest MBA June 2011

Under one year

Ah yes indeed okay I stand corrected on the Macbook front. I suspect that update was due to the surprisingly rapid increase in the Air's popularity.

 

[Cougarcat]

Apple wants to get away from predictable schedules, and just release things when they are ready. This is why they stopped announcing products at Macworld keynotes.

They've already "alienated" people who bought the verizon iPhone 4 or the 4 when it first came out, as most of those people aren't yet eligible for an upgrade. Could be why Apple seems to be going for a major revision every other year.

 

[davelanger]

I think apple will want to start releasing the new ipads in Q1/Q2 and the iphones in Q4. It would make much more sense to split that up so people will buy them both. Plus why not move the iphone to Q4 for the holiday rush.

I would be smart to split up when the new iphones and ipads are released.

 

[sportsfrk214]

Apple wants to get away from predictable schedules, and just release things when they are ready. This is why they stopped announcing products at Macworld keynotes.

They've already "alienated" people who bought the verizon iPhone 4 or the 4 when it first came out, as most of those people aren't yet eligible for an upgrade. Could be why Apple seems to be going for a major revision every other year.

You can't really alienate people who own a 16 month old phone. You accept that fact when you sign up for a 2 year contract.

And I do agree that they're moving away from the big product announcements at major events, but I'd be surprised if they don't release products on a rough schedule (aka iPad 3 next April, iPhone 5 (6?) next October).

 

[onthecouchagain]

I think the best explanation for the new Fall iPhone/iPod release cycle is that the iPad is introduced in the Spring.

iPad in Spring, then iPhone following its footsteps in Fall. Makes sense.

 

[admanimal]

Apple wants to get away from predictable schedules, and just release things when they are ready. This is why they stopped announcing products at Macworld keynotes.

It had nothing to do with being predictable or not, they just didn't want to have to force themselves to have whatever product ready on a schedule that wasn't their own (i.e. by Macworld).

 

[UnReel ATX]

The iPad and iPad 2 were released 10 months apart. 10 months < 12 months. 12 months = 1 year. So 10 months < 1 year.

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

It took them 15+ mos to shove an iPad chip in the 4 and give it notifications. Wishful thinking don't ya think?

 

[Reach9]

Apple has staggered the launch cycles for their major products. In a simple way, it's become this:

Spring = iPad event
Summer = OS X and iOS event
Fall = iPhone event

And i'm certain it'll stay like this for the next while. So expect the 6th generation iPhone to be released next year this time.

 

[sportsfrk214]

The iPad and iPad 2 were released 10 months apart. 10 months < 12 months. 12 months = 1 year. So 10 months < 1 year.

They were released 11 months and 1 week apart. 11 1/4 months > 10 months. Okay so I was off by 3 weeks, but you get the point Im trying to make. Apple generally waits about a year, not much less (with the exception of some laptop upgrades). It should also be noted the iPad 1 was unveiled in Jan 2010 while the iPad 2 wasn't unveiled until March 2011.