“Apple is expected to take the wraps off a new batch of iPads on Thursday, banking that a refreshed lineup can reignite the tablet’s growth,” Daisuke Wakabayashi reports for The Wall Street Journal. “In an uncharacteristic slip-up for the secretive company, Apple revealed what appeared to be images of two new iPads – an iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 – in an official guide to its iOS 8 software that surfaced Wednesday.”
“Apple will describe the new offerings at a 1 p.m. ET event at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters,” Wakabayashi reports. “Tablet computers are facing an existential question as technology evolves. Smartphones are growing bigger with larger screens and more powerful processors, increasingly capable of handling tasks once earmarked for tablets. Laptops are lighter and more portable, meeting some of the demand for a lightweight, mobile computing device. The trends are visible in Apple’s own product line, where the new iPhone 6 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch display, encroaching on the iPad Mini’s 7.9-inch screen.”
“Apple defined the tablet computer market four years ago when it introduced the iPad, the last major new product released under then-CEO Steve Jobs. Initial sales were strong, but demand started to slow last year,” Wakabayashi reports. “Part of the problem is that iPad owners are not replacing tablets as often as they swap phones. According to Kantar Worldpanel Comtech data, nearly 50% of iPads in use are the original iPad and the iPad 2 – which were introduced in 2010 and 2011, respectively.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The original iPad suffers from a pronounced dearth of RAM. It’s stuck at iOS 5.5.1. It’s heavy. It’s definitely time to upgrade, original iPadders!
The original iPad suffers from a pronounced dearth of RAM. It’s stuck at iOS 5.5.1. It’s heavy. It’s definitely time to upgrade, original iPadders!
Not really, the last time I used my original iPad was to watch btsport in the garden. Other than that my iPhone, iMac, and Apple TV have now replaced all my usage of it.
I have both an original iPad and an iPad 2. My kids use the original because it still works. Still holds a charge for more than 10 hours and runs Netflix and all their kids games. I use my iPad 2 mainly to stream video to my Apple TV for stuff that isn’t already available on it. Not getting rid of either until they stop working.
I use my iPad air every day for work. The iPhone will never replace it. Hope Apple continues to make it a more powerful and capable machine. Just because sales are not always “off the charts” doesn’t mean millions aren’t using them every day and will continue to support the platform for years to come.
Let the Mandarin lessons continue!
I expect thinner and faster iPads. Fingerprint ID too.
But I truly hope for Apple to unleash new and powerful software capabilities specifically tailored for the business market.
Why isn’t there a decent “MacDraw” object drawing app. This would and should require some novel UI advancements.
There needs to be refinements on how files are managed and accessed.
Pages, Numbers and Keynote need to be supercharged without sacrificing use of use. And that MacDraw like drawing app needs to join the family.
And how about easier ways to integrate with existing Windows desktops to ease the transition away from the old and tired ways of the past
What we really need is AppleWorks for the iPad. Basic functionality for all essential tools, tightly integrated into one sweet package. With a completely modern iOS interface.
I expect thinner and faster iPads. Fingerprint ID too.
But I truly hope for Apple to unleash new and powerful software capabilities specifically tailored for the business market.
Why isn’t there a decent “MacDraw” object drawing app. This would and should require some novel UI advancements.
There needs to be refinements on how files are managed and accessed.
Pages, Numbers and Keynote need to be supercharged without sacrificing use of use. And that MacDraw like drawing app needs to join the family.
And how about easier ways to integrate with existing Windows desktops to ease the transition away from the old and tired ways of the past.
I still see iPads everywhere. They are definitely the tablet of choice. While I don’t use my iPad Air nearly as much as I thought I would, I’m still happy to have it. My iPad 3 gets abused pretty regularly by my son. He’s happy to have it. lol
iOS 8.1. Release it.
Future headline:
“Shares of AAPL trading down today on disappointing news from CEO Tim Cook”
“Cupertino, Oct. 16, 2014
Apple did not announce the long rumored 27″ Sapphire Mac mini Pro Air TV which was expected to run OS X, iOS 8 and Windows 10 in a virtualized container.”
Wall street disappointed that Apple only sold xx million of the new iPads in 2 days.
I am hoping for Apple to reveal a new suit and matching tie for Tim. And same is true for everyone else presenting today. Heck, even the folks in the audience should be wearing suits and ties as Apple is trying to enter the fashion world. What does it say about one’s products if the people who show up to attend the launches look like slobs? The folks in the audience should not have better suits and ties than Tim and company. /s
To quote a hero of mine – “It is better to look good than to feel good.” /s
Do the new ipads bend and come with the buggy iOS8 8?