Apple May Be Planning A Holiday Release For Next iPad
Author: Brandon Zimmerman
Some rumors are swirling, quite unsubstantiated, that Apple may be breaking its own yearly release cycle by pushing for a holiday release for the next iPad. Traditionally, of course, Apple has its products on more or less yearly cycles, spreading the fun out over several events or sometimes furtively updating specs in the night. It’s worked well for them, because though it may be grueling for their engineers, it’s a known variable for them and the customers. It’s been a sort of assumption that the iPad would be subject to this same scheduled update, but that never sat well with me, especially after the introduction of the iPhone 4.
So these rumors come as no surprise; if I had “a person with proven knowledge,” I would have cited them with such a rumor months ago, whether they said so or not. It makes sense for a number of reasons.
1. The iPad is limited. Oh, put down your pitchforks. You know what I mean. I don’t think the iPad was ever meant to be a single device, but like their other computers, it was always going to be a range, with different sizes and slightly different specs. But the first thing was to put out one, in the hypothetical Goldilocks zone for tablets, and see if consumers bit. They did. Time to expand. Variety would be necessarily more restricted than the laptops, since the iOS platform is far more controlled, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a large, medium, and small. Those are things that will never confuse customers, and which provide easy prices to rally around. I suspect the iPad is the medium, with a 7″ and 11″ (or thereabouts) in the cards for the next year. iPad, iPad Pro, and iPad Mini. Or something.
2. The wolves are (kind of) at the door. They’re really small wolves, and the door is 3 million iPads thick, but they are scratching at it nonetheless. Being first to the market has definite benefits, but HP, Google, Motorola, Microsoft, Blackberry, and pretty much every other tech giant on the planet wants a piece of Apple, and although the iPad could likely stand alone on its strengths, there’s no reason to let it. A more compact iPad with a camera for FaceTime (and likely a few other minor improvements) would take the wind out of the competition’s sails — and sales, if only because it’s new and new sells.
3. They need FaceTime devices. Another rumor that showed up today is that Apple is expanding FaceTime to OS X and possibly Windows machines (developers are still waiting on that “open standard,” though). While the new iPod touch took some of the pressure off Apple to provide non-iPhone-4 FaceTime devices, it would be mighty strange if they left the iPad as the only non-compatible device for a whole year. Apple wants to make FaceTime a marquee feature of their products — simple, no-nonsense video chat on all their devices — and if the holiday season isn’t the time to push that, I don’t know what is. I can see it now: “A Very Special Apple Holiday Event,” with snow on the logo and everything. FaceTime for all, and to all a good night.
The original iPad, it seems reasonable to assume, will remain unchanged for the time being. What we’re looking at is a great opportunity for Apple to introduce a new product, not to unexpectedly update the original, an action which consumers might look on as kind of a bait and switch. I’d also guess that availability wouldn’t be until well after the holidays, which isn’t optimal for a gift-oriented release, but it’s better than nothing. Knowing there’s a new iPad in the near future might dampen your desire for a compact Android tablet or Palmpad.
Of course, this is all rumor and speculation, and of course it had to show up literally the day after I start considering buying one of these damn things, so to be honest I don’t know whether I even want to believe it.
Props to CrunchGear
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My need is a mid-size( about 6 inch display) and light (about 250g) device for people Who easily create and record their ideas by stylus and voice, meanwhile it can sync and share them via cloud ,certainly, this price is competitive. As a word, The current ipa is used as a consumption device, The next generation pad can act as a creative tool
they already have an iPad mini, it’s called an ipod touch…
I would consider a 7 inch ipad if it’s much lighter to hold for reading and browsing. The current one feels a bit to heavy to hold for an extended period of time.
Of course it does; Apple is trying to back themselves into being a VoiP player before either Skype, Google, or Cisco (via abuyout of Skype) can manage to lock up the market. Why do people not understand that controlling ecosystems lets you make money?
I have the iPad now but if they don’t put Flash in the next versions, I’m not going to buy one again.
How would you hold an iPad with a camera? Seems too awkward — especially for FaceTime.
Yeah! I noticed that and have wondered why no one called attention to it.
Yes, they are releasing an entire line of iPad’s. These will include the new 7″ iPad Septi, a 4.3″ iPad EVO, and the 15″, 3.4 lb. iPad Max. They will come with your choice of black and white or color displays. Built in keyboards and rabbit ear antenna for over the air TV capture will be standard.
That should keep the rumor mills fueled.
“They need FaceTime devices”
Says who? Facetime doesn’t appear to add anything to their bottom line, so why would they really give a shit if people use it?
I’m calling bullish*t on this. The iPad is already selling like hotcakes, and the holiday launch event is already over. It would be bad business to launch a new version now. Not a single credible competitor is even out yet!
Wishful thinking. Yeah I wish it were true too!
Developing for apple devices has a benefit in that one only has to test for iPad/iPhone, throwing in multiple device sizes might spice things up and add a little heartburn, making it a bit more similar to what developers face with android and multiple resolutions on a billion devices.
I bought an iPad at the launch in April to see if it is something that would be useful. Nothing extravagant-16GB Wifi. I sold it to a co-worker 3 months ago to get an iPhone 4. Why? Dual cameras, Facetime & the retina display. I knew it was only a matter of time before the iPad followed suit.
I’m betting they’ll be doing this for the holidays. What better way to tug on peoples hear string by showing them commercials where distant loved ones are able to connect via face time? Kids ripping open presents, military people, long distance relationships…It would be a smart move by apple.
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banned
You’ll also notice that Apple is running an add wherein the iPad uses a start tracking app. That requires a camera.
I’d agree with you. In my opinion, the iPod Touch is the smaller version. Apple tends to keep things simple in terms of product models. Another model would simply hurt their bottom line. Also consider this, how many articles have you read complaining the iPad is too big or too small? None that I know of. What could be released prior to Xmas is an updated model that takes advantage of that huge server farm they are building in NC and is said to be complete at the end of this year.
A 7″ model with airplay and a camera and I will finally take a bite of the Apple.
Google has been saying that their os is not suitable for tablets, I am sure all the new tablet coming this xmas were glad Google copped that,
I’ll tell ya, if I had bought an iPad, and then they suddenly released a superior product so quickly, I’d be spitting fireballs.
Of course, I’ve been waiting for a superior product to come out running either Android or WebOS. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting,…
I almost bought an iPad for my parents last weekend, because they’re on a trip this week, and there’s nothing else out right now that’s worth even half the price.
I expect iPad 2, with front facing camera, not sure about a back camera, to come out in March or April of 2011. They’ll stick with the 10inch, because they don’t want to look like they followed the other guys 7in tablets.
I did mention the digitizer, right? The iPad with a stylus can’t do inking nearly as well as my 5-year-old Toshiba tablet.
there are already stylus available for the ipad — for example “pogo sketch stylus” and there are a few more.