As long as the SHEEP keep buying them up the more updates we will see. Greed makes America go round I will just keep my Old New iPad until I feel it needs to be replaced.
I'm thinking it was to bring some unpredictability to the refresh expectations. Apple always has issues with product sales slowing down when new products are expected--and also disgruntled customers when they don't come as expected. We may see a new one in the spring, we may not, maybe it'll come in the summer. Who knows.