With rumors of iPad 3 release date announcement and parts all around the web, new details keep appearing which continue to point to the fact that Apple is looking to introduce iPad 3 in early March. Usually, prior to Apple’s announcement, major resellers of Apple hardware, such as Best Buy cut prices and clear out inventory for upcoming refreshes.

On Monday, Best Buy began to offer a $50 discount on the iPad 2, dropping down the price to $449.99 for the 16GB WiFi model. Alongside these price counts, Engadget reports that Best Buy is updating its internal inventory management systems to show a “deleted” status for the current iPad 2.

Best Buy generally does not have knowledge of product announcements, however, with numerous credible reports suggesting that the iPad 3 is expected to be released on or around March 7th, the retailer is readying for stock of the next gen iPad. Other stores have also cut prices on the iPad 2, including grocery and retail store chain Meijer, which reduced the entry-level iPad for $429, a $70 discount from the regular retail price.

Meijer’s prices have since then, returned to normal, but it is likely that the chain is preparing for an iPad refresh. In the past, all major retailers have cut prices on the previous generation iPhone and iPad, including RadioShack and Walmart, which may reduce the price as the iPad 3 release date nears.

{via MacRumors}

2010 was undoubtedly the “Year of the iPad”. As much as the last couple of years have been the iPhone years. Initially some pundits predicted that the iPad would only sell in numbers approaching 1 million. Well, Apple has surpassed those estimates by an order of magnitude!

Ah, but then those same pundits were then quick to counter with claims that the iPad would soon be eclipsed by sales of competing Android based tablets made by the likes of Samsung. Ironically the Samsung Galaxy Tab has shipped a little more than a million units to date – despite being universally heralded as the next best tablet on the market.

Next up was RIM’s Blackberry PlayBook which with a dual core processor and all manner of features sorely missing on the iPad, like cameras and Flash support (just like the Samsung Galaxy Tab), was set to blast the iPad out of the water in late 2010 / early 2011. And yet today we learn that Blackberry’s “iPad Killer” can munch its batteries in a couple of hours of use. About 5 times faster than the iPad does. Consequently the PlayBook is now set to launch much later in 2011, while RIM designers scramble to get their dual-core “fire breathing” tablet under control. Part of the reason that their dual-core device is giving them problems is that instead of making their silicon and their OS from scratch to be a specialised mobile device (like Apple did with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch) they bought off the shelf chips and a bloated OS as the core of their, admittedly pretty, but certainly not ready for primetime design.

It is clear that Apple wants, and needs to add cameras to the iPad 2 (second generation tablet). It is also clear that the original iPad really needs a bit more RAM on board. It could even do with being a bit easier to hold. So the iPad we all use today is certainly not perfect – despite still selling in massive quantities in the lead up to Christmas. Estimates for iPad sales in 2011 are hovering around the 65 million mark! That is an insanely impressive number for a device that simply did not exist a year ago.

Apple still has a massive lead over other manufacturers, as is evidenced by the cracks appearing in the Android OS eco-system as device designers try to get the smart phone operating system from Google to look a little less like a giant phone on the tablets it runs on. Because of this lead, and the eagerness of competing brand name computer manufacturers to jump on the tablet band wagon, we are seeing a lot of mis-fires from big name manufacturers. Their hardware may be impressive, albeit not as polished as Apple’s, but the OS and the user experience is just not their yet on competing products. And this seems to be something that all but the most ardent zealots agree on. The other tech companies will get there, eventually, but many I suspect are wondering (yet again) just how Apple manages to do what it does time after time!

This is all quite ironic. Apple was derided for making a “big iPhone” when they first announced the iPad. People also poked fun at the name of the iPad, which just 12 months ago would have conjured up an entirely different product image in many people’s minds.

Apple also came in for some stick with its partially botched acquisitions of various ARM SoC boutique design houses which helped it produce a custom ARM processor for the iPad and iPhone 4. Some people said that the acquisitions didn’t go well, and key members of staff defected once they found themselves in the stifling atmosphere of Apple’s obsessive industrial design orientated corporate structure. And yet the Apple A4 derivative of the ARM Cortex-A8 processor which powers the iPhone 4, iPod, and the iPad, literally sips power and provides a user experience that puts most competing smart phones and tablets to shame. This is also in no small part because iOS has been carefully designed to run on both smart phones and tablets – as opposed to Google’s Android which is undoubtedly a capable smart phone OS, but has been unable to find a comfy fit on the larger screens of the Samsung Galaxy Tab and other less successful and lesser known Android tablets.

And so we head into 2011, and it seems that the rumour mill has got back into full swing where Apple’s plans for their next generation iPad is concerned. So much so that it is clear that instead of Apple’s rivals putting the once crippled but now largest tech company in the world on the back foot, it is them again that are sitting in their offices dreading what Apple may shower upon the iOS faithful as early perhaps as February, just a few weeks away.

We know the iPad’s flaws. It hasn’t got enough memory to have lots of tabs open in Mobile Safari. It doesn’t take pictures. Facetime is non-existent on it. And you can’t plug anything remotely USB into it without an ugly dongle; and even then some of those peripherals will require a separate power source.

For what seemed like the longest time (if you read the blog-o-sphere obsessively) the iPhone OS that the iPad ran was woefully lacking features like multi-tasking, folders and unified-email inboxes that the iPod Touch and iPhone boasted. As we all know Apple took the time to make sure that both the tablet centric version of iPhone OS, and the smart phone centric iPhone OS were carefully integrated to become “iOS” – and undoubtedly the premier mobile operating system there is out there. All the while Google, Palm, Microsoft and RIM floundered, failed to learn from Apple’s own mobile eco-system growing pains and stubbornly pushed forwards with their various “iPad killers” – just as they had all done with their “iPhone killers” the year(s) before!

So what is Apple doing about the rest of the iPad’s niggles?

Here’s a rumour round up for you, along with which we think will happen:

1. More RAM : It is almost certain that the iPad 2 will come with the same RAM as the iPhone 4. Which is double what it has today. The PCB in the current iPad which has the Apple A4 SoC on board is identical to the iPhone 4 except for the RAM size and a marginal clock speed difference.
2. Cameras : The only question here is whether the iPad 2 will have 2 cameras or one. Because Augmented Reality is an increasingly important feature on tablets and smart phones today it is very likely that the iPad 2 will have a camera on the back for taking pictures and shooting video. And because Facetime is a core iOS feature, and extremely important to Apple we can’t see why they wouldn’t also put a low resolution camera specifically for video on the front – just like on the iPhone 4. In fact supply chain rumours seem to confirm this – as we have reported before.
3. Smaller and Thinner : I can’t remember an Apple product ever being produced in it’s next generation form without being “smaller and thinner”. And recent leaks of “iPad 2″ cases seem to bear out the supposition that a new more iPhone 4 style form factor will grace the next gen. iPad’s design aesthetic.

4. USB : Apple is very fond of its iPod connector, but some are convinced that because of recent smart phone related legislation in the EU, which demands all phones should charge from a universal type of charger, that Apple will equip the iPad 2 with USB instead of their own proprietary cable. We’re not so sure about that. The iPad is not a phone after all. But perhaps Apple will go that way to unify their connections in future between the iPhone and the iPad. But, as I have said, we’re not 100% convinced.

Note : Having said that it is of course possible that Apple’s rumoured expansion of the iPad range to include CDMA capabilities, as well as the existing 3G model, could well mean that they are going to have to conform to these EU regulations.

1. Landscape and Portrait Docking : Doesn’t seem to be happening. At least based on what we have seen. But there is some confusion about whether holes in third party iPad cases are for new speaker grills, or perhaps another connector. It is more likely, in our opinion, that Apple will go with a “connector-less” dock design later in 2011.

Have we missed anything? What do you think the (second gen) iPad 2 will have? Have your say in the comments…

<

p style=”text-align: right;”>{Image: Pocket-lint}

The comparative display quality of Apple’s Retina display, and even their slightly lower spec iPad and iPod Touch screens, when compared to current AMOLED divides in the market is still much better overall. So it is not surprising that Apple have stuck with a tried and tested technology that they can “max out”.

This is something I have commented on before about Apple. They rarely stick bleeding edge components into their devices. What they do very well though is enhance existing technology, manufacture it to higher quality and reap the cost benefits for themselves while producing what is generally a better and more reliable end product for the consumer. This is exactly why the iPhone 4’s LCD Retina Display beats every other LCD or AMOLED device out there for visuals.

If Apple lavishes a few Retina Display quality embellishments on the upcoming iPad 2 it is doubtful you will be disappointed.

Were you expecting AMOLED for the iPad 2? Disappointed? Have your say in the comments…

iPad 2

As we get closer to the first anniversary of the iPad’s release, it’s inevitable that rumors surrounding the second-generation device will begin to surface, with many guessing how the iPad 2 update will look, what it will be made from, and what it will do. Here’s Touch Reviews roundup of some of the rumors so far, and what we can expect from the upcoming update for Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad.

Cameras

With Facetime now on the Mac, the iPhone, and the iPod Touch, the iPad’s beginning to feel a little left out. I’m guessing out of all the rumors so far, this one’s probably one of the most likely to become a reality. Facetime, of course, means a front-facing camera, however, some reports have also suggested that the device may also include a 5-megapixel camera on the rear.

I’m not sure the latter is all that likely; although it would be handy at times, how many people are going to pull out their iPad to take a few snaps? I know that many rival tablet devices have a camera on the rear, however, Apple doesn’t often do something just because competitors are doing it.

GSM-CDMA Radio

A recent report from AppleInsider talks about the predictions of Wedge Partner analyst Brian Blair, who says that the next-gen iPad will be a “world mode” device with both GSM and CDMA radios. The chip would mean that one iPad model would be compatible with various wireless carriers using different wireless technology. The device has recently been made available through carriers AT&T and Verizon, however, because the 3G model isn’t compatible with Verizon’s CDMA network, a mobile hotspot device is needed to allow for a connection over Wi-Fi.

I’d say a GSM-CDMA chip isn’t too unlikely – many would-be iPad users may be put off by the thought of having to carry around a mobile hotspot accessory to use data from the carrier of their choice.

Thinner, Lighter Design

Analyst Brian Blair who predicts the rumor above also indicated that the next iPad will be thinner and made from one piece of metal, with a similar manufacturing process to that of the unibody aluminum MacBooks.

Now this one seems very likely. Apple always strives to improve upon its products, and often that means thinner, lighter, streamlined designs. Many critics already complain that the device is too heavy and too bulky, and I’m sure it’s safe to say Apple has been hard at work to make it the most desirable tablet on the market.

However, it’s unlikely that we’ll see an iPad with a smaller screen – Steve Jobs already quashed rumors of a 7-inch device  during a quarterly earnings conference call, saying, “The reason we [won’t] make a 7-inch tablet isn’t because we don’t want to hit that price point, it’s because we think the screen is too small to express the software.”

Better Availability

When the current iPad was first released it sold out in many stores incredibly quickly, and countless users went home empty handed having to wait until more stock was available. With “iPad 2,” this may not be the case.

A report says that there will be several suppliers for the new iPad allowing Apple to “ramp up” shipments of the device upon its release. Three companies are rumored to have already received certification from Apple and will begin shipping parts for the device in December.

This one’s a no-brainer. The current iPad was a nightmare to get hold of for many when it was first released, especially for those of us in the U.K. Apple will surely work hard to ensure there are more of the 2nd-gen devices to go around next time.

Carbon Fibre Housing

One rumor suggests that the next iPad will not be made from aluminum, and that instead, the device will sport an ultra-strong carbon fibre housing. Cult of Mac recently reported on a new patent application for a “Reinforced Device Housing” filed by Apple that details “an outer casing for an electronic device composed of “layered fiber-in-matrix type material,” i.e. carbon fiber re-inforced polymer.”

It’s not clear whether the carbon fibre housing is indeed for the iPad, however, the illustration on the patent looks very much like the rear shell of Apple’s tablet.

A carbon fibre iPad certainly sounds very desirable, but I’m not sure it’s all that likely just yet – maybe later on down the line.

Retina Display

Now that many of us are used to the luxury of a Retina display in our iPhones and iPod Touches, we’re anticipating a nice large Retina display in the next iPad. Slash Gear reported back in October on the prospect of this one, and I’d like to think we can expect this with the new device next year.

As an iPhone 4 user, switching to the iPad can often be a little disappointing when I stare at its slightly ugly display – it’s just seems outdated now – and I for one am keeping my fingers crossed for a Retina display iPad next year.

Bigger Storage

Another typical Apple move for new devices is often increased storage, and many reports have claimed the iPad will be available with larger storage options next time around. The new MacBook Airs have also fueled this rumor, as they use the same flash storage chips found in their tablet siblings.

Apple is already using 128GB flash chips in its new MacBook Airs, so it wouldn’t be too much trouble to stick them in the iPad. This is another rumor that I’d say we can safely expect.

What Do You Want?

So there’s a few of the features that are rumored to be introduced in the second-generation iPad. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Retina display and a thinner, lighter design – these are high up on my wish-list for iPad 2, and will be deciding factors when I’m thinking about whether or not to upgrade.

We’d love to hear what you want from Apple’s next tablet device. Please leave us a comment and let us know!

The most notable features for iPhone and iPod touch users is the ability to stream audio and video to their AppleTV and supported accessories wirelessly and use AirPrint to print documents using Wi-Fi with compatible printers.

According to Steve Jobs this update will make the “iPad a completely new product” as it will bring a slew of new features which include Multitasking support, folders, Unified Mailbox, AirPlay, AirPrint and Game Center.

The download links are not live as yet and are expected to be available later today.

Press Release

Apple’s iOS 4.2 Available Today for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch

Major Software Update Brings Multitasking, Folders, Unified Inbox, Game Center, AirPlay & AirPrint to iPad

CUPERTINO, California—November 22, 2010—Apple® today announced that iOS 4.2, the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, is available today for download for iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch®. iOS 4.2 brings over 100 new features from iOS 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2 to iPad including Multitasking, Folders, Unified Inbox, Game Center, AirPlay® and AirPrint.

“iOS 4.2 makes the iPad a completely new product, just in time for the holiday season,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Once again, the iPad with iOS 4.2 will define the target that other tablets will aspire to, but very few, if any, will ever be able to hit.”

iPad users can now run their favorite apps and switch between them instantly, while preserving iPad’s legendary battery life. Users can organize their apps with drag-and-drop simplicity using Folders, and Mail now features a Unified Inbox, fast inbox switching and a threaded message view.

Game Center allows iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users to challenge and play friends or be matched automatically with new opponents, showcase their scores and achievements, and discover new games their friends are playing.

AirPlay is a new feature for streaming music, video and photos wirelessly from iPad, iPhone and iPod touch to Apple TV®, transforming Apple TV into a great accessory for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. iOS users also will be able to use AirPort Express® and AirPlay to stream wirelessly to any stereo or powered speakers, or directly to AirPlay-enabled speakers coming to market in the months ahead.

AirPrint is a next-generation Wi-Fi print architecture that dramatically simplifies printing by completely eliminating printer drivers. A selection of AirPrint enabled printers including the HP Photosmart, HP LaserJet Pro and HP Officejet will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users can simply tap to print their documents or photos wirelessly to any printer that supports AirPrint.

The Find My iPhone (or iPad or iPod touch) feature is now free to use without a MobileMe℠ subscription and helps you locate your missing device.* The Find My iPhone app is a free download on the App Store℠ and lets users easily locate a missing device on a map and have it display a message or play a sound. Users can even remotely lock or wipe data from a lost device to protect privacy.

Other new features that iOS 4.2 brings to the iPad include: the ability to rent TV episodes directly to iPad using the iTunes® App with a 30 day viewing window and a 48 hour session window once playback is started; the ability to easily find and highlight specific words and phrases on web pages in Safari®; enhanced enterprise support so businesses can take advantage of stronger security features, new device management capabilities and improved enterprise integration; industry-leading accessibility enhancements; and support for 25 additional languages, including Korean, Portuguese and Traditional Chinese.

The revolutionary iPad allows users to connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. You can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, using the innovative Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad weighs just 1.5 pounds, making it easy to carry and use anywhere.

Today, customers have downloaded more than seven billion apps from the groundbreaking App Store and more than 300,000 apps are available to consumers in 90 countries, with more than 40,000 native iPad apps. Over 125 million iOS users around the world can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

Availability
The iOS 4.2 update is available today to download to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch by syncing the device with iTunes 10.1. iOS 4.2 is compatible with iPad, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, second and third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB) and new iPod touch. Some features may not be available on all products. For example, Multitasking requires iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third generation iPod touch (late 2009 models with 32GB or 64GB) or later.

Yesterday’s rumors that Apple is delaying the public release of iOS 4.2 seem to have been confirmed today, as a second gold master build of the firmware has been released for the iPad.

The second build should fix some Wi-Fi issues that were discovered in the first GM beta, and no other issues with the release have been reported. It’s great to see that this little bug will be squished before the iOS 4.2 goes public. Many users will recall that the iPad suffered from Wi-Fi issues shortly after the device’s release, and no one wants a repeat of those.

So, although this news means we’re going to have to wait a little longer to get our hands on iOS 4.2, there is a good reason. Recent rumor has it that the update has now been delayed until November 24th, however, we’ll let you know as soon as it’s available to download through iTunes.

Despite that background noise many news sites, and consequently Apple customers, have been getting excited about a supposed iOS 4.2 launch almost immediately after the Mac OS X 10.6.5 update was rolled out with AirPrint support this week. Except it didn’t come with AirPrint support, and iOS is likely going to be delayed by up to a week yet, with at least some unrelated issues.

Leaks, from “reliable sources” that have given iPhoneHellas correct information in the past, now slate the iOS 4.2 roll out as November 16th. Which is Tuesday of next week. But this may just be a stop gap date, or best guess. Apple has only promised that we will see iOS 4.2 “in November”. So they have some wiggle room yet.

An updated Gold Master of iOS 4.2 has been sent out to developers, and this may well delay the release of Apple’s unified mobile iOS for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

At which point we’ll perhaps hear just how many of the promised features in AirPlay and AirPrint look likely to materialize in the final product! The iPhone 3G is said to have lost AirPlay capabilities in the latest Gold Master. Something that was working in earlier Betas. It will be interesting to see if that is coming back, or staying away permanently. I know what my guess is!

Only time will tell for all of this.

The truth of the matter is that iOS 4.2 still has some niggles to iron out. Be they WiFi related, or just general UI niggles and glitches – depending on what sources you listen to.

Are you disappointed with the wait? And the seeming reverse “feature creep” in iOS 4.2? Have your say in the comments…

Although there aren’t too many details on what the shoot involved, the iPads used were the same models you’d find in the Apple Store today, and it’s believed these will be swapped out with the “iPad 2” in post production.

Despite the absence of the next gen iPad, however, all participants at the shoot still had to sign non-disclosure agreements, promising Apple they would keep their lips sealed. It’s also reported that security at the shoot was very tight.

Is it possible that Apple would be shooting a commercial for the next iPad update so early, with the second generation device not expected until April next year? Could it be that Apple were adamant on using Sims for the production and booked themselves in to his busy schedule early to save disappointment, or could it be that they were simply filming another commercial for current iPad?

Originally slated for release sometime in November, people (including yours truly) assumed this meant the last week of the month as is usual with such releases. The actual release date could be as soon as the 9th according to German operator Deutsche Telekom, but 9to5 Mac is citing German blog iFun as a source saying the date may in fact be the 12th.

The reason behind iFun’s belief that the 12th is indeed the day to watch, is the discovery that Apple intends to push out a carrier update on that date. It’s not too far a stretch to think that this could be too big a coincidence.

With iOS 4.2 due to bring both iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to the same operating system for the first time, and with new features such as AirPrint and AirPlay, iOS 4.2 is shaping up to be the most anticipated release of iOS since, well, 4.0. Multitasking alone is one reason iPad owners are clamoring for the release and evidence seems to point to a shorter wait than originally anticipated. Good news!

If these predictions come true then Apple’s sales will increase 100 percent year over year in 2011 for the iPhone alone.

But other analysts are more cautious. So perhaps picking a middle ground between the figures published by Barron’s quoting Wedge Partner’s analysis, and those of Yair Reiner from Oppenheimer, is a wise choice if you are looking to gauge what will happen in business in 2011. Those more conservative figures place Apple’s sales at about half of that quoted by Barron’s. Even so those figures are still impressive.

A lot will depend on what Android handsets, and tablets hit the market in the coming months. But if the early mixed, and far from stellar, reviews of toys like the Samsung Galaxy Tab are anything to go by, Apple are not really facing an onslaught of competition in the next few months, at least.

The sales figures for 2010 for Apple as it stands right now are sales of just under 40 Million iPhones, which in itself is almost a 100% year on year increase from last year. And sales of 7.4 Million iPads, which was just short of what analysts hoped for, and a way off the 45 – 48 Million being predicted by the most optimistic figures for next year.

Many believe that the iPad 2 will spur even more increased sales for Apple, and with them currently holding 95% of the tablet market they can only really lose market share, but perhaps hope to increase sales overall as the young market for tablets grows globally.

This is why I opined over the weekend that it is crucial for Apple to hit the market earlier than most people might expect with an iPad feature update. Particularly one with more memory and at least one camera.

Anther factor that is spurring Apple’s stellar growth right now is the halo effect that the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad have had on the Macintosh. And with the recent re-launch of the MacBook Air we are starting to see an evolution of where laptops and mobile devices are going in the future. And how the lines between those devices are going to blur in the future.

The only way is up for Apple right now but they have to be careful that they don’t get complacent in 2011.

Two things are sure for 2011. We can expect more great toys from the world’s tech giant in 2011. The iPad 2 and the iPhone 5 being the most eagerly awaited. And other companies in competing market places are still very decidedly playing catch up.

Do you see Apple consolidating its position next year, or starting to get caught by its competitors? Have your say in the comments..

[via AppleInsider] ]]> https://touchreviews.net/analysts-apple-aapl-sell-100m-iphones-48m-ipads-year/feed/ 4 https://touchreviews.net/apple-releases-ios-42-gold-master-developers/ https://touchreviews.net/apple-releases-ios-42-gold-master-developers/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:56:08 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=11939 Read More]]> Apple has sent out an email to all registered iOS developers asking them to download iOS 4.2 Gold Master from the Apple Developer Center, test and submit apps from today that will take advantage of its swanky new features.

Apple has already told us that iOS 4.2 will ship for the iPhone 4, iPod Touch and iPad in November. And the Gold Master is nearly always identical to the final version of any OS that will ship to consumers.

So this new iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system should be available to everyone very shortly. The App Store is likely to be inundated with both new and updated apps which take advantage of AirPlay, AirPrint etc. at that time.

As soon as we hear news of any exciting tidbits that developers leak about any new widgets, or fixes that Apple may have snuck into this final version of iOS, we’ll let you know.

Perhaps there will be a fix for the Daylight Savings bug we reported on yesterday!

In the meantime let us know if you hear of anything new, in the comments…