“Apple’s release of another new iPad this year has many scratching their heads,” Lance Whitney reports for CNET. “But Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty sees method behind the madness.”
“First, the 3rd-generation iPad, which the analyst calls a ‘stale product,’ could have seen its sales cannibalized by the cheaper iPad Mini,” Whitney reports. “Second, sales for the 3rd-gen iPad were not as high as expected, which Huberty blamed on limited improvements over the iPad 2. Adding the A6 chip to the iPad 4 doubles the new tablet’s performance, which at least ‘partially addresses that issue.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Limited improvements? Anybody who’s even glanced at them, much less owned both the iPad 2 and the iPad with Retina display (3rd gen), understands how stupid that sounds.
Whitney reports, “And finally, Apple may have relied on experience in pushing out a new iPad. The company refreshed the original iPod when it released smaller versions, which the analyst says ‘accelerated growth.'”
More reasons in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Brilliant !
Limited improvements, BS. “CAN’T MAKE THEM FAST ENOUGH FOR THOSE WHO WANTED THEM” CAUSED LESS-THAN-EXPECTED SALES–nothing more, nothing less.
Apple needed to upgrade because no one in their right mind would buy an ipad with the old connector when they know it will be replaced. So they put the A6 in. So?
I agree. they wanted this transition over and done with unstressed of staggering ing it out. Plus, an incentive to buy the more expensive model and limit self cannibalization. I think it was a smart move.
Now the question of when it be refresheshed. Next October?
My plan for iPads was the same as iPhone, buy every other model. I planned to get the 7th gen iPhone in the fall of 2013 and the 5th gen iPad in spring 2014. I’ll still buy an iPad in 2014 but I don’t know what generation it’ll be or when (spring vs fall).
I think it has more to do with consolidating the “staggered” release of iOS hardware. ( and helps with software also ).
What would it be like it Apple updated the HW specs of the 11 inch MacBook Air, then waited 6 months to update the 13 inch Air? The 11 easily out performing the 13? No, No, No. Not Pretty.
Helps with the ordering/supply of parts too. The top cpu slides down to the next device without to much supply chain disruption. And it happens only once a year. Mo Money.
Exactly… Doesn’t seem too mysterious to me either.
This is the reason why, all other reasons are secondary.
This should have been obvious to the CNET writer.
Where do they get these Bozos? Certainly not from the ranks of MDN readers.
bluejay you are spot on.
Added functionality for mobile, then meet & beat the so-called competition. Obvious.
No, If you have iPad 3
Umm. Christmas season? Releasing new items now will get peoples attention for the Christmas shopping season.
I expect part of the reason is that there will be new models from android being release this year. Adding the A6 now makes it much harder for them to compete and makes it harder for them release better speced devices before christmas.
Yup, it is ALL about the new connector. Who wants to buy all new peripherals ? Once they signaled a change this was a given.
iPad is a mature product now. Incremental updates are to be expected. iPad 5 in February? Maybe.
No. 😉
i bet the A6X will be a quad core graphics GPU which means the iphone A6 CPU’s are manufacturing rejects
you rarely get a perfect CPU in production and manufacturers are always disabling parts of the CPU/GPU and selling it as a lower end model.
apple is a master at it and I bet it just took a while for A6 yields to ramp up to where they can ship an ipad 4. meanwhile the GPU’s with only 3 usable cores are enough to run the iphone’s smaller screen
I don’t think so. The A6 only has 3 cores, not 4 with one disabled.
You are right about the A6X, it HAS a quad-core graphics processor.
you are thinking of the previous case with AppleTv
where Apple used rejected processors in a product that did not require the full brut power of the A4.
I would love to see Apple LEVEL the products all to have the same processor but option on number of cores.
For Apple to offer in the same year the line of products like this – Example:
iPhone with a A7 (quad or dual)
iPad with A7 (quad or dual)
AppleTv with a A7 also (quad or dual)
iPadMini with a A7 also (quad or dual)
“Limited improvement”???!!!
Yeah, only improved the one most important part of a tablet, the screen, so that it renders print quality images and text. Yep, that’s “limited”.
Were there sam$ung parts in the iPad third gen? If so, I don’t blame them for dropping the third gen immediately. With sam$ung talking about suddenly cancelling contracts with Apple, it would make sense.
Yes I dont think these 2 pieces of news are unconnected. New orders of screens from Samsung are quite small now, enough I suspect to pretty much only cover the older models still in production and replacements screens.
I believe Apple is converging the releases into two camps and placing them before the holidays. I bet no new products until the end of 2013.
Music/Entertainment and Computers. iMacs, MacBooks, Airs, and iPads are computers. iPods, TV, and iPhone are entertainment. iPhone is an iPod touch with a phone.
So, basically, she doesn’t have a clue.
When DID Huberty have a clue? She is one of the worst Apple analysts writing.
To have a new product ahead of Windows8 and the Surface?
Hmmm. A shot across the bow?
It’s simple the reason Apple launch a new iPad now. Look at Apple’s history. iPod when first introduced the release was in the first half of the year. Then as the market matured it was moved to the fall. iPhone first introduced in the first half of the year now, it’s matured it’s release is in the fall. iPad first introduced in the spring now that it’s matured it’s been moved to the fall. So, now that Apple has shifted the iPad to the fall what does that mean? It means that in the first half of 2013 (more likely 2014) Apple will likely introduce a stunning new product now that the new product release window is clear.
It will be interesting to see what Apple has up it’s sleeve.
The first iPod was released October 23, 2001, so yesterday was the 11th anniversary. Odd that no one mentioned that at the event. Then they switched to spring releases for 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen. 3rd Gen Rev 2 moved to fall and I got mine on October 17, 2003. 40GB for $499!
Demon : see Angelus520 for the “correct history of the iPod”. You sir are wrong.
It’s also possible that there could have been people holding off on iPad purchases seeing how the iPhone 5 has the A6 and the iPad mini has the A5. This also allows Apple to sync up all iOS devices so that next year the iPhone can get the “A7,” iPad 5 gets the A7X while the iPod touch gets the A6 and the iPad mini gets the A6 (or A6X if it has a retina display).
Upgrading the iPad due to the connector and A6, makes sense.
I wonder though if this also nicely sets up the iPad to now be refreshed in the fall with the iPods. On the flip side, perhaps the iPhone moves back to the early summer like in the past, so there is some separation in the product releases. Assuming the next one is simply the iPhone 5S, it should not be hard to get it ready early. The iPad seems like more of a “holiday gift” product than the iPhone anyways, since you don’t need to set up cell service.
They had better NOT name the next iPhone the 5S. The 5 and S look so similar you’ll immediately see the haters calling it “iPhone SS”, “iPhone nazi” and similar slanders, and compare the walled-garden approach to concentration camps.
You wouldn’t think something so simple as this would cause problems, but remember the vast majority of people are far too easily influenced by emotion, and let it override rational thinking.
” analyst calls a ‘stale product,’ ”
if it’s so stale, why does iPad continue to blow the competition away?
simple answer – because there is no competition.
deeper answer – because Apple is dominating the market. they only requires to marginally update iPad to remain interesting to consumers.
best answer – The new product comes at the wishes of us and not for asinine analysts.
Aside from the Samsung contracts etc.;
Cook said, “People love their iPads”, so any thing new is welcoming to Apple fans and users. Big or Small.
Long Live Apple.
Yes, why would any technology company upgrade their hardware. Bizarre!
If it was perfect from the start then no need for improvements.
The weird thing is they are still selling the iPad 2 with the old 30 pin. I’m surprised they didn’t change that as well. This adds fragmentation to the iPad line from this point on. I’m guessing they will see how iPad mini sales go before they discontinue the iPad 2 for good.
Not really agree with your comment as fragmentation is a minor issue to Apple.
Those older iPads all play well with tones of software and loads of still available hardware that connect to the 30 pin connector. So depending on your situation I think your mention of fragmentation is not right point here. Plus for most situations one can still upgrade the OS.
Comparing fragmentation on Android / Samsung devices
the SOFTWARE… does not run on most of the devices still being INTRODUCED as NEW which run 2.23… ie (Galaxy Ace) and the devices are dead end SINCE you can not upgrade the os at all.
How dare Samsung cheat the consumers this way?
A useless basic but claimed as new product. Obsolete the day it is purchased?
BUY APPLE – more reliable – more milage for your buck
A lot of Pro Audio uses for the old iPad connector (mixing boards, DJ consoles, etc.) so I hope they keep it around for a while or I’ll just need to pick up an iPad (early 2012) while they last.
Dont think iPad 2 will last too long past Christmas. Be interesting what will then be the cheaper option if any, maybe they feel with the mini they don’t need one for the full size model any longer. We shall see.
Come February 2013, iPad will be offered as
a QUAD CORE A6 and as a DUAL CORE A6X (seen now)
the introduction of this early shows Apple is willing to increase the speeds technology arrives to its products to REMAIN ahead.
Happy to see – iPad 1, 2 and 3 to be removed soon from the line up.
Once the new dock connector was announced – the strategic change would be across all product lines.
The other issue is the need to sort out the 4G compatibility in all its various forms across the globe. I would not have bought the iPad3 even if I had the money because the 4G didn’t work in the UK and upgardes need to be more than a ‘bump’. The mini is potentially as different a product as the touch and the phone.
hey, sorry, about iMac.
Now with the iMac, it no longer has a optical disc.
would you expect the keyboard then to no longer have an EJECT button?
What fans, analysts and people in the industry always fail to realize is that the general public does not care about ANY of this. The iPad is sold by friends to friends…. I see what you have and I want one. Period.
The IPad mini lowers the entry fee to the club just enough to allow more people in…the right people… Apples target demographic are friends with others in the same demographic profile.
Expect huge sales of the mini and the new iPad… There is a sales force of 400 million out there selling them daily..,,
The new port and faster processor. That’s why.
They wanted Lightning to strike twice.
It’s all about he Lightening cable. With the new iPad Mini, iPods and iPhone using them, they needed continuity in the product line for peripheral manufacturers. The A6X processor was just added gravy.
Then, why did they keep the iPad 2 around at $399?
I mean they should at least give it Lightning and an A5 boost, but everything else the same. So it’s more like the 3rd Gen, but non-retina…. A 10″ w/mini guts.
The iPad 3 with retina display would cannibalize the iPad 4, so they dropped that model and kept the iPad 2 with the same screen resolution as the iPad Mini around