Unverified iPad 3 Rumors: Price List Suggests Price Hike Over iPad 2, Shipments to U.S. En Route?

[nagromme]

My expectation has long been that the bottom model would not get a retina display. Hopefully other improvements, but not that--for the sake of keeping the entry price below $500. A retina display is worth a lot to people, but there’s a psychological barrier at 500 that I think Apple appreciates.

In fact, given the potential cost of building a retina display plus the RAM/processing power needed to drive it, I wouldn’t be surprised if only the top model (please 128GB!*) gets the retina display—at first. Depending on the volume they can make, using two different displays could increase the number of iPads that can be made.

* Actually, no, please no 128 model! I’d be unable to stop myself from buying it, and I’d prefer to wait a year (It’s crazy that I want more space on my iPad than on my work Mac which only needs about 80MB occupied... I think I collect too many games! And if I delete them I'd lose my character/progress/scores in some cases.)

 

[LostSoul80]

How about Apple wanting to experiment how far users can go?

I am still hoping that they keep the current price points but I won't be shocked if there is an increase. I'm surprised that so many here are against a price increase. It will ultimately lead to greater profits for Apple.

As a buyer, that's exactly what I look for when buying a product.

 

[cvaldes]

A price hike doesn't make a lot of sense.

If $579 ends up being a valid price point for an iPad 3, most likely it would represent the 3G (or 4G) model. Hence, the upcharge for the model with a cellular chip would drop from $130 to $80.

iPad 3 WiFi $499
iPad 3 3G (or 4G) $579

The Qualcomm Gobi chip has GPS functionality built it. It doesn't need a separate chip unlike the current Infineon chip in the iPad 2.

 

[Shanpdx]

ASUS and nVidia are now starting to target the $249-399 markets. You are still looking at IPS panels and 8-16 GB of storage.

iPad market share is in danger area compared to iPhone /iPod touch market share.

IMHO, I do not think there will be a price increase of iPad 3.

and keep the iPad 2 16Gb at - $399 - that will take care of the competition based on price.

 

[ericinboston]

I love all the ``deal breaker comments.''

Remind me of that when the iPad 3 Retina Display and other advanced features outside of the new A6 processor make it clear the price hike is meager.

I would argue that a LARGE percentage of iPad owners are clueless about tech specs and care more about the look/feel/features.

That being said, what advanced features to you think it will come with other than a nicer display to warrant a 15% price hike? Stereo speakers? Siri? 3 new Slideshow features? Parental Security controls?

 

[Peace]

I am still hoping that they keep the current price points but I won't be shocked if there is an increase. I'm surprised that so many here are against a price increase. It will ultimately lead to greater profits for Apple.

How about Apple wanting to experiment how far users can go?




As a buyer, that's exactly what I look for when buying a product.

As a "consumer" I couldn't care less about Apple's profits. As a "consumer" I care about price/quality.

 

[jwdsail]

So, you all want:

- A bleeding-edge retina display
- In a shell no more than 1mm thicker than an iPad 2
- With LTE
- Made by people paid a respectable wage
- Made by people with an appreciating currency

And yet any price increase is a deal breaker?

Don't really need a better display. I've been waiting for a lower price..

I don't mind thicker.. I think most of Apple's products could stand to put on a few, eat some more BBQ Pulled Pork..not a fan of anorexic electronics..

Couldn't care less about LTE.. My area just got decent 3G when the iPhone 4 came out.. I doubt I'll see LTE anywhere near me before 2014.

The actual buying power of the people that make the iPad is actually about the same as mine these days.. which is why I've been waiting for a lower price.. I think the controversy is overblown.

Well, currency valuation is fluid, and if China sees too much inflation, perhaps we'll see more automation cutting labor costs more, and more on-shore manufacturing at competitive prices..

I don't mind the price increase, just means that I'll be waiting for refurb iPad 3s to hit the market...or maybe I'll grab an iPad 2 refurb if the price is right..

 

[aperry]

Maybe you should save another $100, just in case.

It's not really about whether I can afford it. It's more about whether it's worth it. For me the iPad is still more of a toy than anything else. Whereas the iPad2 was well above the competition and IMO worth the price a year ago, it doesn't seem so clear with the iPad3. Decisions...Decisions....

 

[LostSoul80]

As a "consumer" I couldn't care less about Apple's profits. As a "consumer" I care about price/quality.

I do. I really do. Wish Apple the best.
(Really you thought that was not sarcastic?)

 

[Peace]

[snip]

Don't really need a better display. I've been waiting for a lower price..

You may not know it but you do need a better display.

Apple and most consumers use the iPad in the living room and bedroom where there's a TV set.

Apple sees the trinity of iDevice,Apple TV and HDTV as essential to maximizing the user experience.

If you're going to use Airplay to mirror your iDevice/iPad to the HDTV you need it to fill the HDTV screen.


A higher resolution iPad combined with a new Apple TV ( Yes. They will be out soon after the iPad comes out ) fills that need.

 

[Patriot24]

Whereas the iPad2 was well above the competition and IMO worth the price a year ago, it doesn't seem so clear with the iPad3. Decisions...Decisions....

Until it is announced and they show us what they have. There will be apps and use cases showcased that we haven't thought of yet. It is hard to say what the value is without seeing a keynote/webpages with info.

 

[topmounter]

Is a verified rumor still a rumor?

MacRumors needs a rumor rating scale... 1 to 10 will be fine:

1: Unverified Rumor
2: Hardly Verified Rumor
3: Gizmodo Verified Rumor
4: Inappreciably Verified Rumor
5: Average Rumor
6: "Too Good Not To Believe" Verified Rumor
7: WSJ Verified Rumor
8: Commodiously Verified Rumor
9: Almost Entirely Verified Rumor
10: Verified Rumor

 

[Cali Fornia]

iPad 2 - 16GB - 399$
iPad 3 - 32GB - 499$ or 579$ (being justified by the additional storage)
iPad 3 - 64GB - 599$ or 679$
iPad 3 - 128GB - 699$ or 779$
/+129$ LTE

iPad 3 - A6
Apple TV 3 - A5X (because this one will be enough for 1080p but cheaper)

 

[cameronjpu]

wow, I seriously live in a world were the consumer should appreciate a price hike?

Nope, it's the consumer's job to resist price increases, and the company's job to make the product worth the higher price. This push and pull is what makes capitalism work and communism fail.

We'll know if/when this happens if Apple played their cards right. I suspect they'll sell just as many as ever, because those waiting on the sidelines may finally get to buy one now that an extra $80 prices out of the market some people who can afford $500 for a tablet but not $580. Dumb people, basically.

 

[Ryth]

$75 is not going to make or break anyone.

If you don't want it, don't buy it. The upgrades in this device are well worth $75.

 

[Carmenia83]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X; en_US) AppleWebKit (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile [FBAN/FBForIPhone;FBAV/4.1;FBBV/4100.0;FBDV/iPad1,1;FBMD/iPad;FBSN/iPhone OS;FBSV/5.0.1;FBSS/1; FBCR/AT&T;FBID/tablet;FBLC/en_US;FBSF/1.0])

Hopefully the price hike is not true. The iPad is doing very well, but with increasing competition I think raising prices is a mistake. Whether or not the competing tablets are any good, many people dont know the difference beforehand, and price is the deciding factor. The ipad is a commodity and it's success is based largely on its reasonable price point. I don't have the sales figures, but I would bet that a large percentage of iPad sales are 16gb wifi models. Why? Because they're the cheapest way for the consumer to have that iPad everyone's been talking about. If Apple is planning on a price increase, I hope they're also planning on keeping a low cost iPad 2 on the table. Maybe an iPad 2 8GB (wifi only) for $399, similar to what they did with the iPhone 4 when the 4S came out. We'll find out soon I guess...

 

[aperry]

Until it is announced and they show us what they have. There will be apps and use cases showcased that we haven't thought of yet. It is hard to say what the value is without seeing a keynote/webpages with info.

Well, that's a good point. This whole discussion is built on the implicit assumption that the iPad 3 is no more than the rumors we've heard to date (retina, A5x or A6, better camera, thicker, LTE).

Maybe there's more.

 

[Peterson8765]

I really hope Apple doesn't keep the iPad at it's current price points, which it doesn't really make sense that they will. Either way, I might buy an iPad 3 with a retina display for $579, but I want it for $499.

 

[unobtainium]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I'll believe it when I see it. Apple hasn't had a history of raising iDevice prices from year to year and I doubt they'd start now, especially with cheaper Android tablets like the Kindle Fire gaining some traction. I suppose it's possible that they'd continue to sell the iPad 2 at a cheaper price, but even when they've used this approach with the iPhone they haven't bumped the price of the newer model. The iPhone 4 had a retina display, much faster processor, new design, etc., but retained the same price point.

 

[tomegun]

I bought an iPad 2 in Jan knowing full well what was coming in March. Plan was if Apple released a 128gb iPad 3 I'd sell my old machine for the new one. Every other possible new feature is moot to me.

Guess I'm sticking with my iPad 2 for another year .

I'm confused. First you say you knew full well what was coming and then the next sentence contradicts you "knowing full well what was coming..."

I guess you really didn't know, but saying you did sounded good?

 

[Peterson8765]

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I'll believe it when I see it. Apple hasn't had a history of raising iDevice prices from year to year and I doubt they'd start now, especially with cheaper Android tablets like the Kindle Fire gaining some traction. I suppose it's possible that they'd continue to sell the iPad 2 at a cheaper price, but even when they've used this approach with the iPhone they haven't bumped the price of the newer model. The iPhone 4 had a retina display, much faster processor, new design, etc., but retained the same price point.

They did raise the price of the iPod touch 4G in 2010 from $199 to $229 because of the retina display and more features. But last year they changed the price to $199.

 

[osx11]

Not to sound like a smart*** but the iPad IS actually getting cheaper every year.

Because of inflation, a constant $499 price point means that the iPad is relatively cheaper every year.

Just to keep up with reasonable inflation, the iPad would probably have to be priced around $1000 by 2030.

---------

Having said that, stop complaining about $80, (if the rumors turn out to be true.)


On average, salaries and prices increase the same amount. So you can't expect your wage to go up and for to Apple to keep prices constant.

 

[kingtj]

re: price cuts

Yep... plenty of rumors surfaced in the recent past about pending price cuts on the iPad 2. The big motivator here is the educational sector. Apple wants the iBooks initiative to be as big a success as possible, but they've received some backlash from school districts complaining that the iPads themselves are a huge initial cost. It's great offering textbooks for as little as $15 or $20, but that savings doesn't look so great when you demand students shell out $500+ (plus sales tax, plus some sort of protective case you'll realistically need with it, plus $15-25 or so for a decent screen protector) for the iPad itself, just so you can get started with the iBooks.

I suspect this leaked price chart shows the pricing we could expect if the iPad 2 wasn't discounted. But at least in the U.S. market, I predict it will be. If not immediately, within months of the iPad 3's release (once inventories stabilize).

I don't think Apple will want to complicate things with different CPU versions of iPad 3. What are they going to do then, show demos of both versions at the press event? They will pick 1 CPU, and advertise how great and fast it is.

I don't think Apple will start the iPad 3 at $579, that would imply that iPad 2 pricing stays as is. I think it's much more likely that the iPad 2 price gets cut to $399 or $449, and the iPad 3 starts at $499.

A $399 iPad 2 (if margins permit) would be perfect for competing on price against lower priced Android tablets, same as the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 now. But the newest model will still end up being the best-selling.

 

[Eidorian]

And they still have 1280X800 resolution.

I knew I should have mentioned that...

iPad market share is in danger area compared to iPhone /iPod touch market share.

IMHO, I do not think there will be a price increase of iPad 3.

and keep the iPad 2 16Gb at - $399 - that will take care of the competition based on price.

I have a feeling the iPad 2 will stick around as the entry model.

 

[Jayderek]

I don't mind the price hike, but I'll be upset if the size offerings remain at 16,32,64gb