“As Apple has scheduled an event on March 7, sources from its upstream supply chain pointed out that the company is expected to launch two iPad 3 models – a 16GB version and 32GB version,” Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report for DigiTimes.
“In addition to iPad 3, Apple is also expected to unveil an 8GB iPad 2,” Lee and Tsai report.
Read more in the full article here.
In a related article today, Max Wang and Joseph Tsai report for DigiTimes, “With Apple reportedly set to release an 8G iPad 2 at a price range between US$349-399, it should place even more pressure on non-Apple tablet PC players.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Most people, if we had to guess, would find that 32GB is more than enough. Sure, there will always be some (but maybe not enough in Apple’s eyes) who want to take as much of their media as possible with them. Maybe Apple learned something about customers’ buying/usage habits with the first two iPad models that precludes the need to produce an iPad larger than 32GB? iCloud, iTunes Match, etc. also help, of course.
Imagine if Apple could hit $299 for the 8GB iPad 2 model; forget about baths, the streets themselves would run red with the blood of Apple’s roadkill.
Whatever it is, just make a right move for “Good”, you Apple guys ^^
An 8 GB iPhone is fine, an 8 GB iPad doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I have a 16 GB model and I’m routinely having to manually trim my app count. Many of the decent games on the iPad are upwards of 500 MB. Throw in a couple of those, 1-2 videos and a healthy music library and 8 GB (or what’s left of the 8 when you count the system software and default iOS apps) would be crushed with very little effort.
Don’t see this happening.
I tend to agree with you TheMacAdvocate. 16 GB is barely enough. Though I guess at $299 I could see some light users getting one as a starter device and upgrading later.
I also agree, 8gb is not near enough, and I doubt Apple could get it anywhere near $299.
Think about this, does it sound like apple to make crippled barely running products
ehem… 8Gb will be marketed for schools
I agree. When we take long flights, we nearly fill our 32 GB iPad with video. We have to sacrifice some music for it, but that hasn’t been too much of a problem.
I suspect that the 64 GB iPad 3 will happen, but “at launch” it will be 16 GB and 32 GB. Why would that be? I don’t know, but there is another article on MDN saying that iPad 3 supplies will initially be constrained. It could be that Apple, as MDN speculates, knows that the 16 GB and 32 GB sell the most. So they may have prioritized those for the initial release.
Since we will have two iPads when I get the iPad 3, a 32 GB should be fine since we will have 64 GB total. Still I’d like a 64 GB. I’ll see what they announce.
I doubt this rumor, as technology rarely goes backwards in terms of capacity. More likely is a 16GB iPad2, with 32 and 64 GB new iPad3 models. Why create a new 8GB SKU?
8Gb is for schools
Won’t happen. Book it.
I wouldn’t buy a 16 or 32 gb iPad. if it doesn’t come in 64gb, I will stick withy iPad original.
It doesn’t make sense that Apple would come out with a 64gb iPhone 4s and then stop making 64gb iPads.
Please make an 128 GB or even better 256 GB iPad 3. There is not always high speed connection available! No matter if it costs 999 or 1099 or so. Some people like me need it.
+1
I would pay essentially any price for a 128 GB model and retina screen, but I will not buy a 32 GB model…ever.
Not having at least 64 GBs would be the KING of disappointments, and would make me begin to call into question the change in leadership for the first time. This cannot happen.
3
8gb iPad 2 is pointless, to much machine for that little storage..
100% Bogus Falsehood. Foxconn hasn’t been making iPad 2s since December. Anyone who thinks iPad 3 manufacturing capacity is being compromised by the continued making of last year’s model is high on drugs. Plus given the 64GB iPhone 4S, it’s also likely there will be a 128GB iPad 3 offered since larger files go hand in hand with the Retina display and from iPhone 4S to iPad 3 for editing.
Hmmmm…. an 8 GB iPad. The schools would inhale these!!!
You are right on!
May not be useful for personal use, but schools and corporate use would explode, we will be buying 50 plus iPads and ATV,s this summer, for a hotel, will be buying the least expensive model out there!
Apple is known to make academic models of products.
No 64 GB? Better be an error! I use way more than 32 GB. How could the decrease capacity on a brand new model? Prepare for a lot of peeved customers if true!
No way there’s not gonna be a 64GB model. Especially since the Retina Display will attract hi res photos=bigger files.
Easy answer = Build to order
I have two iPad 2s, both are 64. I wouldn’t consider anything less.
The bulk of the cost for an iPad is not the memory. Apple make more from a 64GB than a 32GB since the memory does not cost them $100 per 32GB.
If Apple release a 128GB model then they will price the same as the 64GB. That may not happen yet since memory costs could still be too high.
If so the price may go down a bit or Apple could keep the iPad2 at 16GB to fill in the $399 price point. That would put more pressure on the fires and tabs for this world.
My guess is that the line up will stay the same and we will get a new form factor with enhanced display and processor.
Apple tends to split advances into 2 releases so that the cost in manufacturing is spread out more. The retina display will cost more and so they are unlikely to add more memory until the display cost goes down.
Guys this is false…it comes from Digitimes! No need to freak out.
+1
I completely agree.
Come on, with 4 times the resolution, ALL the pictures, movies and graphics are going to be much larger.
Storage will require more memory. There is a good chance the amount of RAM is going to be increased.
I don’t believe the rumors of Apple eliminating a 64GB model for a second. Consider the video content that people carry around with them. Are they going to introduce this capability in iCloud to store movies? I doubt it considering the sheer size of video files. I want mine stored locally and I think most people do. Cutting out the 64GB model would be foolish, and I don’t think Apple would do that.
All indications from the new model numbers being bandied about is that there will be a 16, 32, and 64 version.
With ibooks now commanding large chunks of memory and after 2 years it’s logical or at least desirable for more memory… And as premium release… Then I would expect the highest dollar item available not a cheaper model.
Bogus Bull By Blowhard Bastards
Completely Categorically Correct, Commendable Companion.
Dudes Decidedly Disagreeing Deemed Dangerous; Daaaaaaaaang.
Well, we have only purchased 64GB models for our organization. It has to do with the sheer volume of certain types of data we manage with the devices. I suppose, if necessary, we can adjust how we do business. However, my current 64GB iPad 2 has about 30 gigs of space remaining. So, in theory, I would have already filled up the 32GB.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Perhaps some educational and business and retail (restaurants, department stores, etc.) do not need their iPads to have games and movies and music for their users to accomplish the required tasks.
Especially with WIFI to communicate within the campus, mall, store, or building(s) to a central data source or the “cloud”.
No Angry Birds or Words with Friends???
Arnold Ziffel told me – and I have no reason to not believe him – that there will be a 1TB model forthcoming. I will be in line with him to buy one.
I’m sure you are correct.
You just may have to wait quite a while in line. 😉
Producing a 64GB iPad 3 version would have to be very expensive with the reported increase in prices. AAPL will have a new lower priced model to reach more buyers so I’m guessing they don’t want to have an iPad any higher than the current models. An increase in price in iPad 3’s will be absorbed a bit,at least by perception, if the highest priced iPad stays the same. If they replace the iPad 2 64GB with a similarly priced 32GB iPad 3 it all looks good. It’s pricing more than people needing a 64GB model. AAPL is all about marketing. It’s all about pricing. It’s all about the money. They’re not this big because they have Sony marketing people! I’m long AAPL.
Don’t be stupid. The price of memory for a 64Gb model will have already dropped due to the vast amounts Apple can buy. There is no way I can see that Apple would drop back to a 32Gb. If they do then they’ve lost me as a first time iPad customer. I’ll be using it with mapping and navigation apps, and those make up a large part of the 12Gb of app’s on my 32Gb iP4. I will want at least 64Gb on a Pad, and hopefully 128Gb on the iP5 when it comes out. I have over 100Gb of music on my Classic, there’s nothing like enough space for the music I’d like to carry on my iP4.
Goodness, stupid? I don’t even know you fuckhead. Memory has nothing to do with it genius. It has been rumored that Apple will up the price by $80 per model. I would guess its the retina display but it really doesn’t matter, if they are going to raise the price on all iPad 3’s then that’s what they are going to do. Read, or have someone read it to you, my comment again. I was just commenting. But now, I am able to comment and make you look like the dumbass you are in front of everyone. Guess you should be a little more cautious in the future asshole.
All you did was make yourself look even more stupid. No need to be an asshole.
32 is not acceptable! Is Apple about marketing that betrays loyal customers?
Those are just rumors. Let’s see what Apple finally descides.
BTW MDN take is moronic. MDN sais that Apple behaving like Microsoft, Intel, hp etc. Is perfectly fine … when it’s done by Apple. MDN are basically complete idiots, I stil remember their very disappointed take after the iP4S release last year … and about face soon.
No doubt Apple will do what they conceder best option. The interesting thing is that many others are on their tail and actually catching up. Will Apple slow iPad HW development? Interesting to see. I see Samsung catching up on the phone market … and likely overtaking iPhone in future.
The 8 gb iPad 2 comes with walk-in closets.
No way. I have more than 32 G on my 64 g iPad 1. I don’t want to do house cleaning on my IPad every few weeks. I want to use it, not baby it!
If anything, it will be 8 and 16 iPad 2’s with 16, 32 and 64 iPad 3’s to cover all markets / consumer demands. I don’t expect 128 or 256 yet as the price points would mean extremely poor sales volumes.
However, given the push towards cloud services, it’s not inconceivable that there will be a drive at some stage to move more content to the cloud, reducing device memory requirements and cost.