iPad mini and iPad 4: Apple has muddied the waters
Summary: Apple's worst kept secret is now official: the iPad mini is here. But the unexpected introduction of the iPad 4 alongside the new smaller device could muddy the waters for potential Apple tablet buyers.
Before the start of 2012 if you wanted to buy a tablet, your choices were pretty simple: you could buy an iPad or you could buy one of the Android pretenders to the throne, most likely a Samsung Galaxy Tab of some sort. Most people chose one of the two iPads available.
Fast forward to mid-2012 and the third-generation 'new iPad' hits the streets, adding to the options, but it was still relatively straight forward as Apple took the first generation iPad out of circulation. Naturally you still had to choose what storage size you wanted, but that was all.
But just seven months later, we have the fourth-gen iPad and the introduction of the iPad mini.
Apple is trying to keep your buying options as straight forward as possible by withdrawing the third-gen iPad, but there's no doubt that there will be a few (potentially a few million?) irritated iPad 3 owners as result of such a quick refresh of the device.
In fact, for the next week or so, as a result of the announcements, the only brand new iPad you can buy from its online store is the iPad 2.
Failing to lead?
However, for me the most interesting thing about the announcements on Wednesday wasn't the hardware. Sure, the faster processor, higher res screen and expanded LTE support is nice: an evolutionary refresh but not a revolutionary one.
What's more interesting is the way in which Apple now seems to be failing to lead the market in the way it once did, and is instead reacting to developments - rather than driving them.
Apple's plan wasn't to introduce a 7.x-inch tablet; it only did it once it saw just how successful the form factor could be with the likes of the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 - and more importantly how many potential sales it was missing out on.
The introduction of the mini also potentially puts buyers to the test too. Do you shell out £249 for a 32GB iPod Touch, £269 for the 16GB iPad mini, £329 for the 16GB iPad 2 or £399 for the equivalent iPad 4? That's a crowded line up - a lot of products at a lot of price points.
Which is better? Do they all do the same things? Why even consider buying an iPad 2 if the iPad 4 is only £70 more? These are all very obvious questions that people will be thinking and asking in Apple stores around the world.
To me a company that has faith in its sales continuing to climb does not introduce a totally unexpected revamp seven months after its last launch. The strange thing here is that looking at Apple's recent financial statements, sales of its iPad weren't falling.
Whatever the reason, to me it doesn't smack of confidence, which isn't a position we're used to seeing Apple in.
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Talkback
"just how successful the form factor could be with the likes of the ...
Well, it is strange to talk about "success" with Kindle Fire which sold six million and Nexus 7 with its million unit sales, comparing to iPad which sold over hundred million almost month ago and is selling at up to eighty million units per year tempo without even iPad mini available.
kindle fire
So?
If not, why? It's cheaper...
TOPIC
To be honest... people are just trying to find fault now.
However my nexus is still a great device, but both it and the cheaper Amazon Kindle fire are built down to a price. There's nothing wrong with this - it gives more choice, but a direct comparison just isn't fair on either device, and it's beneath companies such as Apple to compare them in their keynotes.
This time however the criticism over apple releases has surprised me - I too was underwhelmed by the i5, the iPad 3 was pretty underwhelming also. However people are now annoyed that they actually listened to their customers for once and made a 7" and gave an xchip and proper 4G to their iPads. It really is just trying to find faults - there's nothing about the mini to poke at as a device, so people are highlighting that the fact someone else did it first. Well as others have said apple didn't invent the tablet either, or the computer, or the phone. Credit where it's due - we only have their word for it, but if it lives up to the spec's they've offered it's a very solid higher end device.
As for the iPad 4thG - only with Apple couple people be whining that they no longer have the latest thing as a fashion statement. if you got it in the last month you can upgrade, if not, you bought the right device for you at the time.
There are lots of other companies out there; Tech journalists in particular ned to stop relying on apple to change the world for them. Sometimes they should just make product people want instead of telling them what they want.
Ben Says
Funny how many fanboys cosumers and fanboy bloggers were complaining about how fast android magnufacturers release new devices. Now almighty and holy Apple is doing the same to them. lol I wonder what kind of outrage this will spark? Probably Zero, since these people will eat anything fed by the almighty.
I know what you mean
topic
Don't choose Apple
iPad Mini is grossly over-priced against comparable devices, so much so that nobody who bothers to check could fail to see this fact.
Yes Choose Apple
Or get something that will be obsolete in 9 months.
No Zune, No Kin...
Any justification
You give the average isheep a bad name.
Reason required
Technical reason
Because, my experience shows that "technical reason" means one thing for someone and another thing for someone else.
Technical specs
I got a better idea
No, they have improved their iOS Ecosystem
This is an excellent addition to their iOS line up as it gives the buyer the ability to make a more optimal choice. What if television manufacturers didn't make a 32 inch model and that fit perfectly in your bedroom or Manhattan living room?
great go buy 4 of them
Moron