I hate to think so, 'cause I skipped iPad 3 & 4 because of the weight & the long charge times.
If I have to wait until October 2013 for iPad 5,
then that means I'll be stuck using a 2-generation old iPad for almost another year ....
I mean, don't get me wrong -- my iPad 2 has served me quite well.
It even runs the latest graphically intensive [like the highly disappointing "Modern Combat 4", for example
& presumably, "Real Racing 3"] games flawlessly.
It's just that, you know ....
If I don't have the latest iPad, I feel left out, somehow.
Plus, 2 1/2 years using the same iPad's wayyy too long.
My guess will be a iPad4s first before a new mini. Tim Cook may update both in April with mini as a minor update. iPad5 can be smaller (there is a lot of border) and lighter using the same styling as iPhone 5 and mini. If they can make the high powered iPad operating with less heat, it would be ideal.
Analyst's predictions are moot at best and null generally, given that [I]today's[/I] tech is [I]yesterday's[/I] news. The phone/tablet you buy today was designed in 2010 and the intervening period between design and sale is filled with a host of tooling, component assembly, scheduling and distribution considerations ie you can only buy obsolete tech. This lag is inevitable unless you opt for smaller incremental improvements and shorter production runs - which is what Apple appears to be doing, but which mitigates against big innovative steps which take much longer to develop(lead time) and become harder to incorporate into an existing product on a shorter incremental improvement schedule. We are more likely to see major innovative changes in a completely new product/form factor. The binary argument that Apple lags Android has some merit but only if you view Android as one phone, which of course is nonsensical. In the real world, Android is a series of manufacturers with overlapping feature sets, each with a similar 'lag' compared to their competitors in the Android space. It's impossible for one phone to have everything at any one moment in time.
While releasing a new model soon wouldn't be unprecedented for Apple, it's still not something they do often. The only time I recall them releasing a new model within 3-4 months of another is with the iMac G5/iMac Intel (October and December, I believe). But that was a chip switch, so it probably is an outlier.
Starting development now could mean a May or, most likely, June release to have it ready for the summer school buying season. I see that as totally possible.
Some of this "they are going to update everything again in the Spring" stuff is actually starting to sound real to me, but I wonder what the reaction will be if they actually do it?
Wouldn't the fact that Apple could update any product you buy from them in less than half a year be a [B]negative[/B] in terms of the buying decision? Apple has always sold "the next cool thing" of "the latest cool thing." If you can't be sure you're going to have the latest model for any longer than a few months what's the point?
I know people are going to argue that it's really about what product fits your needs and not what's cool or trendy, but people aren't rational. A lot of folks [I]do[/I] buy Apple stuff just to have the latest whatever.
Monkeying with that seems like it might be a bad idea. Raising the expectation that a product [I]has[/I] to be updated every six months is also a dangerous road IMO.
While we could all discuss how valid the opinion if an analyst is ad infiniteum, it does raise bring something up I've been thinking about.
Can we agree that the iPad 4th generation release was our of left field? Let us also suppose that the iPad is the only decent, emphasis on decent, tablet out there with proper manufacturer support, in terms of OS updates and user experience.
If Apple starts revising its products more frequently than the annual basis we were use to before iPad 4, does it risk devaluing its own brand?
If Apple starts revising its products more frequently than the annual basis we were use to before iPad 4, does it risk devaluing its own brand?
Judging from the number of people that still buy the previous generation model of phone or pad even though a new model is about to arrive, I'd have to say "no". People either don't care or they are not aware. Either way it seems to point to a non problem.
Of course the media could always make it a problem.
Judging from the number of people that still buy the previous generation model of phone or pad even though a new model is about to arrive, I'd have to say "no". People either don't care or they are not aware. Either way it seems to point to a non problem.
That's not for you (us) to decide, though. It's for the resellers to decide the valuation.
And if you'll notice, resell values have dropped by 30-40% since the Intel transition. They held their value for far longer before.
That's not for you (us) to decide, though. It's for the resellers to decide the valuation.
And if you'll notice, resell values have dropped by 30-40% since the Intel transition. They held their value for far longer before.
He/she was asking if it devalues the "brand". The Intel transition didn't devalue Apples brand, people are buying more Macs than ever before and Apple is still in the top 5 for brand recognition.
Based on people continuing to buy right up to the introduction of a new product I was putting my money on "no" because [a lot of] people don't seem to care that Apple is introducing a new product, for whatever reason.
Over time that could change and/or the media could make people care.
Man, Apple is all over the shop. Not good. Glad I'm switching to Android.
Odd comment. What does "all over the shop mean" and why does this make you glad to switch to Android? Because they have such a singular focus, I guess.
This report is nice fodder for speculation but it's all a little loose and based on speculation of what we think is the release cycle and then tatters of comments from suppliers... There's no official release cycle and we've only accepted some particular rough dates by connecting dots of previous releases.
iPhone gets released October for a while doesn't mean it will always be released then. That goes double for a product that's fresh and new.
Even the iPad has had an "out of cycle" release but those who feel betrayed only feel that way because they think that Apple has some covenant to release on their schedule.
He/she was asking if it devalues the "brand". The Intel transition didn't devalue Apples brand, people are buying more Macs than ever before and Apple is still in the top 5 for brand recognition.
Part of brand value is resell value.
Otherwise Android and Sony have the same brand value as Apple in their respective categories.
I hope it is true. I'm jonesing for a retina mini. But if not, I will get a new iPad 4/5 and give my iPad 3 to my wife or kids. Hard to go back to non retina...
I hope it is true. I'm jonesing for a retina mini. But if not, I will get a new iPad 4/5 and give my iPad 3 to my wife or kids. Hard to go back to non retina...
I'm wondering if Apple would have 2 models... retina and non retina... spreading out the pricing even more.
I Apple can pull of a Retina Display in the Mini without making it thicker or heaver, it would be a smash hit...
Heck it already is a smash hit.... It would have to be a super duper smash hit....
I personally think a Retina Mini is about a ear away. This is based only on the pace at which battery energy density has been improving over the last few years....
They are banking on the idea that Apple is moving to a roughly six month schedule based on this Fall update, rather than it being assign they are shifting the yearly update.
And they could be correct.
But I find it suspect when they start adding new companies as suppliers without any justification of why said company is a possible contender.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by BoxMacCary
Does this mean the schedule's now thus ....?
PRODUCT RELEASE MONTH
iPadMini March
iPad October
I hate to think so, 'cause I skipped iPad 3 & 4 because of the weight & the long charge times.
If I have to wait until October 2013 for iPad 5,
then that means I'll be stuck using a 2-generation old iPad for almost another year ....
I mean, don't get me wrong -- my iPad 2 has served me quite well.
It even runs the latest graphically intensive [like the highly disappointing "Modern Combat 4", for example
& presumably, "Real Racing 3"] games flawlessly.
It's just that, you know ....
If I don't have the latest iPad, I feel left out, somehow.
Plus, 2 1/2 years using the same iPad's wayyy too long.
My guess will be a iPad4s first before a new mini. Tim Cook may update both in April with mini as a minor update. iPad5 can be smaller (there is a lot of border) and lighter using the same styling as iPhone 5 and mini. If they can make the high powered iPad operating with less heat, it would be ideal.
The binary argument that Apple lags Android has some merit but only if you view Android as one phone, which of course is nonsensical. In the real world, Android is a series of manufacturers with overlapping feature sets, each with a similar 'lag' compared to their competitors in the Android space. It's impossible for one phone to have everything at any one moment in time.
While releasing a new model soon wouldn't be unprecedented for Apple, it's still not something they do often. The only time I recall them releasing a new model within 3-4 months of another is with the iMac G5/iMac Intel (October and December, I believe). But that was a chip switch, so it probably is an outlier.
Starting development now could mean a May or, most likely, June release to have it ready for the summer school buying season. I see that as totally possible.
Wouldn't the fact that Apple could update any product you buy from them in less than half a year be a [B]negative[/B] in terms of the buying decision? Apple has always sold "the next cool thing" of "the latest cool thing." If you can't be sure you're going to have the latest model for any longer than a few months what's the point?
I know people are going to argue that it's really about what product fits your needs and not what's cool or trendy, but people aren't rational. A lot of folks [I]do[/I] buy Apple stuff just to have the latest whatever.
Monkeying with that seems like it might be a bad idea. Raising the expectation that a product [I]has[/I] to be updated every six months is also a dangerous road IMO.
According my sources, Sammy still produces crap.
Why does anyone believe analysts anymore. Don't investors know analysts are analysts because they failed at their own businesses.
Can we agree that the iPad 4th generation release was our of left field?
Let us also suppose that the iPad is the only decent, emphasis on decent, tablet out there with proper manufacturer support, in terms of OS updates and user experience.
If Apple starts revising its products more frequently than the annual basis we were use to before iPad 4, does it risk devaluing its own brand?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ombra2105
If Apple starts revising its products more frequently than the annual basis we were use to before iPad 4, does it risk devaluing its own brand?
Judging from the number of people that still buy the previous generation model of phone or pad even though a new model is about to arrive, I'd have to say "no". People either don't care or they are not aware. Either way it seems to point to a non problem.
Of course the media could always make it a problem.
Originally Posted by rsdofny
iPad5 can be smaller (there is a lot of border)…
You don't get it at all.
Originally Posted by island hermit
Judging from the number of people that still buy the previous generation model of phone or pad even though a new model is about to arrive, I'd have to say "no". People either don't care or they are not aware. Either way it seems to point to a non problem.
That's not for you (us) to decide, though. It's for the resellers to decide the valuation.
And if you'll notice, resell values have dropped by 30-40% since the Intel transition. They held their value for far longer before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
That's not for you (us) to decide, though. It's for the resellers to decide the valuation.
And if you'll notice, resell values have dropped by 30-40% since the Intel transition. They held their value for far longer before.
He/she was asking if it devalues the "brand". The Intel transition didn't devalue Apples brand, people are buying more Macs than ever before and Apple is still in the top 5 for brand recognition.
Based on people continuing to buy right up to the introduction of a new product I was putting my money on "no" because [a lot of] people don't seem to care that Apple is introducing a new product, for whatever reason.
Over time that could change and/or the media could make people care.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sr2012
Man, Apple is all over the shop. Not good. Glad I'm switching to Android.
Odd comment. What does "all over the shop mean" and why does this make you glad to switch to Android? Because they have such a singular focus, I guess.
This report is nice fodder for speculation but it's all a little loose and based on speculation of what we think is the release cycle and then tatters of comments from suppliers... There's no official release cycle and we've only accepted some particular rough dates by connecting dots of previous releases.
iPhone gets released October for a while doesn't mean it will always be released then. That goes double for a product that's fresh and new.
Even the iPad has had an "out of cycle" release but those who feel betrayed only feel that way because they think that Apple has some covenant to release on their schedule.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sr2012
@ddawson I just don't have that confidence in Apple anymore.
That says more about you than it does about Apple.
Originally Posted by island hermit
He/she was asking if it devalues the "brand". The Intel transition didn't devalue Apples brand, people are buying more Macs than ever before and Apple is still in the top 5 for brand recognition.
Part of brand value is resell value.
Otherwise Android and Sony have the same brand value as Apple in their respective categories.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
I hope it is true. I'm jonesing for a retina mini. But if not, I will get a new iPad 4/5 and give my iPad 3 to my wife or kids. Hard to go back to non retina...
I'm wondering if Apple would have 2 models... retina and non retina... spreading out the pricing even more.
Well,
I Apple can pull of a Retina Display in the Mini without making it thicker or heaver, it would be a smash hit...
Heck it already is a smash hit.... It would have to be a super duper smash hit....
I personally think a Retina Mini is about a ear away. This is based only on the pace at which battery energy density has been improving over the last few years....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Part of brand value is resell value.
Otherwise Android and Sony have the same brand value as Apple in their respective categories.
So you are saying that you think a change in the release schedule will devalue Apple's brand?
They are banking on the idea that Apple is moving to a roughly six month schedule based on this Fall update, rather than it being assign they are shifting the yearly update.
And they could be correct.
But I find it suspect when they start adding new companies as suppliers without any justification of why said company is a possible contender.