No, Apple Isn't Planning an April 4 Event, Unless by Pure Coincidence

[MacRumors]

Yesterday, a handful of blogs ran with a rumor speculating that Apple could host an event on April 4 given that was the date Apple's online store listed for in-store availability of 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in the United States at the time. The rumor is likely false, however, and here's why.

The problem is that Apple's in-store Personal Pickup tool is generally not a reliable indicator of a specific launch date or Apple event. The in-store pickup date for 12.9-inch iPad Pro models is a rolling target, as evidenced by the April 5 date now shown just one day later. Tomorrow, it will likely show April 6.

The date shown is most likely just a rough approximation of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's current 2-3 week shipping estimate, plus a few extra days to reach the store. On February 9, for example, we reported that most 12.9-inch iPad Pro models were available for in-store pickup on March 3 at the time.

Apple could still hold an event on April 4, especially considering many of its past events have been on a Tuesday, but it would be purely coincidental.

Personal Pickup does confirm the 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains in tight supply, which can sometimes foreshadow an upcoming product launch. In January, however, Apple said it had an issue with one of its iPad suppliers that was not expected to be fully resolved this quarter, which could reasonably explain the shortage.

Apple is expected to launch at least a trio of new iPad Pro models in the near future, though, so an event might be announced soon enough. Japanese website Mac Otakara said Apple is planning a March event where it will unveil those new iPads alongside a 128GB iPhone SE, red iPhone 7, and new Apple Watch bands.

An all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro with an edge-to-edge display and updates to the current 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch models are rumored. A new 7.9-inch model is a wildcard, as reports are conflicting about whether the iPad mini 4 will live on or be replaced by a lower-cost 9.7-inch model as predicted by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Article Link: No, Apple Isn't Planning an April 4 Event, Unless by Pure Coincidence

 

[SoN1NjA]

When are the invites getting sent out for March event? Soon right?

 

[sblemmy]

When are the invites getting sent out for March event? Soon right?

Last year, invites went out on March 10 for the March 21 "Let Us Loop You In" Event. So, I would expect invites to go out in the next two weeks for a late March/early April event.

 

[rp2011]

I don't think we'll see the new iPads until after ios11 is released. Especially if the new 10.5" has no home button. This would be baked into the OS. And also especially with all the new iPad commercials. We haven't seen iPad commercials in a while and for people swayed by the ads who went out and got this current generation to then see a brand new one released weeks later would be pretty f-ed and would be rightly pissed.

So no. I don't expect the new iPads, well at least not a "homeless" iPad until after iOS 11.
I don't expect an iPhone 8 this year either.

I do expect a homeless 7s and 7s plus this year, as well as a homeless iPad though. And all of them after iOS 11 is released.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I don't think we'll see the new iPads until after ios11 is released. Especially if the new 10.5" has no home button. This would be baked into the OS. And also especially with all the new iPad commercials. We haven't seen iPad commercials in a while and for people swayed by the ads who went out and got this current generation to then see a brand new one released weeks later would be pretty f-ed and would be rightly pissed.

So no. I don't expect the new iPads, well at least not a "homeless" iPad until after iOS 11.
I don't expect an iPhone 8 this year either.

I do expect a homeless 7s and 7s plus this year, as well as a homeless iPad though. And all of them after iOS 11 is released.

I agree, I think Apple might push out this years iPad refresh to the fall to align with the iPhone 7s/8 releases. If they released redesigned iPad this year, it would give away too much about whats coming in the iPhone.

Also, it would be kinda awkward to give it a A10x Fusion processor, while the iPhone gets A11. I think they want follow the strategy of the iPad carrying a more powerful CPU than the phone, especially on the flagship tablet like the iPad Pro.

 

[sfwalter]

Finally some sanity. I thought those rumors yesterday were crazy since there weren't any facts to back up the date. One guy made an educated guess and then all the blogs ran with it.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

I don't think we'll see the new iPads until after ios11 is released. Especially if the new 10.5" has no home button. This would be baked into the OS. And also especially with all the new iPad commercials. We haven't seen iPad commercials in a while and for people swayed by the ads who went out and got this current generation to then see a brand new one released weeks later would be pretty f-ed and would be rightly pissed.

So no. I don't expect the new iPads, well at least not a "homeless" iPad until after iOS 11.
I don't expect an iPhone 8 this year either.

I do expect a homeless 7s and 7s plus this year, as well as a homeless iPad though. And all of them after iOS 11 is released.

That is an interesting indictment of society. Back in college, I learned something that has stuck with me all these years...

"You worked and you got paid. Anything else (loyalty, expectations of shift preference, raises) is a figment of your imagination."

Every two weeks (more or less), the company I work for and I are even. The social aspects of my employment help me, but when it comes time to decide if I am worth keeping around, I had better be producing more profits than I cost to keep around.

Segue to the "I got last year's iPad!!! That sucks!!!" - Same thing... I bought an iPad for $XXX and I got the iPad that I bought. Any expectations that I would get a better one is a figment of my imagination.

(And yes, I bought a 9.7in iPad Pro after Thanksgiving, and took it back on the rumors of a new one this month...)

 

[Freida]

I agree, I think Apple might push out this years iPad refresh to the fall to align with the iPhone 7s/8 releases. If they released redesigned iPad this year, it would give away too much about whats coming in the iPhone.

Also, it would be kinda awkward to give it a A10x Fusion processor, while the iPhone gets A11. I think they want follow the strategy of the iPad carrying a more powerful CPU than the phone, especially on the flagship tablet like the iPad Pro.

Maybe, but wouldn't it be better to have things spread out a little better than to have everything in Sep/Oct?

 

[Mr. Dee]

Maybe, but wouldn't it be better to have things spread out a little better than to have everything in Sep/Oct?

It would, but they might want to delight Wall street and shareholders with explosive profits for Q4, 2017 and Q1, 2018. Then again, that would be a double edge sword, since March 2018 to September 2018 would be a baron period.

It would give them some breathing room to focus on software.

 

[Jarman74]

"In other news, updated Mac Pros & Minis are definitely going to be announced on April 1st."

 

[now i see it]

I can't wait for all the new toys!

 

[Rainshadow]

No way they release everything in the fall. Too many production constraints. I could be wrong, but that would be unusual.

They can release these iPads without giving much away. No oled screen (which is the biggest difference) and no one has said that the iPad 10.5 will not have a home button. It's a possibility, yes, but apparently not a certainty.

As for the chip? I wouldn't be surprised in the least if the ipads got a 6 month old chip... 6 months people.

 

[44267547]

When are the invites getting sent out for March event? Soon right?

No one in here will know when the invites are sent out indefinitely. If a March event exists, then perhaps in the next week or so. It's typically 12 days in advanced following the invite release of the Keynote being held.

 

[rp2011]

That is an interesting indictment of society. Back in college, I learned something that has stuck with me all these years...

"You worked and you got paid. Anything else (loyalty, expectations of shift preference, raises) is a figment of your imagination."

Every two weeks (more or less), the company I work for and I are even. The social aspects of my employment help me, but when it comes time to decide if I am worth keeping around, I had better be producing more profits than I cost to keep around.

Segue to the "I got last year's iPad!!! That sucks!!!" - Same thing... I bought an iPad for $XXX and I got the iPad that I bought. Any expectations that I would get a better one is a figment of my imagination.

(And yes, I bought a 9.7in iPad Pro after Thanksgiving, and took it back on the rumors of a new one this month...)

Yeah lol, that sucks for you. I wanted a new iPad Pro with pencil and I was smart enough to wait.
Being informed has nothing to do with anything you said. And advertising an older product with a new upgrade just around the corner is never a cool thing. That's not about it being a figment of our own construct or imagination, it's just F-ed up plain and simple.
End of story.
Period.
Full stop.
[doublepost=1488991161][/doublepost]

It would, but they might want to delight Wall street and shareholders with explosive profits for Q4, 2017 and Q1, 2018. Then again, that would be a double edge sword, since March 2018 to September 2018 would be a baron period.

It would give them some breathing room to focus on software.

No it would be great if nothing that Wall St made up came to pass. The stock is up based on made up narratives and it goes down based on same said made up narratives. Maybe it would be a great thing if they are put in their place and quit trying to manipulate Apple.
I mean honestly, it's up, and even if they don't release the new OLED anything what are they going to do? Not recommend Apple? We know it's coming, maybe this year, but for sure next year. What options do they have but continue being bullish?

I truly hope we don't see their mythical iPhone X this year. It will teach them good. And it won't affect the stock because they will both look like fools and KNOW that it is still on the roadmap.

 

[Johnny907]

That is an interesting indictment of society. Back in college, I learned something that has stuck with me all these years...

"You worked and you got paid. Anything else (loyalty, expectations of shift preference, raises) is a figment of your imagination."

Every two weeks (more or less), the company I work for and I are even. The social aspects of my employment help me, but when it comes time to decide if I am worth keeping around, I had better be producing more profits than I cost to keep around.

Segue to the "I got last year's iPad!!! That sucks!!!" - Same thing... I bought an iPad for $XXX and I got the iPad that I bought. Any expectations that I would get a better one is a figment of my imagination.

(And yes, I bought a 9.7in iPad Pro after Thanksgiving, and took it back on the rumors of a new one this month...)

You did yourself a favor then.

 

[SoN1NjA]

No one in here will know when the invites are sent out indefinitely. If a March event exists, then perhaps in the next week or so. It's typically 12 days in advanced following the invite release of the Keynote being held.

Well I know nobody knows, but I was looking for a answer that told me about when Apple will send them out, which you answered

thanks

 

[jhudgins]

I don't think we'll see the new iPads until after ios11 is released. Especially if the new 10.5" has no home button. This would be baked into the OS. And also especially with all the new iPad commercials. We haven't seen iPad commercials in a while and for people swayed by the ads who went out and got this current generation to then see a brand new one released weeks later would be pretty f-ed and would be rightly pissed.

So no. I don't expect the new iPads, well at least not a "homeless" iPad until after iOS 11.
I don't expect an iPhone 8 this year either.

I do expect a homeless 7s and 7s plus this year, as well as a homeless iPad though. And all of them after iOS 11 is released.

Agreed. This makes the most sense. Apple wouldnt introduce a home buttonless, edge to edge display iPad design before the iPhone gets this treatment. And the only way they would do this before ios11 is if it ran an entirely new OS - iPad OS.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Yeah lol, that sucks for you. I wanted a new iPad Pro with pencil and I was smart enough to wait.
Being informed has nothing to do with anything you said. And advertising an older product with a new upgrade just around the corner is never a cool thing. That's not about it being a figment of our own construct or imagination, it's just F-ed up plain and simple.
End of story.
Period.
Full stop.

An opinion, which are, of course, products of our imagination.

I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that anyone that thinks that they "deserve" the next iPad because it's just around the corner, because they bought the current model today, and that Apple is bad because they want to clear stock prior to the new announcement, well, from the perspective of Apple, the people are getting what they're buying.

As for sucking for me, huh? I took it back, and I think I stated that.

 

[rp2011]

An opinion, which are, of course, products of our imagination.

I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that anyone that thinks that they "deserve" the next iPad because it's just around the corner, because they bought the current model today, and that Apple is bad because they want to clear stock prior to the new announcement, well, from the perspective of Apple, the people are getting what they're buying.

As for sucking for me, huh? I took it back, and I think I stated that.

No one said anything about deserving anything. It's about getting the most value for your money. And I don't think Apple would so prominently promote a product with a newer version right around the corner. It's just not kosher.
And as with the 12" pro, it's been due an upgrade, and anyone in the market for one should reasonably hold off if they knew that.
I personally have been "wanting" one. Not thinking I "derserved" one, because I really wanted the pencil. To me it was a question about which size. And luckily for me there will be an option right in the middle in the 10.5".
So I look forward to that one.
I'm willing to bet a lot of folks debating between the pro's size will go for this one if they knew it was coming soon.

 

[sblemmy]

Apple is bad because they want to clear stock prior to the new announcement,

From what I understand of how Apple manages its supply chain, they really need not worry about clearing stock for the new model. One of Tim Cook's big innovations at Apple was reducing their surplus inventory from months to days. I recall reading somewhere that Apple's inventory turnover is five days, which is 3x more efficient than other companies in the tech industry. By quarter, Apple's supply chain is so well managed, they basically make just enough product to meet demand.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

We will know in days.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

No one said anything about deserving anything. It's about getting the most value for your money. And I don't think Apple would so prominently promote a product with a newer version right around the corner. It's just not kosher.
And as with the 12" pro, it's been due an upgrade, and anyone in the market for one should reasonably hold off if they knew that.
I personally have been "wanting" one. Not thinking I "derserved" one, because I really wanted the pencil. To me it was a question about which size. And luckily for me there will be an option right in the middle in the 10.5".
So I look forward to that one.
I'm willing to bet a lot of folks debating between the pro's size will go for this one if they knew it was coming soon.

Yeah... that's what I'm doing too... waiting for the 10.5in one.
[doublepost=1489022916][/doublepost]

From what I understand of how Apple manages its supply chain, they really need not worry about clearing stock for the new model. One of Tim Cook's big innovations at Apple was reducing their surplus inventory from months to days. I recall reading somewhere that Apple's inventory turnover is five days, which is 3x more efficient than other companies in he tech industry. By quarter, Apple's supply chain is so well managed, they basically make just enough product to meet demand.

After thinking about it when reading your post, I think that Apple does this at the back to school events, where they incentivize buying iMacs, and then, in September come out with the newer ones, but that may have been in the early 2010's... I haven't really followed it as of late. That is interesting on the supply chain efficiency.

 

[Christoffee]

Tomorrow, it will likely show April 6.

What does it say today?

 

[Lorri]

What does it say today?

Going by the logic stated in this article, it is the 20th of March today and the date should be 17 April.

But it states the 10th?

 

[Christoffee]

Going by the logic stated in this article, it is the 20th of March today and the date should be 17 April.

But it states the 10th?

The plot thickens!