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217833

Guest
Aug 19, 2008
162
0
because cost of the 7.85" (let us simply say 7") retina display would be higher or same compared 9.7" retina display

7.85" @ 1024 x768 is cheaper to produce NOT the 7.85" @ 2048x 1536

But Retina has nothing to do with doubling the resolution... It doesn't require to have 2048 x 1536 for an iPad Mini to be "Retina". It's just a matters of resolution in regard of the distance you hold the product from your eyes.

A 7.85" @ 1024 x 768 is considered as "Retina" at 21 inches.
A 7.85" @ 2048 x 1536 is considered as "Retina" at 11 inches.

10 to 12 inches is actually the distance we use our smartphone, but tablets could be use a little bit farther. To get something similar, and based on a similar distance of the iPad 9.7" "Retina", we should actually need a 7.85" @ 1650 x 1280.

It's not necessary to double up the resolution. It's just easier for the developers to resize their apps to run them in 2x...

But since the iPhone 5 and the new form factor, everything is now different. So Apple could simply release a complete new resolution that could run the iPad 1024 x 768 Apps in letterbox... or run Apps in 1650 x 1280 if developers do release an updated version for this resolution.

My 2 cents,
Spid
 

Tubamajuba

macrumors 68020
Jun 8, 2011
2,184
2,442
here
I wouldn't put too much stock into the "3,6" designation. Apple can make their device identifier whatever they want- by making it "iPad3,6", it obfuscates the generation of the device (is it a mini? the 2013 model?) without making it painfully obvious that it's a bogus identifier (iPad13,47).

I highly doubt that it's a revised iPad 3. There's no reason for Apple to break the yearly cycle and upgrade the processor when the iPad 3 is selling just fine as is.
 

AR15MBP

macrumors 6502
Jan 6, 2009
251
4
USA
The iPad mini is supposedly in production right now. There's no way they would test it at this point for inclusion in the iPad mini. It will have the A5X chip. I doubt they will refresh the iPad 3 just 6 months after its release. The last thing Apple needs is more bad customer relations after the Maps fiasco and the scuff issues people are seeing. Also the mini is the lower cost iPad so it should lag processor wise in terms of being the last product to update its processor. I bet they are testing iPad 4.
 

onepremiere

macrumors regular
May 16, 2012
176
2
Yatzee!

I do hope the Mini is a Price-Point iPad, good Christmas Gifts!

But the full size needz da A6!
 

Argentine86

macrumors regular
Nov 30, 2011
124
6
My guess....New Chip, Connector and Colors like iPhone.

Great....more light bleed/scratch-'gate' for all the complainers leading to strikes and fighting/suicides of FoxConn workers.....and the "thats's it? Really?" buyers......

I almost anticipate all the negative complaining threads on here more than an accepted upgrade. I still like my Ipad3 by the way :cool:
 

robinp

macrumors 6502a
Feb 1, 2008
750
1,787
The more things pan out, the more I think the current iPad is a stop gap. The true iPad 3 will be released with lightning and an A6... Probably soon by the sounds of it!
 

AgentElliot007

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2010
570
315
I'll be technologically depressed for a couple days if they actually do upgrade the thing right now. I've bought every iPad on day one and have been very satisfied with the new iPad, but the one thing I felt it's been lacking is a better processor. It's actually gotten more noticeable as more apps update with retina graphics. I'd totally be game to upgrade to this again come March, even if all they did was bump up the processor, but if it comes out this month, I'd be worried that I'd be caught in the same bind again come March if they do a more expansive redesign on the normal schedule.

I justify buying every year because the sooner you sell, the better the resale value, and I then also get a new warranty and can thus skip AppleCare, so that makes up some of my loss when I go to sell it and I always have the latest and greatest without having to worry about it malfunctioning. The yearly cycle makes it easy for me to do this without feeling like I'm going to get burnt. So, as much as I really do want an improved processor, I hope they're saving it for March or in some way signal that there will not be an update again in March.
 

Shanpdx

macrumors 68030
Sep 24, 2008
2,534
346
Blazer town!

A 7.85" @ 1024 x 768 is considered as "Retina" at 21 inches.
A 7.85" @ 2048 x 1536 is considered as "Retina" at 11 inches.

we should actually need a 7.85" @ 1650 x 1280.

It's not necessary to double up the resolution. It's just easier for the developers to resize their apps to run them in 2x...


but that would require iOS work on a yet another resolution, do not think it is going to happen.
 

JamonBull

macrumors 6502
Dec 14, 2009
268
520
Australia
October event will be as follows...P.s. This is just a prediction.

1) iMac refresh. Total redesign with better resolution, thinner build and USB3.

2) One more thing will be iPad Mini.

3) Updated iPad 3 with lightening dock connector.

The iPad Mini is going to be the only surprise (lol). The other two things are actually necessary right now. The iMac hasn't been refreshed in over five hundred days, this tells me that they are sitting on a major redesign. Could be higher resolution displays, thinner profiles, dunno. But something's going on and it has to come soon.

As for the lightening dock connector in iPad 3, it just...makes...sense. I want to go out and buy two iPad 3's today, one for my wife and one for myself. But I won't because I just don't wanna be stuck with the old connector. It would be very silly of Apple to have their most exciting and one of their most successful devices (iPad) to have an old connector prior to Christmas. I think people overestimate the publics willingness to buy the device right now when it doesn't use the same charging cable as the iPhone but know its coming.
 

Shanpdx

macrumors 68030
Sep 24, 2008
2,534
346
Blazer town!
So from what you are saying I understand that, the cost of the new ipod touch should be closer to the iPad. Assuming that the cost of goes up smaller the screen is. Would this be right?

Edit:Since iPhone resolution is 640x960 it would not be so high?

yes, the 4" display on the iPod touch is the MOST expensive part.

http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/News/pages/iPhone5-Carries-$199-BOM-Virtual-Teardown-Reveals.aspx

apple says the display is same as iPhone 5, which is $44 (both display and touch screen).
 

AgentElliot007

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2010
570
315
The more things pan out, the more I think the current iPad is a stop gap. The true iPad 3 will be released with lightning and an A6... Probably soon by the sounds of it!

Maybe, but the other reason I could see them doing this is to get all the iOS devices on a fall schedule. They wouldn't want to put off releasing a new iPad until next fall as the new iPad really does need a new processor sooner rather than later, and if they're moving to lightning, they might as well not put that off either.

Also, it seems like the Mac and OS X are set to stay the focus of the summer which makes sense for the Back To School push.

So what's interesting to me about them potentially clearing out the iPad from the spring, March specifically, is that typically that's when new TV sets hit the market. While there's also a fall refresh, Spring releases tend to be the ones that get more attention with new models typically debuting at CES. While I would never think Apple would debut a TV at CES or have anything to do with it, perhaps they do have some interest in aiming to release their TV products along with the rest of the industry. After all, they did update the Apple TV last in March. And while I still am not convinced that some version of the Apple TV we know now isn't Apple's ultimate living room end game, it might make sense for them to let Spring be the focus of their TV efforts in general.

But what do I know? Nothing. Just a slew of ideas that I mostly doubt anyways.
 

mkimid

macrumors member
Sep 22, 2011
45
19
USA
There are couple of points for improvements

Processor from A5x to A6/A6x
It is big change, actually, it is possible to apply on 4th generation. I believe.
But, it is no change to announce the slower iPad version than iphone 5 ?
It is so questionable

Display change to In-cell touch and IGZO
It is so make sense to change for new version,

Connector Change
It is so make sense

By the change of display and processor, they can reduce the thickness also.
More ever, they can improve the compatibility of LTE also,

ACTUALLY, those changes are very important now,
but, Hard to believe they can apply whole change for the minor updates,

I feel, they will release the 4th generation,

If they just change the connector only,
It is really foolish things...
 

JamonBull

macrumors 6502
Dec 14, 2009
268
520
Australia
Maybe, but the other reason I could see them doing this is to get all the iOS devices on a fall schedule. They wouldn't want to put off releasing a new iPad until next fall as the new iPad really does need a new processor sooner rather than later, and if they're moving to lightning, they might as well not put that off either.

Also, it seems like the Mac and OS X are set to stay the focus of the summer which makes sense for the Back To School push.

So what's interesting to me about them potentially clearing out the iPad from the spring, March specifically, is that typically that's when new TV sets hit the market. While there's also a fall refresh, Spring releases tend to be the ones that get more attention with new models typically debuting at CES. While I would never think Apple would debut a TV at CES or have anything to do with it, perhaps they do have some interest in aiming to release their TV products along with the rest of the industry. After all, they did update the Apple TV last in March. And while I still am not convinced that some version of the Apple TV we know now isn't Apple's ultimate living room end game, it might make sense for them to let Spring be the focus of their TV efforts in general.

But what do I know? Nothing. Just a slew of ideas that I mostly doubt anyways.

Excellent post. I've been thinking this for a LONG time. Perhaps next year and future years will look a little more like this...

March event (Apple TV)

WWDC (All things OSX and iOS and possibly new Mac product launches)

September (iPhone and iPod)

October (iPad, Mac?)

See, the thing is, I really feel like the iPad as a product is about to plateau (not sales wise but interest wise), just as the iPhone has done this year. Sure we will see incremental updates. But what MORE can they do? It's already insanely thin, light, fast and has retina. Apple need to shift these product announcements back more and have their new product (TV I presume) as front and centre at the start of 2013 in the iPad's old place. IF they are, as you suggest, shifting the date for the iPad announcements, they either have to make a new iPad come out earlier than expected or MUCH later. And I think earlier in this case is the better option as they have new and exciting things that customers are expecting to be integrated ASAP (Lightening).
 

Markiie

macrumors 6502
Oct 10, 2011
473
213
Los Angeles, California.
I'm not surprised. Months ago there was a report out there that there could be a much better iPad in the works along with the mini.

If this is true, who ever reported this great job 1 and 2 Apple has lost their security to the max.
 

Westside guy

macrumors 603
Oct 15, 2003
6,335
4,152
The soggy side of the Pacific NW
I so hope this is the mini. I want that thing bad, but I want A6 and display equal to or greater than the Fire 2 and Nexus 7. Releasing the mini with a 2 year old processor would be a travesty.

So you want a non-retina display?

Nexus 7 display: 7” 1280x800 HD display (216 ppi)

--

You can't just go through point-by-point and compare processor specs and RAM between iOS devices and Android devices. Frankly I would think any Java-driven system would need a faster processor and more memory to keep up with... not just iOS, but any other platform. If you really care about specs, what should matter to you is benchmarks because you simply can't say "well this one is 1.0GHz and that one is 1.2GHz, so #2 is better".

Now for me... I basically care about the end-user experience. If the new iPad Mini comes out and performs well, I'll be satisfied - whether the processor is faster than the one in the Fire and the Nexus, or slower, or the same; and whether or not the amount of RAM is the same or not.
 
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