I keep seeing people saying that they're going to wait until the next iPad release in March instead of getting the iPad 4. I seriously doubt there will be one. Moving the iPad release schedule to the fall (just like the iPhone) puts all of their products in line for refreshes within 3 months of Christmas which is when they will dominate that quarter. This is actually a very well played move to guarantee huge profits around the holidays every year. They sacrificed the pissed off few that bought an iPad 3 to do this and from their standpoint it was the right thing to do. So keep on waiting for that new iPad in March...
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There Will Be No iPad Refresh in March
- Thread starter GraphicsGeek
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Actually, I think this is a very BAD business decision to put two higher prices iDevices together. I think people's financial situation would better handle a Spring iPad and Fall iPhone release schedule. I know personally, I would NOT be getting both devices at the same time if I planned on getting them both.
I was going to say the same thing. Plus what does apple look to fill the void in the other quarters? They still need to make money in other quarters too. Pumping out all your devices at the same time isn't a smart business move. Maybe apple will start to treat the iPad like the mac line and just release whenever they have an update.
I think it depends on price and availability of improved components. They needed to update the iPad to support more international LTE options. They could have done that without switching from A5x to A6x if the yields on the A6 weren't high enough, but apparently they were, so why not include it?
If the next-gen screen technology that allows a thinner/lighter iPad to be released in the Spring is available, I think they'll probably go ahead and do it. There's a chance that the supply chain won't be able to gear up for those components in the quantity that Apple needs until later and the release date would have to follow availability.
If the next-gen screen technology that allows a thinner/lighter iPad to be released in the Spring is available, I think they'll probably go ahead and do it. There's a chance that the supply chain won't be able to gear up for those components in the quantity that Apple needs until later and the release date would have to follow availability.
If I quickly thought about how I may handle the release of the various Apple product lines, I might consider the following:
Spring/Mother's Day/Father's Day:
- iPad
- Apple TV
Summer/Back to School:
- iPad mini
- MacBook Pro/Air
Fall/Holiday:
- iPhone
- iPod/iTunes
- Mac Desktops
- Optional Apple TV spot
This would constantly allow new updated products being announced and available to consumers. Sub-consciously, it is easier for consumers to buy multiple higher cost items over time versus all at once in a very short timeframe.
I have seen in the past through some marketing that I have read that Jan-Mar is the slowest consumer spending timeframe. This is most likely due to the large spending during the Black Friday and Christmas events.
Well I agree with the OP, my rational is that since the ipad was just updated, it was done so for a reason - they obviously did it early for a reason. IMO Apple wants to get rid of the 30 pin connector ASAP, and by updating the iPad they have done this. They could have simply just made that one change, but they chose to update the CPU as well - which is likely all they would have done in the Spring anyhow. I think it is just Apple reorganizing some of their product updates to different times of the year.
Maybe I'm wrong and the fact is , no one knows for sure. I could write a similar reason as to why they will update in the spring but I don't think that is the case... and maybe, just maybe they start to treat the iPads like laptops, where there is no set 'refresh' date, it just happens when they are good and ready.
Maybe I'm wrong and the fact is , no one knows for sure. I could write a similar reason as to why they will update in the spring but I don't think that is the case... and maybe, just maybe they start to treat the iPads like laptops, where there is no set 'refresh' date, it just happens when they are good and ready.
I think the best thing for Apple would be the following:
Spring (March - May)
iPad
iPad mini
AppleTV
Summer (June - August)
Macs (laptops and desktops)
iPods
Fall (September -November)
iPad
iPad mini
iPhone
In my suggested timeline, there would be a new iPad and iPad mini every 6 months, whether just a spec bump or new design would vary. This would allow for Apple to keep up to date with other tablets as this is the fastest growing field for the industry right now.
I also think this would allow for consumers to spend their money more evenly throughout the year while also targeting key items for certain times of the year when they are wanted most (ie Macs and iPods for school, iPads for christmas, etc)
Spring (March - May)
iPad
iPad mini
AppleTV
Summer (June - August)
Macs (laptops and desktops)
iPods
Fall (September -November)
iPad
iPad mini
iPhone
In my suggested timeline, there would be a new iPad and iPad mini every 6 months, whether just a spec bump or new design would vary. This would allow for Apple to keep up to date with other tablets as this is the fastest growing field for the industry right now.
I also think this would allow for consumers to spend their money more evenly throughout the year while also targeting key items for certain times of the year when they are wanted most (ie Macs and iPods for school, iPads for christmas, etc)
thanks OP. i dont know why the whole internet doesnt give this information on their front page. You confirmed it didnt you?
/sarcasm.
/sarcasm.
Apple has done quick refreshes before.
I remember I purchased a Macbook in Jan 2008 (apple had just refreshed the Macbook in November 2007). And Apple refreshed the Macbook a mere 3 1/2 months later at the end of Feb 2008.
So Apple has done these quick refreshes before on other products. The iPad is a mature device these days. So a refresh 6-7 months later doesn't shock me. It surprised me, but it's not a shock.
I remember I purchased a Macbook in Jan 2008 (apple had just refreshed the Macbook in November 2007). And Apple refreshed the Macbook a mere 3 1/2 months later at the end of Feb 2008.
So Apple has done these quick refreshes before on other products. The iPad is a mature device these days. So a refresh 6-7 months later doesn't shock me. It surprised me, but it's not a shock.
I agree with you for sure, plus most tablets are going to be a hot holiday item no matter when they are released during the year.
This is a valid point... Also, this update was meant to do two things I am sure, address the battery temperature issues, and add the lightning connector.
I did not see the benefit of upgrading from the iPad 2 to 3... But now that I have the iPhone 5, and they added the lightning connector to the iPad with a significant processor jump. It is time...
I told myself I would wait for the 4th Gen iPad, especially after we learned about the potential of the lightning connector over the summer. The big question now is whether there will be a March update because this one was a "small" update by comparison.
It was all about getting the 30-pin connector gone. The one guy above is right. There will be a retina iPad mini come March. You watch.
I dont believe the retina iPad mini will be available in March (although that is the one Im waiting on). There is no way in the world they would release a brand new product, then update it 5 months later. I could be wrong about the iPad 5 not coming out in March but I just cant see it happening. That would be 3 iPads in 1 calendar year, which is very uncharacteristic of Apple. This iPad was to update to the lightning connector and bring it into a fall release (along with solving any other niggles that were going on). I could be very wrong about all of this, but I just cant see a new iPad or retina iPad mini in March so soon after the iPad 4/mini.
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Hey man, this is a forum. Im just trying to start a conversation. Thats all. Thanks for your input though.
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Wow, luckily you you wrote /sarcasm. I thought I really had a chance to reach the front page on every tech blog. Its a forum. I put out a topic for people to discuss. This site is called MacRumors, not MacColdHardFacts.
Love it except for the 2 iPad a year can't we just get 1 mini and full size in March and they just be so far advanced compared to the rest it take the competition the year to catch up
And since we're losing the iPads during the fall we move the IPods to launch beside the iPhone
Apple's going to keep moving product launches around just to screw with people. Tim seems like a guy who likes to screw with people.
Personally I'm all for Apple mixing it up and getting away from fixed product cycles. Launch a new or updated product when it makes sense to do so rather than every 6 or 12 months because its expected.
Personally I'm all for Apple mixing it up and getting away from fixed product cycles. Launch a new or updated product when it makes sense to do so rather than every 6 or 12 months because its expected.
I agree, I don't think another refresh in 5 months makes any sense.
It also makes a ton of sense for the iOS devices which are hot Christmas items to hit in Oct/Nov, and to _not_ make updates too close behind Christmas so people don't defer purchasing till after the holiday season.
I don't think we'll see another update for ~12 months, and then we'll see a retina Mini and a fully redesigned 9.7" with new display and chassis tech.
Just my $0.02
Nobody really knows when the next one will be released, although some have suggested that Apple might release the next iPad at WWDC in June. Reason being that the iPhone was formerly announced at WWDC, and there aren't really as many products they announce at the conference anymore. The iPad could be released there instead.
Spring/Mother's Day/Father's Day:
- iPad [another generation with mediocre upgrades]
- Apple TV [new color, slight spec bump and new video about how awesome it is]
- iPhone [# here]_v2 (add x after the processor name, denoting it's new when in fact it's the same chipset with slightly higher clock speed
- iPad mini [# here]_v2 (check the inventory of older parts/take apart refurb iPads and put together a "new" iPad mini)
Summer/Back to School:
- old devices with Back-to-School discounts, no new product.
Fall/Holiday:
- iPhone [new version here]: claim it's 2x as fast as previous gen when in real world it means 0.001s faster.
- iPad: spec bump, Apple is out of ideas.
- iPod [new version here - with old parts from previous gen iPhone]
- Mac Desktops [spec bump for the next 5 years]
/fixed
Agreed! I remember thinking apple would not advance two generations of the iPad in the same year, but they did.