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Topic: iPad

Apple dishes out 128GB iPad; available early February

Summary: The rumors were true. Apple today announced a 128GB version of the fourth-generation iPad, doubling the storage capacity of the previously highest-specification tablet.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Apple today announced a 128GB version of the fourth-generation iPad, which boasts a Retina display and with double the maximum storage.

Screen Shot 2013-01-29 at 08.58.24
Apple will now offer a 128GB iPad 4 with Retina display.
(Credit: Apple)

Rumors began to swirl last week that the Cupertino, California-based technology giant would dish out a new tablet with increased storage capacity, but it was thought on the most part that the device would be rolled out during the March refresh of tablets--or that the rumors were bunk.

Instead, Apple took to the wires to announce the new tablet today, which complements the existing 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB tablets in the iPad 4 range.

It also comes a day after Apple released the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 6.1, which includes support for the 128GB storage model, further support for more 4G LTE markets including Nordic states and Middle Eastern countries, and a range of security fixes.

Apple vice president of marketing Phil Schiller said in prepared remarks:

With more than 120 million iPads sold, it's clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and every day they are finding more great reasons to work, learn, and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs. With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.

Apple focused on the enterprise market in its announcement this morning to note that 85 percent of the Fortune 500 companies are currently deploying or testing the tablet. The firm noted that many companies are "regularly utilizing large amounts of data such as 3D CAD files, X-rays, film edits, music tracks, project blueprints, training videos, and service manuals," and that the increased storage capacity would benefit these industries.

On a security note, the iPad has one of the greatest mobile device management (MDM) feature sets, allowing enterprises and businesses to lock down the device, enabling the highest level of security.

The new 128GB iPad 4 model will be available in black and white from February 5. The Wi-Fi version of the tablet will cost $799, while Wi-Fi + Cellular will cost $929, a 15 percent and 12 percent increase, respectively, on the previously highest storage capacity devices.

Topic: iPad

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213 comments
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  • Wouldn't it have been easier to just add an SD slot to last iPad?

    I'm not sure why they would make a 64GB, then a 128GB model 6 months later.

    Now these people have to go out and buy a whole new iPad to get 128GB.

    I just don't understand it.
    William Farrel
    Reply 13 Votes

    • Content licensing has been much easier...

      By not having the removable storage. That is one reason Apple has far wider country support for media than other companies. Only Amazon beats it in books. In other media formats, Apple is light years ahead.
      Bruizer
      Reply 3 Votes

      • Exactly!

        From an enterprise perspective, you want to be able to provide content to your users, while at the same time control and limit the content from others. Our customers spend 100's of thousands of dollars creating service content and need some return on investment - you can't just have SD cards floating all over ebay!

        As for Ye's comment, you almost got it partially right - view from the business perspective and not the consumer perspective. I would say that more than 85% of our customers are exploring the iPad for content delivery; they'll gladly replace every iPad they have to double the storage.
        Gr8Music
        Reply 1 Vote

        • I don't understand....

          Is that a good thing for consumers or are you just being sarcastic?

          The reason why I bought the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is that they are the last few mobiles that still support microSD storage and I wouldn't want to trade this feature with a fixed storage just like the iPad.
          triadwarfare
          Reply 2 Votes

          • What do you define as "good"

            If you define "good" as meaning user upgradeable and cheap then no.

            If you define "good" as meaning user friendly, lower configuration, ease of use, accessible to a wide range of content then yes.

            Most techies only consider the first option with zero insight into why anyone would ever consider the second option "good". There are strong advantages (consumer goods) to not exposing the end user to the complexity of a file system. This is needed (to some extent) when you introduce removable and configurable storage, like an SD card. The number of times I have seen Android users bamzubled by perceived content loss when they (re)moved a card staggers my mind. Many people are lost when it comes to the concept of where media, applications and data are stored and get easily puzzled when it changes.
            Bruizer
            Reply 2 Votes

          • That's a ridiculous argument.

            All modern users are very familiar with file managers since they also use computers of various types. The lack of a file manager system is what is limiting for a user. Not the other way around. How ignorant can you be? You're defending Apple's CHOICE to not include an SD card slot of some type.

            The argument about available content is ridiculous considering you can put tons of content on the device with removable storage. Content not available via Apple's closed and limiting system.
            laequis
            Reply 1 Vote

          • djmo00@yahoo.com

            Copying content manually feels like a step backwards for me. Essentially all of my content copying is done by the apps that use the content.

            In fact, I have a 64GB Class 10 SD card on my Galaxy S3 and I have never removed it. I use an app to download music from my Google Music account where all my MP3s are stored. I do have some other music on my NAS, but DiskStation also has an app that I use to copy files.

            I understand that there are still some users that benefit from removable storage, especially among Android users who like custom ROMs. But as a Galaxy S3, Nexus 7, iPad (4th gen) user, I see SD cards mostly as problem generators since installing apps on them can lead to instability.

            There is also no reason to allow removable storage on enterprise apps that will have a set suite of apps for that business and which will likely sync to corporate servers.
            DaveJMo
            Reply Vote

          • Market speaks for itself.

            Market speaks for itself.
            andrelrangel@...
            Reply Vote

          • Talk about ignorant

            You assume just because you and those you know are familiar with file managers means that everyone else is? Ignoring the people that work with tech for a living (very small percentage in the big picture) most people are not all that familiar with file systems. They work with computers on a daily based and know how to get to their files in say My Docs but that's about it. You ask them to do anything further than that and they start getting confused. To you or me it might be very simple and seem like a no brainer but not for most and the fact that you can't see this shows your ignorance, not Bruizer's.
            non-biased
            Reply Vote

          • wide range of content?

            since when is the ipad a device that takes a wide range of content?
            I'm sick of converting media stuff to iOS compatible.
            sick of explaining to noobs their ipad cannot play that file format even if we manage to get it on the ipad.
            what do you mean you can't find the file on your ipad?
            warboat
            Reply 1 Vote

      • WTF?

        Removable storage has NOTHING to do with content licensing. Record companies know that any audio file can be burned to any media via the iPad>PC connection, so there's no advantage in not having removable storage.

        Your iPad IS removable storage when connected to your PC.
        shoutout
        Reply 2 Votes

        • Yep, WTF.

          Removable storage has EVERYTHING to do with content licensing.

          It amazes me how people that claim to be savvy in tech are clueless with legal issues. When the iPod came out, one of the reasons Apple got speedy access to music and other content was specifically because of the captured storage and the requirement to have data go one way. From the computer to the device. DRM could be controlled at the computer level. As stated a few times, these were conditions of the agreements between the media companies and Apple. Yes, times change. Agreements change.

          If Apple were to start providing removable storage, it would jeopardize many of the agreements they have in place and these are not always easy to come by. This is one of the reasons Apple is crushing Google, Amazon and Microsoft on the ability to deliver content across the globe.

          http://www.macstories.net/news/mapping-the-entertainment-ecosystems-a-brief-revisit/
          Bruizer
          Reply Vote

          • And when using iTunes on a PC or Mac...

            How does your argument hold any truth since the same content is available through iTunes on any Windows or Mac laptop/desktop computer that DOES have many options for removable storage?
            Pazman
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Read the link.

            The concern was for the easy propagation of media through handheld devices. This is a simple historical reference of how we got here. Study how the DRM for music used to work and still does on many other media types.
            Bruizer
            Reply 1 Vote

          • What's easier than burning through your PC?

            You're the one who doesn't have a clue. I can burn my iTunes files very easily and distribute them anywhere that I like!
            shoutout
            Reply Vote

          • Humm

            Only is this is your own cd music, to put anything bought from iTunes you need your account and password in the other computer, and since you can only transfer to up to five computers you are limited to share your content.
            humb1962
            Reply Vote

          • OPEN~

            There is as much pirating on ipad as there is on android and any other device. All of you just open your eyes.
            MonthOLDpickle
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Care to link to the stats backing up your pirating claim?

            non-biased
            Reply Vote

          • DRM

            iTunes removed DRM back in 2009. Catch up.
            mkelley65
            Reply 2 Votes

          • RE:iTunes removed DRM back in 2009

            True for music not for films. I bought a film just yesterday from iTunes. It will play on any device own but if copied somewhere else you need my username & password.

            BTW I buy films here because it is cheaper than watching films on my hotel TV.
            chris@...
            Reply Vote
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