Rumor: Apple to unveil high-end, mid-range third-gen iPads in January

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  • Reply 21 of 64
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    They need something to fill the quarter if Ivy Bridge wont ship until next. For me this is the most logical reason to debut iPad 3 in Jan/Feb.
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  • Reply 22 of 64
    With Sharp entering the picture:



    Quote:

    The report also went on to note that Sharp will be the "major panel supplier" for the display on the third-generation iPad, with Samsung and LG also producing some panels. Samsung is rumored to manufacture quad-core A6 processors, as well as the CMOS image sensor for the mid-range iPad, which sources indicated would sport a 5-megapixel lens. Sony has reportedly been tapped to provide the image sensor for a high-end iPad with an 8-megapixel lens.



    The move away from Samsung will only expand.
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  • Reply 23 of 64
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post


    With Sharp entering the picture:







    The move away from Samsung will only expand.



    Demand for Apple specific hardware is so strong Apple has no choice bu to second source parts.
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  • Reply 24 of 64
    shompashompa Posts: 343member
    I hate DigiTimes. Its a troll site without any technical knowledge. How many false reports this year? At least 90% of their reports are false.



    Ipad3 in late Jan?



    The question the journalist should ask: Is it technical possible? (Like the idiotic Ipad2S/Ipad3 rumors that where in the fall)



    1) Is there enough retina displays? Apple need 4-5 million/month.

    2) Is the A6 ready?

    3) Any parts floating around?

    4) Have the assembly started?

    5) Any cases released?



    1 answer: Maybe. Sharp got a billion from Apple to ramp up a Retina factory. I think its to early.

    2 answer: Probably not. AMD barely gets wafers for its latest 28nm GPU. How could TSMC deliver at least 4-5 million A6 SoC per month?

    3 answer: Only minor parts.

    4 answer: No. We usually get to know a couple a month ahead when assembly starts.

    5 answer: No. Casse manufactures had moles in Hon Hai/ FoxConn. New cases have always appeared before an release.



    Conclusion: No jan release date. I still believe late Feb/Mars when part supply is working.
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  • Reply 25 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post






    iPad 2 16GB: $399

    iPad 3 16GB: $499

    iPad 3 32GB: $599

    iPad 3 64GB: $699



    There's your low and high end.



    Based on how Apple has handled this sort of thing in the past, I doubt we'll see two models sporting the same 16GB of memory capacity.



    So kill the 16GB iPad 3 at $599 and you're probably there. It might even be the case that the iPad 3 will be offered with just one connectivity option as in no wi-fi-only version. Instead you'd have the 32GB iPad 3 starting at $679 and a 64GB at $779.



    Meanwhile the 16GB iPad 2 would be offered in two versions, a $399 base version and one with additional connectivity for $479.



    So that would be $399, $479, $679 and $779.



    All the bases are covered and there is no overlap. You either focus on budget or you go for the high end in which case paying a little more for the extra connectivity isn't going to stop anyone from going that route.



    Another option would be to only offer the iPad with 3G in which case $479 would be the starting point.



    There are quite a few options open to Apple if the company has decided to offer the iPad in two basic grades. What route Apple would take likely would be dictated more by marketing considerations than engineering issues.



    Regardless, the Fire is not a factor. By all reports, there should be quite a few unhappy Fire owners who, by spring, will be ready to switch to the iPad regardless of what pricing and configurations Apple settles on. What ails the Fire isn't going to be fixed with a couple of software updates. It needs a hardware overhaul as well. Doing that and keeping the low price point is just not going to happen, certainly not in the coming year. I don't think Apple needs to worry about any serious challengers in 2012 in this space.
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  • Reply 26 of 64
    dbtincdbtinc Posts: 134member
    If true we have an example of "more is less" ...
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  • Reply 27 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lancelot9201 View Post


    one big improvement would be to get rid of the dongles. I hope that Apple finally see's the light & includes a Mini HDMI slot, Micro SD Slot & some kick ass speakers. Anything less & they'll be short changing their customers. If Ipad 3 doesn't include at least an SD slot of some sort I'm going to android.

    ~Food For thought~



    Maybe it will also include a task manager and live wallpapers.



    Seriously, why would you need ANY of that? Apple is pushing for wireless, so that's a step backward. Ever since AirPlay debuted, I haven't used my AV cables. And an SD card is just a place to collect dust. Cloud storage is the SD card's death knell.
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  • Reply 28 of 64
    This close to so many Christmas iPad 2 sales? Unlikely.
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  • Reply 29 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Santoanderson View Post


    As for the rumor that Apple will sell the current iPad 2 at a price to rival the $199 Kindle Fire.... is that really necessary?



    Yes it is ... I think $199 to $250 is the low end sweet spot .... Amazon has demonstrated that ...



    Apple has followed the same formula with all their other product lines, they should here too.
    • the I-pod - Shuffle, Nano, Touch

    • I-Phone - I-Phone 3, 4 and 4S)

    • MacBook Pro - 13", 15", 17"

    At $499 I am not going to buy one, but at $250 I would probably buy two [one for me, one for the kids]
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  • Reply 30 of 64
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by n403xv View Post


    Yes it is ... I think $199 to $250 is the low end sweet spot .... Amazon has demonstrated that ...



    Apple has followed the same formula with all their other product lines, they should here too.
    • the I-pod - Shuffle, Nano, Touch

    • I-Phone - I-Phone 3, 4 and 4S)

    • MacBook Pro - 13", 15", 17"

    At $499 I am not going to buy one, but at $250 I would probably buy two [one for me, one for the kids]



    You're dreaming. Apple is not going to sell the iPad 2 at $199 to compete with the Kindle Fire. They're so far apart that it wouldn't make any sense. A high end 10" tablet for the same price as a cut-rate 7" tablet with limited capabilities? Not a chance.



    That would be like Ferrari selling their previous model at $20 K to compete with Chevy.
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  • Reply 31 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lancelot9201 View Post


    one big improvement would be to get rid of the dongles.



    That's absolutely right; what's your proposal.



    Quote:

    …a Mini HDMI slot, Micro SD Slot…



    So… get rid of dongles by adding more terrible crap. Got it.



    Quote:

    I hope that Apple finally see's the light…



    I hope you see the light and just decide to buy an Android tablet.



    Quote:

    Anything less & they'll be short changing their customers.



    Jfj OH HLA LLk I';m D



    … Sorry, I was literally on the floor doubled over in laughter while trying to type that. Oh, my heavens, it's too early for this…



    Quote:

    If Ipad 3 doesn't include at least an SD slot of some sort I'm going to android.



    Ooh, an ultimatum! Whatever shall Apple do?!



    So why didn't you just buy an Android tablet two years ago? Apple will never do that.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Carmissimo View Post


    Based on how Apple has handled this sort of thing in the past, I doubt we'll see two models sporting the same 16GB of memory capacity.



    True, but the only other option I see happening is:



    iPad 2 16GB: $399

    iPad 3 32GB: $499

    iPad 3 64GB: $599

    iPad 3 128GB: $699



    And I have no idea how possible that is because I don't know about the market's availability of 128GB NAND chips.



    Quote:

    So that would be $399, $479, $679 and $779.



    I really don't think that Apple will change the prices with which people are familiar, particularly if it's only be $20 and for no real reason.



    When people think about the iPhone, they think, "Oh, the iPhone. It's $199." because it has been since 2008.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by n403xv View Post


    Yes it is ... I think $199 to $250 is the low end sweet spot .... Amazon has demonstrated that …



    I just got off the floor from the last guy… are you all trying to kill me?!



    Quote:

    Apple has followed the same formula with all their other product lines, they should here too.



    Apple sells a $199 MacBook?



    Quote:

    …I-pod… …I-Phone…



    You're just… putting me on now, aren't you? I mean, really?



    Quote:

    At $499 I am not going to buy one, but at $250 I would probably buy two



    This is as close to that as you'll ever get.
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  • Reply 32 of 64
    FWIW, an SD card slot would be nice. I am not fond of bringing the adapter with me on vacation. And while we're at it, a mini HDMI port would be useful to play movies on the TVs in hotel rooms. I currently have a first generation 64GB/3G. There isn't anything "inelegant" about having useful connectivity features on a consumer device.
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  • Reply 33 of 64
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PowerMach View Post


    FWIW, an SD card slot would be nice. I am not fond of bringing the adapter with me on vacation. And while we're at it, a mini HDMI port would be useful to play movies on the TVs in hotel rooms. I currently have a first generation 64GB/3G. There isn't anything "inelegant" about having useful connectivity features on a consumer device.



    Sure. Let's add a USB port, too. And a couple of other memory card slots since not all cameras use SD. And a slide-out keyboard. And, while we're at it, some people still use parallel and serial ports, so make sure they're included. Oh, can't forget SCSI, too.



    When we're through, the people demanding an SD slot and HDMI will be the first in line to complain about the weight (I'm still amazed that people were complaining about the weight of the original iPad).
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  • Reply 34 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    Sure. Let's add a USB port, too. And a couple of other memory card slots since not all cameras use SD. And a slide-out keyboard. And, while we're at it, some people still use parallel and serial ports, so make sure they're included. Oh, can't forget SCSI, too.



    I have a first-gen iPad, but I won't be upgrading until we get an RJ-45 port. You know, for all the times when I'm out and about and need one.
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  • Reply 35 of 64
    [QUOTE=jragosta;2016267]Sure. Let's add a USB port, too. And a couple of other memory card slots since not all cameras use SD. And a slide-out keyboard. And, while we're at it, some people still use parallel and serial ports, so make sure they're included. Oh, can't forget SCSI, too.





    Why does it anger you that I would find a SD card slot useful? I (think I) understand your thought process on the matter of additional connectivity features and I agree (in concept) that too much is too much. The dock connector is thin, but inelegant when a white plastic dongle is hanging off the iPad.



    Look: I bought the original iPad - the 'biggest, baddest' one they made. I needed/wanted to import photos from my camera while on the road. I bought the camera connection kit. Is it too much of a stretch that one could wish to not carry an adapter?
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  • Reply 36 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lancelot9201 View Post


    one big improvement would be to get rid of the dongles. I hope that Apple finally see's the light & includes a Mini HDMI slot, Micro SD Slot & some kick ass speakers. Anything less & they'll be short changing their customers. If Ipad 3 doesn't include at least an SD slot of some sort I'm going to android.

    ~Food For thought~



    Sounds to me like you are just using the iPad as a media player when it can be used for so much more.



    What you are really forgetting is that other people have other uses for the iPad than you. Personally I have to be terribly, terribly bored before I drag out my iPad just to watch some movie or whatever and if there is a computer or a TV in the room I would almost always use that instead.
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  • Reply 37 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Santoanderson View Post


    Comparing the Fire to an iPad 2 is roughly the equivalent of comparing an EZ Bake Oven to a microwave.... and I think it's safe to say that you can't buy a Microwave at the cost of an EZ Bake Oven.



    EZ Bake oven: $66

    http://amzn.to/uBPKp6



    Microwave Oven: $48

    http://amzn.to/vo3nkd



    i prefer comparisons like Kindle Fire = Kia, iPad = Audi
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  • Reply 38 of 64
    If Apple does continue to offer iPad2 after releasing iPad3, the pricing strategy will be intriguing. RIght now, do we know how much the carriers are subsidizing iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS? Just because these products are outdated does not mean Apple is suddenly able to make them cheaper than before. In fact, there is a possibility that they are more expensive to manufacture because of lower quantities. So the cost of the substantial discounts may well be shared between Apple and the carriers (the fact that not all carriers offer older iPhone models may support this).



    With iPads, carrier subsidy is not really a factor. So how much can Apple lower the price of iPad2 without affecting their overall GM?
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  • Reply 39 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Santoanderson View Post


    Comparing the Fire to an iPad 2 is roughly the equivalent of comparing an EZ Bake Oven to a microwave.... and I think it's safe to say that you can't buy a Microwave at the cost of an EZ Bake Oven. I can understand Apple dropping the price by $150/tier, but I can't see them cutting it from $499 to $199.



    Actually an EZ Bake Oven costs between 40 and 50 (I was considering buying one at Christmas for one of my daughters) and I can get a microwave at walmart for $45, so yeah, those are equivalent. With the EZ Bake not having the bulb anymore, ity's more like a microwave now anyway I think.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shompa View Post


    2 answer: Probably not. AMD barely gets wafers for its latest 28nm GPU. How could TSMC deliver at least 4-5 million A6 SoC per month?

    4 answer: No. We usually get to know a couple a month ahead when assembly starts.



    Conclusion: No jan release date. I still believe late Feb/Mars when part supply is working.



    I think Feb/March is a more realistic anwer as well, but to the 2 answers above, AMD had to spin off their fabs and have been consistently behind Intel in fab tech for awhile now anyway. Also, TSMC has been in volume production for 28nm since the week before Halloween: http://www.tsmc.com/tsmcdotcom/PRLis...il&newsid=6181



    There were rumors of assembled iPad 3's last month, talk of Apple having 2-3M already put together by the end of the year. I don't recall ever hearing more after that initial rumor, but if it was accurate and they already have a large build up that has been kept secret for a change, that would help a lot with the initial allotments.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by n403xv View Post


    Yes it is ... I think $199 to $250 is the low end sweet spot .... Amazon has demonstrated that ...





    No, Amazon has demonstrated that people put up w/a shitty product when they can't afford the better one. People bought lots of Geos in the early 90s, not b/c they were good cars, but b/c they were cheap and they needed a car. There is also a large difference between a 7" tablet and a 10" tablet.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    True, but the only other option I see happening is:



    iPad 2 16GB: $399

    iPad 3 32GB: $499

    iPad 3 64GB: $599

    iPad 3 128GB: $699



    And I have no idea how possible that is because I don't know about the market's availability of 128GB NAND chips.





    This is what I think is the more likely scenario if they opt to keep the iPad 2 to help attract a bit more of the low end sales. If 128GB NAND is too expensive, maybe they would use 2 64GB chips.
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  • Reply 40 of 64
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


    This is what I think is the more likely scenario if they opt to keep the iPad 2 to help attract a bit more of the low end sales. If 128GB NAND is too expensive, maybe they would use 2 64GB chips.



    They're not gonna build an entirely different logic board just for the 128GB model.



    I want to see 128GB as early as the next guy, but if they can't do it the same way as the other models, they shouldn't (and quite probably won't) do it.
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