Apple seen selling iPad 3 HD, iPad 2S and iPad 2 in 2012

How the hell did you guys 'see' them selling the iPad 3 HD? 2S? WHAT? Where are you guys getting this information? That's wayy too many SKU.


So their going to have a 16,32,64GB Verisions of the iPad 3hd, 2s, and 2? Something is totally wrong here, and I'm not even counting the 3G versions. If this happens, Apple would really be straining themselves. And what's the point of a 2S vs a 3?

Also, what would be the price points in this case?

Wouldn't it be better just for Apple to have an iPad 3 and just discount 2? It seemed to work so well before. I'd reckon there isn't much incintive to change it.

Why would Apple release TWO IPADS AT ONCE? Wouldn't them having not released two iPhones at once (like the analysts were CERTAIN would happen) be a tip off to the silliness of this idea?

I can see an iPad 3 and iPad 2S being released at the same time since there are still plenty of unanswered questions about the 264ppi Retina Display for the iPad regarding production rate, component cost, GPU performance and battery usage that are still unanswered.

So much lol.

I just don't see it working out very well. The 2S especially wouldn't make sense. So I would assume the difference would be just the screen on the 2S vs 3.

its just these analysts again trying to impose their own agenda into the press to try and plant ideas. That's what all these analyst predictions are. Just a load of BS and I wouldn't be surprised if some share holders were pushing these stories into the presses as well. It's just the powers that be trying to remotely steer Apple.

But that would be two totally new products. The iPhone 4S was just one base type (with different hard drive configurations). Didn't rumors say we would get the 4S and 5 at the same time. This rumor doesn't sound legit....I could be wrong..but wow.

I could see a very high end price for the ipad 3 to make sure quantities were reasonable.

I dunno how I feel about that. Probably jealousy as I'd have to go for the 2S.

What I really want is a 4-5" iPod Touch for the kids that cost $200.

And it's "possible" that Apple will discontinue selling iPads all together. Not bloody well likely, but "possible."

It'd be nice if analysts would take ownership of their projections and stop using weasle words like "it's possible".

Okay, so then would it be iPad 2 $350, iPad 2S $500, and iPad 3 $700 (or $600)?

I hate these reports, they never pan out and half of the time are truly asinine. iPad 3 will be out in March and the iPad 2 will move to clearance.

You're right.

Looking at Apple's line of products, besides a little customization, there isn't a whole lot of selection. Two iPad releases in the same year is a stretch, let alone two released simultaneously...

Doesn't apple normally focus on ONE product and release it? They'd be fragmenting their entire line if they did something like this.

For at least a year now we have been beset by stories from the pundits about how Apple is going to accelerate the schedule for iOS product releases. First it was going to be two iPhones and two iPads last year, now it's a new iPad or a new iPhone early next year with a follow up product in the fourth quarter of the same year.

Even though it's a hot topic amongst pundits, none of this has come to pass. The only thing that has happened is Apple actually *delayed* the release of the latest iPhone, so reality is entirely opposite so far from all these many predictions.

Accelerated time frames for product release only make sense when the market is fierce and competition stiff. The producer typically wants to release multiple products in the time it takes for competitors to produce one, in order to accelerate the design in general and make improvements so as to hang on to whatever market share they have for dear life. The main purpose behind such accelerated development is the need to keep up with the competition.

This is actually what we see in the Android product market, not Apple.

Apple has no reason at all to release multiple different iPads and iPhones in the same fiscal year and perhaps not the capability to even do it given the volume they service.

There is also no real reason at all to believe that Apple will release anything next year besides the expected iPad 3 and iPhone 6.

There is similarly no reason at all to expect they will be released at a different time of the year than they typically are as that plays into the "need" for the accelerated product schedule again which is not a real thing to begin with.

From what I've seen on Amazon's ranking, read by analysts and Apple's financial reports either the mid-range iPad is the most popular or the high-end iPad is just as popular as the low-end. Either way there seems to be room for a pricer option for the iPad. Still, Apple doesn't have a history of this time of product release so it's highly questionable.

Oh, I have it!

The "faster iPad 2S" is really the 7" iPad and the "even faster than the faster iPad 2S iPad 3" is the new 10" model!



Oh, dear. That's bigger than I thought it would be. But it fits the bill, I guess.

Oh man! Indium, gallium and zinc? Those are pretty rare materials that China is stock piling and controlling their exports and imports. Hope no one wants to make iPads in Brazil because China will charge crazy tax on those.

Analysts don't know anything, people. This is not even a rumor, and it's not news either. It's just one analyst's opinion. And its not worth much, in my book. It's not real until Tim Cook or Phil Schiller says it's real.

I could see Apple actually delaying the release of the iPad till the early summer to fill the slot that the iPhone left. I think there are a lot of people who hold off on buying an iPad for Christmas because a new one is just around the corner. This way, the iPad would not interfere with iPhone sales as they will be 1/2 a year apart, but still viable as a new product for the Christmas shopping.

I think there would be a good probability that Apple will continue production of the iPad 2 even thought the 3 has been released. There will not be a 2S.

everyone is quick to shoot down these analyst notes, and usually it's fair to do so. However, as these things go, this report is probably as realistic as possible. Maybe there won't be 3 separate iPads (3, 2S, 2) but the approach is very "Apple" where they keep older models on hand for a lower price to attack the low-end market. Nobody has a crystal ball into Apple's plans, but this analysis is a lot more likely to pan out than, for example, a 7" iPad.

A half-year apart from the iPhone 4S release s in the Winter/Spring with the running iPad release cycle. I think the iPhone will stay in the Autumn release and the iPad and Touch will get updated after the new year..

I read this post until I see the word "analyst".

No. These 3 elements aren't rare earth elements. See this page for rare earth elements --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element

A lower-cost 8GB iPad 2 would actually go really far for many users; even music-lovers, thanks to iCloud. 8GB wouldn’t be for people who want a huge portable offline media or photo library, but it would be fine for readers, surfers, communicators, and many types of gamers. People who might be tempted by a cheap tablet with a poor experience, when space is less important than having something work well.

I think this might eventually happen. SJ had said on many occasions that a 4"-7" iDevice was pointless, so It may eventually happen I could see them axing the current Touch for something like this now that SJ is gone.

Personally, I agree, but logistically, it would be hard to market three devices like this with the existing iTouch still out there. With the 64GB device at $399 and the 16GB iPad at $499, there's little room for all three of these devices to thrive.

However, the reviews of the Kindle Fire prove that there is little use for that size screen with the exception of games. They all say that reading websites and magazines and books on it wold be better if the screen were larger.

There is so much win in this post. Stop it, I'm draining my tear ducts here!

Agreed. The analyst had no new information whatsoever and is just making public guesses.

I agree, the iPhone will stay where it is. But the iPad is still seen as a "New Year" release which I think may be hurting it's sales for the Christmas season. I know I am waiting till the new version is released to get one. Which means to iPad 2 for me this Christmas. I would think they would delay the announcement till April and shipping in the May to June timeframe.

Then again, this could just be my mentality because I know Apple's release schedule too well and am looking forward to the new stuff. I may not represent well enough the "average consumer".

Stupid idea. The only reason they keep the older iPhone models on sale is because they still get a high (subsidised) price for them through the networks. That business model does not apply to the iPad.

Check.

The goal seems to be to do as much damage to Apple as possible by disseminating disinformation about future Apple products, getting the blogosphere to hype it up until everyone hears the same rumors over and over again, giving the rumor more "weight." In the end, they'll forget that it's the same rumor echoing back and forth across the Internet. Everyone seems to be talking about the iPad 3 with "retina display," something that Apple has never promised, ever. Woe unto Apple if they don't actually deliver a product that matches these runaway expectations. And if Apple doesn't actually name it "iPad 3" they're going to "disappoint" wags who will then blog about how disappointed they are that the glass is 20% empty. It's not fair to Apple, is it?

Im fine with rumors from "unnamed sources", but this is just one "analyst's" opinion--he's not even quoting a source. As such, I don't think it deserves the kind of media coverage it is getting.

I can see the iPad 3. But the iPad 2S, I don't know about that. I really don't see Apple selling two iPads versions (same size screen) at the same time. If they do it may be two different size iPads. A 7.5 inch and a 9.5 inch.

Wow talk about hedging your bets. And don't forget, they will have the "iPad 2*" available in more colours and a special (PRODUCT) Red.

I've seen this movie.

Although I'm pretty sure Apple pays these Analysts to promote these rumours to get consumer reaction. Although I'm pretty sure they don't, and the Analysts are just trying to increase readership like a cheap prostitute lowering its rates.

As they get thinner and lighter I hope there are larger iPads on the horizon.

partial quote:


So which is it?

Where do these guys come up with this crap?

Ok... so the iPad 2 staying at a lower price point- I can swallow that, fine.

But to have an iPad 2S with a "faster processor" and a 3 with a "faster processor than the 2S". Seriously? So we get the A6 and A7 in one swoop? Do they even read what they write before they hit "send"? I think I know the answer already....

For me, i think Apple will not release an iPad 3 next year but a iPad 2S, the same design like the current iPad 2 but with better hardware inside it. Just like iPhone 3G to 3S, iPhone 4 to 4S.

In fact, this is a normal process for Apple, just look back at how long they keep the old design of the MBP before Apple changes to the current design, and not to forget the current design has being on the market for about 3 years already

I can't think of a time that Apple has done that-- released a new model that sells for a lot more than the previous model. Typically what they do is bring the new hotness at the old price point, and then start moving the old stuff down the pricing range to give them some coverage.

In iPod land that generally was dictated by memory size-- a new, say, 16GB model would show up at the same price as the old 8GB model and the old 8GB model would become cheaper.

I don't think we've seem the full iPad lineup yet, so there aren't all the pricing levels in place to make for an orderly shifting, but it really doesn't seem like much of a stretch that Apple would do something like they've done with the iPhone, and slot next year's models into the existing price points (possible upping the memory for each) while selling the current model at a discount.

As far as also offering an "iPad 2S", I say no chance.

Apple gets it for free, not that they care what you think you want. They will TELL you what that is. They will SELL you want next March. You may as well sign up for their product subscription so they can automatically charge you with each new item.

Analysts continue to look stupid, so humour them with their imaginations for just a few minutes.

Apple would clearly love to raise the bar with a "retina-quality" display, but supply and cost constraints (being reported in a variety of articles on various sites) likely won't allow a $499 model, and they won't abandon that price point IMHO.

They also - while holding an effective monopoly on "full-function tablets" - REALLY don't want to give Android a chance to do what it's done in the phone market, i.e., ever grab even numerical market share, let alone profit parity.

With these two things being the case, any anal-yst can project the release of a limited production and pricier RD/4G/higher RAM iP3 - complemented by a 4G iP2S - as a strategy that would or could achieve those goals, i.e., keeping competitors flattened while still allowing a $499 entry point for a new model. Tho' you'd think they might be called iPad 3 and iPad 3R since both would be new - and likely to both share at least a slightly revised chassis and improved battery tech (required to manage both still immature 4G chip tech and all them "purdy pixels").

But if the difference is either a hundred bucks or two hundred and you factor in the 9 existing SKU's (which would go to 6 if 4G/GSM/CDMA are combined into one chip set), you now have 12 (or so) SKU's - which are bound to overlap somewhat in price points - and that's distinctly un-Apple.

So a hypothetical higher end model might add further differentiators and a $300 premium for buyers to get those goodies. Which begins to make an iP3 top out above $1100, and I'm not sure that's a sweet spot for today's tabs.

Also, 4G is MUCH more important to maintaining their image of being both up to date as well as being the best tab around. Not including this could be a strategic error allowing others to gain a toehold.

Bottom line, I won't say a double release can't happen, but peg it well below 50-50, and think a $499 retina iPad will see the light of day in the next rev.


Apple can't continue to cede the entire screen market between 3.5" and 9.7" to others forever. There are a lot of uses for those sizes. And a larger screened iPod Touch - whether optimized for gaming, content consumption or whatever seems a better bet than a smaller screened iPad. With the current pixel count of today's iPads squoze into the the new device's viewing surface (to keep things simple for developers and a retina-like experience).


I can see synchronizing the Touch and Pad product cycles, while leaving the phone on its own. Especially if they do some interesting new takes on forrm factors with the Touch line.


Saved this for last - Again, with no pressure in the current form factor, I doubt Apple needs to stuff the channel with an 8GB non 3G model for say, $349.

Even with iCloud, when you're out of Wi-Fi range, you have little content with you and no net. And it would both cannibalize sales of the $499 iPads as well as provide a sub-par experience. So I say this is not happening.

If there are lots of viable competitors by next year tho', I could see them keeping this year's base model (at least 16BG) at a $399 tag.

This all gets me thinking about Siri and Wi-Fi iPads, but I'll save those thots for another post. Still, the more astute are probably already catching my drift.....