iPad 3 in September?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Talk about the iPad 2 (like the iPad 2 itself) is so boring that people are now starting to speculate about the iPad 3. Those rumors got a big shot in the arm yesterday as two prominent pundits - John Gruber of Daring Fireball and MG Siegler of TechCrunch - predicted that Apple will release a third-generation iPad in the fall. While Gruber made it clear that his guess was pure speculation, Siegler quotes a "very good" anonymous source as saying that Apple is planning a "big fall surprise" relating to the iPad 3, and asserts that this is "not a guess."

John Gruber, who has a wealth of insider contacts at Apple, wrote that he wasn't relying on any of those sources when he predicted that Apple would switch to a late-fall release schedule. Right now, the iPad 2 is almost certainly on track for release 12 months after its predecessor first shipped in April 2010. As we all know, new iPhones ship in June or July and iPods ship in September. And while iPod refreshes are scheduled in the fall to position them for the holiday season, Gruber notes that the iPad was wildly popular last Christmas, and so his reasoning here was that it would make more sense to release new iPads in the fall to better compete for the holiday dollar. Add to that the fact that the HP TouchPad is shipping in the summer with specs like the rumored iPad 2's, and you have a good rationale for a September release to upstage the potential challenger.

That was all well and good as a theory, but then MG Siegler at TechCrunch stepped up with a corroborating story, attributing it to a "very good source" within Apple, that said a "big surprise" was coming in the fall regarding a third-generation iPad. Why would Apple release two new models in a year? Well, for one thing, the TechCrunch article notes, the coming second-generation iPad is really more like the iPhone 3GS was compared to the iPhone 3G: a minor update, not a complete refresh. (We've already received rumors that this will be called the iPad "S" rather than the iPad 2.) And having had the tablet market all to itself for a year, Apple's not about to lay back and let competitors move in. As Gruber suggests, "they’re not going to leave any gas in the tank pushing the iPad hardware specs forward as fast as they can." Siegler said, however, that his "information on this isn't a guess," though obviously we don't have any way of judging whether his source is any good.

Gruber also allowed that it might be possible that Apple might go to a twice-yearly upgrade schedule, like in the early days of the PC industry, or split the product line into "consumer" and "pro" levels as they did with the MacBook. As always, this is all talk until something is actually released, and even if Apple is talking about this now, there's no guarantee that it'll happen this way come September. However, even though there's always a lot of rumor-mongering about Apple products, these particular high-profile commentators have put their credibility on the line with this, especially in Siegler's case. Either way, it looks like the next six months are going to be a wild time for the iPad and its competing tablets.

Sources: TechCrunch, Daring Fireball

[Sem656]

That's stupid. There is no way they will release 2 different ipads in like 7 months. It's just not how apple rolls

[mortopher]

I'm not buying into it. At most, it'd be a simple modification of the iPad 2 rather than an entirely new product. Gruber's thoughts and opinions mean practically nothing to me. I don't understand why people hang on his every word.

[mofolo]

That's stupid. There is no way they will release 2 different ipads in like 7 months. It's just not how apple rolls

.

If Apple released a revision of a product line before it's product life cycle; The customer of the soon to be obsolete Apple product would be furious!

I agree, Apple wouldn't do this to their customers.

Or Would they...

[aimetti]

hey look , the verizon rumors are now over so we have to start up more garbage.

[athleticswimmer]

That's stupid. There is no way they will release 2 different ipads in like 7 months. It's just not how apple rolls

you got it dude! - full house

I would too think thats just not how apple rolls. No way! 2 ipads in less than a year it's just not fair to consumers and wouldn't make any sense, although there is a chance, but not a big one

* sorry I went all crazy on the smilies

[mustard05]

hey look , the verizon rumors are now over so we have to start up more garbage.

I agree 100000000000%. Garbage

[DRFP]

Because this is stupid I'll ask the stupid Question.....


"If I buy Ipad 2 in July will Apple have a trade in policy in September for Ipad 3? " LOL you know someone will ask OMG help me

[z6joker9]

I thought this was silly too, but it's not completely implausible. Apple might just release a stopgap iPad refresh soon with a full revision later this year, if that revision isn't ready yet. Who's to say that Apple won't accelerate their revision timetable to fight off competitors in this lucrative market? They practically own the tablet market right now, and tablets could replace laptops and PCs over time (not to mention they get 30% of the profits of all apps downloaded through iTunes, which is a huge deal).

It does seem unlikely, but it's not completely out of the question.

[Gazuga6176]

Unless they categorize the iPad 3 as a "pro" product and jack up the price. Remember when analysts were predicting a $1000 dollar price tag for the original iPad? Maybe the 3 is that product.

[DRFP]

I thought this was silly too, but it's not completely implausible. Apple might just release a stopgap iPad refresh soon with a full revision later this year, if that revision isn't ready yet. Who's to say that Apple won't accelerate their revision timetable to fight off competitors in this lucrative market? They practically own the tablet market right now, and tablets could replace laptops and PCs over time (not to mention they get 30% of the profits of all apps downloaded through iTunes, which is a huge deal).

It does seem unlikely, but it's not completely out of the question.

I think "Own the Tablet" market is a little over the top "IFan" talk.

Fujitsu has had a Huge market share in Business for years.

Also I wait to see more development like many.

If the Ipad evolves ( I think it will) then yes I can see it being more and more mainstream.

What it needs:
SD slot
DUal Core processor
lots of Ram
Lots of SSD storage ( 120gb more)
Stylus add on

Would be nice:
Phone capabilities ( nice if they did it)

[mustard05]

Unless they categorize the iPad 3 as a "pro" product and jack up the price. Remember when analysts were predicting a $1000 dollar price tag for the original iPad? Maybe the 3 is that product.

Or maybe it will be titled "I pad 2s." It still doesn't matter because as this was pointed out before, is garbage and are only Rumors to feed the mill.

[ninthchamber99]

There is no way that Apple would do this. They would completely destroy the faith customers have in them if they knowingly and willingly sell iPad 2's in April-May timeframe just to declare the newest and better iPad 3 to be available in September-or later in 2011.

[mustard05]

There is no way that Apple would do this. They would completely destroy the faith customers have in them if they knowingly and willingly sell iPad 2's in April-May timeframe just to declare the newest and better iPad 3 to be available in September-or later in 2011.

I wouldn't say "no way.". I would say "unlikely" though. But at the end of day its the dollars that matter so I guess we will see!

[tabaks]

Peg a whole of 4 new iPad models in this year, one of them even being a cleverly disguised espresso machine, for those rare moments when you just can't reach your local Starbucks in time.

[my1past1is1ur1future]

iPad 5 will be on October



:P
(sorry i just couldn't believe that)

[feidhlim1986]

Well if I was Apple I'd be saying, well our customers will buy a new model every year even with minimal upgrades, so lets see if they'll buy buy our products twice a year.
Apple could very easily do this and the Sheep will still buy in droves.

[saunupe1911]

Ok now some of these rumors are just getting out of hand. Heck, at least post rumors with a little truth behind them.

On the other hand, I can see numerous variations of iPad within the next year but I can't see them dropping more than one flagship device. Thats like Ford releasing 2 different GT 500 . Just release a different variation thats a little different more or less.

[powa]

From the current sources about what iPad2 is gonna be, which is only slightly powerful than an iPad, I'd probably give XOOM or other tablet a try. Apple is planned obsolete on all their product, if they are not willing to offer something more competitive, people will not choose it. Remember, tablet market has lots of potential buyers out there, and the people that buy them aren't dumb either. Unless they are die hard apple fans of course.

[Tfost]

Perhaps apple will just release iOS 5.x in the fall. Similar to how iOS 4.0 came out for the iPhone in the summer and then eventually made it's way to the iPad making it much better.. Like a new iPad version almost