What was the real reason for the early iPad 4 launch?
So, Apple has launched a slew of new products, including the underwhelming iPad Mini, and the superfast iPad 4. The unexpected launch of the new full-size iPad has Apple fans around the world fuming – at least, those who bought the iPad 3.
The iPad 4 was launched just seven months after the previous model (which presumably won't be called the "New IPad" any more, although that was what Apple wanted us to call it at the time). The biggest enhancement is the new A6X chip, which is twice as fast as the previous A5 chip. Writers such as Roger Chiang over at CNET are incensed, because they purchased the previous version. "What does that mean for the folks who actually bought the new iPad?" he asks.
According to a study by Toluna QuickSurveys, 45% on average of the 2000 consumers polled said that they were unhappy about the timing. Like Cheng, they presumably felt as though they had been shortchanged. 50% of iPad three owners were unhappy, followed by 45% of iPad 2 owners. Even one in four first-generation iPad owners were miffed. You have to wonder why the third lot are upset. After all, it's been more than two years since the original one was launched. That's definitely time enough for a refresh.
But there is validity to the concerns of the iPad 3 crowd. Software developers will be creating products designed to use all the capabilities of the new processor, which means that they will perform less well on an iPad 3. As more software appears, the onus will be on users of previous products to upgrade – even if they are less than a year old. On top of that, the iPad 4 uses the new Lightning connector, which will make accessory manufacturers freeze out iPad 3 users.
Some muse that Apple has launched the iPad 4 so quickly to get sales in for Christmas. It's worth pointing out, however, that there were some complaints over heat issues with the iPad 3, which people said Bernd 10% hotter than its predecessor.
The iPad 3 has disappeared from the Apple Store, while the iPad 2 remains. It will be interesting to see how much work Apple has done to quietly fix some of the hardware issues with the iPad 3 while simultaneously adding a faster processor.
So, what can you do if you have an iPad 3 and feel disgruntled? According to some reports, you can try to take it back, if you purchased it in the last month, and see if Apple will take pity on you.
Alternatively, you could thumb your nose at Apple and opt for Microsoft's new Surface tablet (or wait for the full Windows Pro version, rather than opting for the crippled Windows RT). Perhaps instead, you could wait until the end of this month, when Google will allegedly launch a whole slew of new products, including a larger tablet.
At least there's one good thing about the shortening product cycle: there is no shortage of choice.
Apple's launch feels to me like blatant contempt for its iPad customers. What about you? Do you trust Apple any more?
Danny Bradbury, MSN Tech & Gadgets
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Posted by: Mail Forwarding Company | Oct 29, 2012 3:33:14 AM
I think the reason is simply because of Christmas sale. Apple wants to sell more ipads in this Christmas and launching a new version is the single way to do that. But I personally think that launching ipad4 in less than a year of version3 launch makes some user unhappy.
Posted by: chemise burberry | Jan 2, 2013 3:02:55 AM
Was Sie gesagt haben eine Menge Sinn.
Posted by: Seb Webster | Jan 30, 2013 8:53:05 AM
Hi,
I work for a company called The Snugg, we are the biggest seller of iPad case’s in the USA and in the UK. We specialise in making top quality case that come in a variety of different colours and styles. I’m emailing you to see if you would be interested in doing a couple or more reviews on our products. This is how it works; you have to be able to write an honest opinion on the case which consists of what you think, what the quality of the case is like and if you would inform a close friend or family member about the snugg, something along those lines. If you are interested in doing a case review you can pick which products you would prefer to review and after it is completed and posted on a blog or forum you can keep the case’s free of charge.
We also require you to add in keywords to the links to your review. For example, if you are reviewing the 'Snugg iPad3 Case Cover and Stand Ultra Thin Version Black', the link to the product page should say 'Snugg iPad3 Case'. This is something that is really important in the review so please add it in.
To contact us please e-mail me at Reviews@thesnugg.com with your Full Name, link to your blog or forum (If you have one) and your Address so we can get the products to you.
Kindest Regards,
Seb