If Apple can't build the current version of the iPad fast enough to meet demand, what incentive is there for releasing a revised version as early as September.
Because everyone knows that the lack of RAM is a serious issue with iOS 4.0. By everyone I mean Apples engineers, Apple management, the competition the app developers and iDevice users. So the number one issue is that an iPad rev is needed simply to support the promised upgrade to 4.x iOS. Please don't misunderstand iOS 4.x will run on the existing iPad when it comes but the experience will be sub optimal.
The second issue revolves around apps. There simply isn't enough RAM to deliver the functionality that many want. Reving the iPads RAM is a simple way to assure that things like iWork can be fully utilized.
Third iPhone 4 makes it pretty obvious that the hardware can be had now. As more and more people realize this they will begin to question why iPad is crippled.
Fourth the competition isn't sitting still. They know exactly what they need to compete against and RAM is one point easy to get peoples attention with. People discount the competition but with Apple moving over two million a month they will act aggressively to caputure some of that market.
Fifth even if they skip updates every six months they will likely want to move iPad releases to align with the rest of the iDevices. So iPad would get some sort of bump with the iDecices in September or October. From then on annual updates would happen around the same time.
Sixth iPad is a wonderful first effort but it seems pretty obvious that somethings have been deleted in the first rev. The gyro is one item and I believe RAM was another. Like all computers iPad is a work in progress and I don't believe they have meet all their goals for this model.
Seventh any Touch or similar device released in September/ October will likely have the same A4 as seen in iPhone. Dies Apple want the shipping iPad to have less RAM than the Touch or for that matter an equal amount?
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As for doing it to stay ahead of the competition, right now I'd have to say what competition? I doubt we'll see anything close to a competitor for the next several months if not for all of 2010.
That could be true but do you think HP, Dell or any of the new comers will want to see all the holiday shopping dollars go to Apple? I'm not saying they will make it but if they don't have pre November releases targeted they are rather foolish.
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It would make a lot more sense to wait until the first quarter of 2011 to bring out a new version hence forcing competitors to guess what Apple has planned next.
A major rev in 2011 isn't prevented Nya memory tweak in the fall of this year. However that major rev might take awhile. Especially if it is an A9 SMP based platform. The fall rev is simply a stop gap measure that shores up the platform for a few months.
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Rival tablets might just come to market at the end of 2010 that may or may not up the ante but even if that happens, Apple gets to respond a couple of months later. Apple has a lead of at least a year and should be able to maintain that edge without resorting to a six-month refresh schedule.
The strategy doesn't have to be six months forever. It is however needed now. They need to keep momentum and they need to keep the platform pleasant to operate with the coming iOS upgrade. This will help them hold off the competition when it materializes.
The key here is my belief that iOS 4.x on the iPad wil be kinda sucky withou more RAM.
Comments
If Apple can't build the current version of the iPad fast enough to meet demand, what incentive is there for releasing a revised version as early as September.
Because everyone knows that the lack of RAM is a serious issue with iOS 4.0. By everyone I mean Apples engineers, Apple management, the competition the app developers and iDevice users. So the number one issue is that an iPad rev is needed simply to support the promised upgrade to 4.x iOS. Please don't misunderstand iOS 4.x will run on the existing iPad when it comes but the experience will be sub optimal.
The second issue revolves around apps. There simply isn't enough RAM to deliver the functionality that many want. Reving the iPads RAM is a simple way to assure that things like iWork can be fully utilized.
Third iPhone 4 makes it pretty obvious that the hardware can be had now. As more and more people realize this they will begin to question why iPad is crippled.
Fourth the competition isn't sitting still. They know exactly what they need to compete against and RAM is one point easy to get peoples attention with. People discount the competition but with Apple moving over two million a month they will act aggressively to caputure some of that market.
Fifth even if they skip updates every six months they will likely want to move iPad releases to align with the rest of the iDevices. So iPad would get some sort of bump with the iDecices in September or October. From then on annual updates would happen around the same time.
Sixth iPad is a wonderful first effort but it seems pretty obvious that somethings have been deleted in the first rev. The gyro is one item and I believe RAM was another. Like all computers iPad is a work in progress and I don't believe they have meet all their goals for this model.
Seventh any Touch or similar device released in September/ October will likely have the same A4 as seen in iPhone. Dies Apple want the shipping iPad to have less RAM than the Touch or for that matter an equal amount?
As for doing it to stay ahead of the competition, right now I'd have to say what competition? I doubt we'll see anything close to a competitor for the next several months if not for all of 2010.
That could be true but do you think HP, Dell or any of the new comers will want to see all the holiday shopping dollars go to Apple? I'm not saying they will make it but if they don't have pre November releases targeted they are rather foolish.
It would make a lot more sense to wait until the first quarter of 2011 to bring out a new version hence forcing competitors to guess what Apple has planned next.
A major rev in 2011 isn't prevented Nya memory tweak in the fall of this year. However that major rev might take awhile. Especially if it is an A9 SMP based platform. The fall rev is simply a stop gap measure that shores up the platform for a few months.
Rival tablets might just come to market at the end of 2010 that may or may not up the ante but even if that happens, Apple gets to respond a couple of months later. Apple has a lead of at least a year and should be able to maintain that edge without resorting to a six-month refresh schedule.
The strategy doesn't have to be six months forever. It is however needed now. They need to keep momentum and they need to keep the platform pleasant to operate with the coming iOS upgrade. This will help them hold off the competition when it materializes.
The key here is my belief that iOS 4.x on the iPad wil be kinda sucky withou more RAM.