Tweaked Full-Size iPad with Lightning Connector Coming Next Week

[antwormcity]

The way I see the market in my most humble opinion is this:

There are more tablets in the market for the holiday season unlike last few years of iPad launches in March/April

Kindle Fire HD with a much bigger screen
Microsoft Surface

There were other tablets from Samsung, Toshiba, Acer and what not for many years. Not forgetting HP here, but none threatened the iPad in a significant way. They (including the above two) may not threaten the iPad even in the present day!

Updating the full sized iPad just before the holiday season may be a smart business move.

Apple not updating a product to please (rather, not annoy) some small %age of customers who bought iPad3 few months back and are going to be upset? Unlikely.

They are going to sweep a much bigger market share of the full sized tablet this holiday season if the iPad Biggie comes with major changes. Even minor updates will be a boost to sales. If however a new full update comes in March or is imminent (from the obvious minor revision of iPad Biggie, from Tuesday's announcement), some customers are still likely hold back on their purchase. How many? Significant number? Apple has the sales data and trends, lets see what decision they make.

Perhaps they are not ready for a full upgrade or maybe they are!

It would perhaps make sense to keep the full iPad line on the same release cycle. Or we are getting an iPad mini refresh (Life Cycle impulse as they call it in Automobile industry) sometime in spring.

 

[James_C]

While this is the internet, and therefore I should not be surprised that there are some people who will complain, I think all those few people who are 'upset' that Apple may be about to update the iPad, because they have an 'new' iPad need to think about what is important in their lives.

Apple are not updating the iPad to alienate their customers, but they are a business. They want to make sure that they have the best product that they can in the run up to the important holiday market. Apple's tablet market share is slipping now that there is more competition in the market, and one of their competitors (Microsoft) is just about to launch a brand new product in the market.

I still have an iPad 1, and use it every day, it still does the same things (and more with additional apps and functionality that have been added since it was first purchased), and your 'new' iPad will still be able to do the same stuff that it always did. I purchase devices to get stuff done, not to show off to my friends and family that I have the latest iDevice. I feel sorry for those that feel they are no longer the 'coolest' kid in the playground, because they don't have the latest and fastest. And no your 'new' iPad is not going to be obsolete because Apple may bring out a new device next week.

 

[The Game 161]

what improvements would there be to make people pay for it?

 

[inscrewtable]

...And I lol at people who think the iPad is too big to take around...

They might LOL right back at you for LOLing at strangers for no reason. If one LOL's and there's no one to hear it, is there any LOL at all?

 

[Millionaire2K]

what improvements would there be to make people pay for it?

I think the update is for those without the current iPad. Same iPad except changed connector. It could be a "1 more thing" nothing major.

 

[SeanR1]

When Amazon starts putting ad's on their their Kindle Fires, when previous models don't have them, it tells me their original business model may not be working as well as they planned.



Samsung made competing products off the hard work of Apple. See? We make a phone that looks like an iPhone but at a cheaper price. Instead of any phone at a cheaper price.

www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411131,00.asp

I guess it depends on if you live in California or not whether Samsung copied or not.

 

[gnasher729]

I thought that Apple got 1/3 of the price of each app sold.

You're thinking wrong. Developers get 70% of the advertised price from Apple. But Apple will rarely get the full 100%. For example, I bought £50 worth of gift cards for £40. So Apple will get less than £40 - I don't think the store sells these cards at a loss. But if I buy stuff for £50 advertised price, the developers still get £35.

And there's an awful lot of free apps where Apple gets 1/3 of nothing plus pays all the cost for distributing the software.

----------

I also bought one a month ago. Why would I go back to the store and bother the manager because there's an updated one out? It's not like I've been misled. If you buy a hi-tech product that's been out for 6 months you should know it's not going to be the latest model for very long. What would you say?

- I want a word with the manager, please.
- Hi, I'm the store manager, can I help you?
- Yes. I bought this iPad last month.
- And?
- Well, now there's a new iPad out.
- And?
- Well, the new one is... better.
- And?
- The thing is I didn't know they'd be releasing a new one so soon.
- And?

I think if you look at the small print for any device, you will read "we reserve the right to make improvements at any time". And interestingly, in another thread about the iPad Mini, all the Google fanatics keep on telling everyone that Google will add more memory and this and that to the Nexus, and they all seem quite happy with that. So Apple is rumored to improve a product - everyone gets upset. Google is rumored to improve a product - they are happy. Strange that.

 

[zombierunner]

I am sorry but if you plan to purchase a surface tablet or any of the tablet/laptop hybrids that will hit the market in the next few weeks/months, you might as well purchase a proper laptop/ultrabook.

Why buy a touchscreen tablet device and then spend a lot of money making it look and feel like a laptop?

 

[Mistrblank]

I've been expecting Apple to move the iPad refresh release date at least since the launch of the iPad2. It was pretty clear to me that despite it's high selling at Christmas time, they were still missing a large market that was waiting for the refresh two months later. Glad I skipped the iPad3 and pushed my wife to wait on upgrading over the summer from an iPad1.

 

[AppleScruff1]

You're thinking wrong. Developers get 70% of the advertised price from Apple. But Apple will rarely get the full 100%. For example, I bought £50 worth of gift cards for £40. So Apple will get less than £40 - I don't think the store sells these cards at a loss. But if I buy stuff for £50 advertised price, the developers still get £35.

And there's an awful lot of free apps where Apple gets 1/3 of nothing plus pays all the cost for distributing the software.

What about iTunes?

 

[Glideslope]

New iPad

"Rumors for the tweaked iPad have included a shift to new indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) display technology, better heat dissipation, backlight changes, 4G LTE support for the UK and other countries using the 1800 MHz frequency band, and perhaps even a move to Apple's new A6 chip found in the iPhone 5. It is, however, unclear just which of the rumored changes will actually be included in the revision." MR

All of them.

 

[whitesand]

I've been expecting Apple to move the iPad refresh release date at least since the launch of the iPad2. It was pretty clear to me that despite it's high selling at Christmas time, they were still missing a large market that was waiting for the refresh two months later. Glad I skipped the iPad3 and pushed my wife to wait on upgrading over the summer from an iPad1.

Yup, my wife and I've been wanting one for a while now...But we've held off and I'm glad we did...I would really like to see them incorporate their new screen tech and chip so it can have an improved form factor along with a performance boost...If it's just the new connector, we'll still probably get it...

One thing is for sure...If Apple incorporates their new screen tech and gives it the boost in form factor that the iphone 5 received, they'll be selling like crazy just before the holiday season.

 

[Tech198]

So, Apple are re-releasing the iPad 3 with a Lightning Connector only ?

There has to be something else.... Come on Apple. we know you better than that.

 

[whitesand]

Ok to those saying ipad 3 owners shouldn't be pissed because your iPad does the same job and still will work fine etc etc. Well yes it still will work fine but its value will go down by a couple of hundred bucks even if the refresh adds only lightning because it's not the latest anymore. So the ipad 3 owners do in a tangible way lose money because the value of the product they bought will drop. My iPad 3 will be worth less the next time I wanna sell it even if it's next year because this update effectively makes my iPad one generation older. This stings even more for me as I bought mine last month.

Also my prediction is that this will not be a huge update. They will add lightning and maybe make the battery last 20% more and charge a bit faster or something but the form factor, processor and display will remain exactly the same until March or later.

Put that thing up for sale now! If that's the case seriously, I'd go ahead and sell it and just get the new one.

 

[fastlanephil]

Those iPad prices are just someones best guess. Gotta milk those rumors for all you can.

 

[iapplelove]

They might LOL right back at you for LOLing at strangers for no reason. If one LOL's and there's no one to hear it, is there any LOL at all?

You really take things to literally my man

 

[Tech198]

Those iPad prices are just someones best guess. Gotta milk those rumors for all you can.

ick ... no thanks... can u do it for me

 

[Pock]

Probably a good idea to add the lightning connector to the current iPad without releasing a entirely new device. That way, most of the mobile devices (except the iPod Classic) will be consistent in connector design, and will maybe encourage accessory makers to adopt the connector quickly.

If this rumour is true, Apple clearly don't want to transition process to be unnecessarily long.

 

[xofruitcake]

Meh, A negligible spec bump and a move to get more users into their propriety and obscenely overpriced Lightning connector before the holidays.

If you read the article in full, it will not be a minor upgrade. New screen, less backlight, new LTE chip will all reduce power consumption. So we will end up with a smaller battery.. And we will end up with a thinner and lighter IPad that support LTE oversea as well. It is hardly a minor upgrade.

One of the problem I have with Ipad 3 is the weight. I have to constantly changing hand after holding Ipad 3 after a few minute. If they can reduce the weight from 1.5 lb now to about 1lb, it would be a big deal for me. And the screen may offer improvement to picture quality like color saturation as well...

And one of the reason Apple would want to break the 1 year cycle is that Ipad 3 make the least money for Apple on a per unit basis. The high cost retina display, big battery and more backlight eat up the profit margin. Iphone has over 60% profit margin, Ipad 3 is in the high 20% to low 30% profit margin level.. Moving Ipad 3 to A6 may make sense if the GPU can perform the graphic task but staying with A5X is no problem either. It is definitely doable until Ipad 4.

 

[10-Dee-Q]

if this really true, bad moves from apple
i've been their loyal follower and i always upgraded my iphone and ipad every once a year since the beginning.
but now my 7 months old "new iPad" will be outdated

i can expect these kind of moves from samsung, motorola , nokia or any other manufacturers to compete with apple .

but these move by apple ?
it's getting lamer without mr Jobs at the Helm.

so if this true, then the "next ipad revision will be launched at first quarter 2013 ?
or 4th quarter 2013 ?

another thing is that while the design will be unlikely to change, at least for mow.
but the docking will surelly be change , so all of my docks, cables , car mounts, speakers that i purchased especially for my new iPad, will become obsolete

bad moves apple, bad moves,
maybe you will get new customers from this kind of marketing strategy
but you will definatelly loses some of your most loyal customer in the process .

i'm totally dissapointed if they do this

 

[Pock]

if this really true, bad moves from apple
i've been their loyal follower and i always upgraded my iphone and ipad every once a year since the beginning.
but now my 7 months old "new iPad" will be outdated

i can expect these kind of moves from samsung, motorola , nokia or any other manufacturers to compete with apple .

but these move by apple ?
it's getting lamer without mr Jobs at the Helm.

so if this true, then the "next ipad revision will be launched at first quarter 2013 ?
or 4th quarter 2013 ?

another thing is that while the design will be unlikely to change, at least for mow.
but the docking will surelly be change , so all of my docks, cables , car mounts, speakers that i purchased especially for my new iPad, will become obsolete

bad moves apple, bad moves,
maybe you will get new customers from this kind of marketing strategy
but you will definatelly loses some of your most loyal customer in the process .

i'm totally dissapointed if they do this

Maybe they are simply choosing to refresh the iPad at this time of year from now on?

 

[Koke33]

And I *just* bought a new iPad... grrr.

Why complain? Its not like the one you bought isnt any good. Nothing has changed about the product you "just" bought except your perception. I hope you arent one of those people who buy things just so they can say they have the latest and greatest. Purchase them because you have the need for the item itself.

 

[10-Dee-Q]

Why complain? Its not like the one you bought isnt any good. Nothing has changed about the product you "just" bought except your perception. I hope you arent one of those people who buy things just so they can say they have the latest and greatest. Purchase them because you have the need for the item itself.

it's not that it isnt good
but for that same amount of money we can get something better now.

 

[richardmu]

Technology is moving even faster these days. Get used to it!

Do not be surprised or disappointed if Apple does the same. It needs to keep up and hopefully move ahead of the ever increasing competition.

I ditched the new iPad because I thought it was clunky and the retina screen was no big deal for me compared to my 2. An enhanced new iPad a bit lighter and thinner would ideal for me. As would an iPad mini.

All these people moaning that they have just bought a new idevice and it may be obsolete a bit sooner than they thought just get up my nose.

 

[spcdust]

if this really true, bad moves from apple
i've been their loyal follower and i always upgraded my iphone and ipad every once a year since the beginning.
but now my 7 months old "new iPad" will be outdated

i can expect these kind of moves from samsung, motorola , nokia or any other manufacturers to compete with apple .

but these move by apple ?
it's getting lamer without mr Jobs at the Helm.

so if this true, then the "next ipad revision will be launched at first quarter 2013 ?
or 4th quarter 2013 ?

another thing is that while the design will be unlikely to change, at least for mow.
but the docking will surelly be change , so all of my docks, cables , car mounts, speakers that i purchased especially for my new iPad, will become obsolete

bad moves apple, bad moves,
maybe you will get new customers from this kind of marketing strategy
but you will definatelly loses some of your most loyal customer in the process .

i'm totally dissapointed if they do this

Damn you Apple for being a technology company and innovating. Damn you for not allowing me to have the latest iPad for a full twelve months. In the future please keep your technology stagnating and not introduce obvious unity across your range, such as lightning connector. Remember Apple, it's all about me, me me and when the revised iPad is released mine will just be completely **** and non functioning.