“Much to the chagrin of Apple aficionados, October 10 came and went and the press did not receive an invitation to the presumed launch of the company’s smaller iPad model. It was widely reported the original date of the event was to occur on Wednesday, October 17. The new expectation is for invitations to come out this week, with the event occurring Tuesday, October 23rd,” Don Sears writes for Fortune.
“So what happened this time? My guess is Microsoft happened,” Sears writes. “Apple’s event is now rumored to be two days before the respective Windows 8 and Surface tablet launches. Is this is coincidence? No way. Not in my opinion.”
Sears writes, “By moving the date a week, Apple stands to gain more media and consumer traction against its longest-standing rival… Microsoft needs to take charge of its own destiny with Surface and Windows 8. But on the week of October 22nd, expect Apple to dominate our collective ears, eyes and social media streams.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Genius move by Apple’s Tim Cook and Phil Schiller!
Related article:
Apple’s ‘iPad mini’ to obliterate Microsoft’s Windows 8, Surface RT tablet launches – October 13, 2012
Somehow I doubt it. MS is not really a threat to iPad hegemony. And the enemy of my enemy and all that.
Fully disagree. It is the tablet market that has the potential to get Microsoft back into the mobile game! Just having an effective outlook or lotus notes app for e-mail would put a big dent into Apple. Apple iOS integration with these two is very weak indeed, and a big need for enterprise. I think Cook and Co. understand this very deeply.
Yup.
Agreed. I think that MS will actually be fairly successful this time in the tablet space. They won’t surpass the iPad, but I definitely think they will be a very strong second place.
+1
Apple is trying to gain traction in industry where Microsoft is dominant.
While Surface will not be a Zune-esque failure, I’m not sure much traction the apps you cite will create in the consumer tablet market. I’m sure this Surface will get IT departments excited by the ease of deployment using their current software, so MS is probably going to do well in enterprise. I just don’t think making it more desktop-esque is going to be a draw for consumers, many of whom seem to enjoy the fact that it doesn’t seem like a computer, but an appliance.
I think Surface will do at least OK, but a “big dent” in Apple’s tablet share? I’d be surprised by that.
Agreed. But for different reasons. I think the date really has to do with a last minute design change and an uncertainty about when the first units will ship. An extra week will give them time to assess ship dates. That being said, it’s getting awfully close to the holiday season to release.
Turning Microsoft’s event into The Big Yawn. Hilarious! I can hear Ballmer’s “D’Oh!” now while chomping down on a donut and throwing a chair.
I’m not sure how exciting it would have been but the media storm that will follow the launch of a whole new iPad will crush the coverage for all other technology companies combined for at least a few weeks.
Maybe Balmer should stock up on chairs.
Who is going to buy ipad mini? What would happen to regular ipad sales? Now tell me who is screwed up, apple or MS?? 😉
MS
Yep. That was an easy question.
I think proposed wind ups need a little more finesse.
apple is screwed up
NO……Gupta is screwed up!
@ ashoka
NO, you are fucked up.
i see that the Paan Munching, Chicken Curry eating, Maruti driving, Slum Dog living Gupta is back. and i see that he has forgoten the Zune failure against the apple ipod 🙂 same fate will happen to the MS surface tablet :):) muhaha
@ snoop dog
I see that the dog shit eater, brainless pig is back. 😉
And it has been documented that the majority of Indians (the country) eat about 10 g of human fecal material a day.
Now who is the shit eater?
It’s odd, but I don’t remember any announcements or even mumblings from Apple about a date.
Agreed. Announcing a week earlier would still command the attention via apple to ms product comparisons. My guess is it was manufacturing delay. Remember the rumor about a last minute change to the mini that didn’t affect the cases?
Agree…Apple never announced the date and postponed it for a week later….But it is everyones guess and rumors. If you want to believe in rumors it is up to you. I would rather stick to facts!
You are correct.
If Apple does have something planned for Oct 23 then an announcement has to be made no later than tomorrow, Oct 15. A week’s notice isn’t much time. Which is why I’m dubious of all this. Doesn’t Apple usually give a lot more notice?
If nothing happens, I’m going to LMAO over the sheer idiocy of the Apple pundits and rumor mills.
No. A week ahead of the invite is standard for Apple’s limited audience event invitations.
This is a silly assumption. Apple work its announcements and doesn’t react like a small company would. It is a coincidence. Positioning that week is done when they are ready. No sooner. No later.
Exactly.
We uh workah hod on new teardrop computah. Symbolize our pain and shame for not remembering Americans to stupid to not point phone at sun.
Racist, misspelling (it’s “too”, not “to”) and moronic. A trifecta! Nice.
Beauty.
Sounded like a lame SNL skit I just watched.
Your post is hilarious.
1. There is no verb in the first sentence, actually there is no verb in your second sentence. Wait a minute, there is no verb in your third sentence. Talk about a pot calling the kettle black post.
-Butt weight, there’s more…
2. There are other words in the post you criticize that are not spelled properly . I sure hope you don’t expect to become a member of the grammar police leaving words like “computah” and “workah” unchecked.
3. The post may be racist and moronic but it’s accurate and hilarious too.
Have a great day.
Wow ! Look at you.
Everyone knows that Apple never does new product announcements on a Tuesday. This was done maliciously.
Talk about blindsiding Microsoft. Kicking them in the berries when they are down.
If Microsoft goes bankrupt in the next couple of years, it will all be Apple Inc’s fault.
“Apple never does new product announcements on a Tuesday?”
You must be new. When Apple relied on Macworld a few years ago, the Keynote/Product announcement was ALWAYS on a Tuesday.
“If Microsoft goes bankrupt in the next couple of years, it will all be Apple Inc’s fault.”
—
Hyperbole much?
Ballmer heading up Microsoft wouldn’t have a thing at all to do with it?
Window 8 “to die for”? More likely to be dead on arrival, from early reports. I seriously doubt they have improved things enough for a tablet to be ready for prime time in a few weeks. Kudos if they do pull it off.
Your “old and stale” is most of the world’s “tried and true”. I’ll take maturity anytime. (That’s why I haven’t upgraded to iOS6 and its very immature Maps yet.)
And you do realize, Mr. Kool Aid, that the “Agreed” from Scoob had absolutely nothing to do with either platform, just the timing (or lack thereof) of the announcement, right?
Grow up? Pfft…
I saw a Microsoft analyst who has been covering the company, pretty much since its inception, on CNBC this morning. He had nothing good to say about Windows 8. I haven’t read a positive article about Windows 8 yet. Must really suck? They are leaderless and clueless. And Balmer will keep them that way.
SJB if you live in the US, by all means upgrade and get the new maps. It totally smokes the previous maps. It’s dramatically faster, more responsive, uses far less data, smoother and more pleasant to zoom in and out and pan around and it has turn by turn which is exceedingly responsive and polished.
If you live in a non US country that Apple hasn’t mapped yet then waiting might be a better option for you.
Schadenfreude is a dish best served cold.
by moving the date until after October options expire and AAPL earnings are announced, it saves the options writers a lot of money on calls… then flip it an reverse it for november.
i have 3 option contracts expiring this Friday. What is the best day to sell them?
2 of the contracts are crushed and 1 is still very profitable. Basically thanks to Wallstreet’s FUD campaign I’ll just be breaking even at this point.
Aaaaaaand if that doesn’t come off the “new expectation” will be that a new announcement will come on the 30th …
This tech journalism stuff is easy!
So is this whole thing about new iPads and retina 13″ MBP just Bearish BA to drive the stock down? Ate the rumors true? Who the heck knows!
Surely Microsoft would be even happier if the new iPad comes out at the same time as Surface ?
After all, Microsoft proposes to open temporary stores close to Apple stores once Surface appears, so one would assume that direct comparisons of this nature fits well with their strategy ( which I like a lot ).
Wow…all this attention for a product Apple hasn’t even announced, and for an event that hasn’t been announced.
Heya
I think it would be a greater splash if they SOLD the IPAD MINI on the date Microsoft revealed their vaporware.
The coverage on the day of sale is far more than day of announcement …
Ha ha well played, sir!
If it works, then screw up Microsoft, Tim! We are on your side.
MDN! I have a Galaxy III ad at the top of the post. Have you no shame?
To me, the better – and scarier – explanation for 10/23 is to put the Mini in the same news cycle as the earnings report. If earnings are below expectations, the Mini news can counteract it.
Well let’s hope so. I am a little worried about earnings.