“Apple’s iPad lineup is now on a twice-a-year refresh cycle, according to a new rumor, which pegs both the full-size iPad and iPad mini as due for updates in March,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider. “Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets said his checks with industry sources at this week’s CES event in Las Vegas, Nev., indicated both the fifth-generation iPad and second-generation iPad mini will debut this March, just five months after the last update was announced.”
“White was told that the new “iPad 5″ will be lighter and thinner than the fourth-generation model Apple released late last year,” Hughes reports. “As for the iPad mini, White said the second-generation device is expected to have the same form factor. A new model would likely just have upgraded components… ”
Read more in the full article here.
Same form factor for the next iPad full size version does sound logical. As for the iPad-Mini Retina is obviously going to be the next step no surprise in that area.
No a retina display on a mini, even a year from now, would be a HUGE surprise as it wouldn’t really work and (more importantly) it would comprise the best features of the mini
Too many iPad updates! Sounds a little crazy to me. But good deals for refurb buyers will abound. Apple sells the refurbished iPad 3 for $379, and it will be even cheaper when the iPad 5 comes out. Many people probably don’t even know that the iPad 4 ever existed. 😀
Yeah but it pretty well knocks down the update naysayers another couple pegs. Once a year is fine by me too but twice a year in a way gets rid of the “but I just bought one” syndrome since you know another is just around the corner anyway and you can wait indefinitely. There’s no such thing as a final version of anything so just jump in, enjoy, and then upgrade again in a couple of years.
Its the “upgrade again” part that pisses me off. My freaking 1st gen iPad is not even 3 years old and Apple dropped support of it only 18 months after its EOL and its slow and laggy.
Ridiculous !!
I will wait to see how long it takes Apple to dump iOS upgrade support on iPad 2 before I decide if I will ever buy another Apple product again.
I have my first gen ipad also, bought it in the first week it was available. 3 years is a long long time. Get a new one and stop complaining. No one made you buy it in the first place. I use mine as a dedicated pandora music box in my garage, and it works great at that. Plus I still can check my e-mail, and message people too…
Now, now. That isn’t nice. You and I can afford to buy new iPads,iPhones, iMacs,iPods,MacBook Pros, Mac Minis and the most important product from Cupertino, the Mac Pro. But not everyone can. And Larry makes a good point about losing support for the original iPad. Not everyone makes their living with Macs like you and I. Oh you don’t? Oh I see, you’re just an amateur. Now I understand.
Please explain how “Apple dropped support for your first generation iPad.” Do you mean that you cannot install the most recent version of iOS? Do you mean that you cannot use some of the new functions enabled in the newer versions? If so, then wake up to reality, because that’s life in consumer electronics. Until Apple came along you pretty much got what you bought and that was it. Apple was the first company of its type of which I am aware to consistently improve product functionality and performance for some time *after* those products are sold. For instance, your first generation iPad can probably run iOS 4 – several generations beyond the iOS version with which it was shipped. Those upgrades to iOS provided you with functionality that did not exist when you purchased the device. You apparently thought that it was worth the money when you originally bought the iPad, and it got even better. That’s a bonus in my book.
To me, “dropping support” in the electronics industry means that a company no longer supplies bug fixes or security updates or patches to drivers in a way that tends to rapidly compromise the usefulness of the device in question. Do you believe that this is the case? If. So, please elaborate.
Google’s army of “whisper down the lane” bloggers has been called out in full to attempt to quell the tsunami of sales of the iPad (and mini) and iPhone. Just another in a long string of google lies. Don’t fall for it. This is the same nonsense as the “there is a cheaper iPhone coming” (no there isn’t, Phil Schiller just made a statement to that fact) it is simply intended to cause the public to be uncertain enough to stop (or delay) them from purchasing the apple product that they really want. Even if it just delays purchases 6 mo or a year it has served them well.
Android is declining in us market share and is about to rapidly get that declining share cut in half (there was a real (major) open source alternative mobil OS announces at CES. Considering the patent problems and security issues google will be lucky to keep half of the OEM install’s)
You’re all chasing moonbeams. A twice a years product refresh cycle is not sustainable.
tbone speaks the voice of sanity.
The iPad 3-4 transition represented an embarrassing planning/execution glitch, not an acceleration in release schedule. Expect the iPad 5 to be released no sooner than autumn 2013 — if the taught & extended supply chain can support it.
Speaking of supply chain & outsourcing fiascos, how about the flood of new iMacs? Let us hope that Cook’s recent visit to China was to cut ties with nonperforming suppliers.
Baloney. Secret industry sources at CES just happen to know Apple’s plans?
I think it’s more likely monkeys fly out of his butt than he’s right.
For the full size iPad to have roughly 3 upgrades in a year would be product suicide! Especially for the mini, it just launched. If they were ready with a retina display for it, they would have launched it with it.
“A new model would likely just have upgraded components… “
What do they expect on a new model? Are they expecting tail fins? bells, whistles? 3D? anti-lock brakes?
Upgraded components may make a difference but these iProducts are great already. Those who want quad processors and huge RAM counts don’t realize that most software available doesn’t use it and most new software will never use it either. Putting a higher res display will not improve the mini because its pixels are so small that they are nearly Retina class already.
Nope, not buying this. Mini will no be upgraded until Fall. Regular not until June or later. My guess.
I agree with Carl. The iPad lineup will be refreshed before Christmas time, but not much sooner. Instead, look for Apple’s new Radio service on iOS and the new Apple TV.