Why Apple had to make the iPad 4 this soon?

Abe Olandres October 25, 2012 · 2 min read

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Six months after Apple announced the new iPad (or more commonly referred to as the iPad 3), they now announce its successor — the iPad 4. Six months is really too close to introduce a new model so we wonder why.

We looked at possible reasons why Apple would anger owners of the iPad 3 and found very few compelling reasons.

A new processor. Apple introduced the dual-core A6X chip with the iPad 4. This offered much better graphics performance to the tablet although we believe the quad-core graphics on the iPad 3 was enough to run hi-def games on its Retina Display.

A new connector. Just like the iPhone 5 and the new 5th-gen iPod Touch, the iPad 4 now uses a Lightning connector. It makes all three product lines more uniform. However, we don’t really see the point in rushing a new iPad just to adhere to the new connector port.

New LTE bands? The iPad 3 came out with LTE but a lot of global networks did not have support for it (we reckon the iPad 3 LTE may not be compatible with local networks). However, when we checked the LTE bands supported by the iPad 4, it still indicates Band 4 and Band 17. That’s 700MHz and 2100MHz which is still the same as the old one. That rules out LTE band support as the reason.

We’re really stumped and don’t know why Apple would release a new iPad six months after announcing one. If this is a trend, are we expecting the iPad 6 sometime in March or April of 2013? That’s too close right?

One other thing, Microsoft is set to announce Windows 8 and along with it, the Surface tablet. Is this Apple’s way of somehow stealing a little thunder from Microsoft’s biggest push in the tablet market? If so, then the iPad 4 makes sense.

What do you guys think?

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Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

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116 Comments

jjmacuser · 13 years ago

ask ko lng po kung nagana po ba ung application na Onlive desktop sa IPAD 4 dito sa pinas?

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sicret · 14 years ago

ksi may nilabas nnamn ang samsung..:))

Mark · 14 years ago

The only reason I can think is the heating up problem of the iPad 3 as I’ve read on different blogs. The new CPU of iPad 4 could be more power efficient and maybe the solution for this. I don’t know.

charly · 14 years ago

I only say Google ipad 5 and then you start wondering yet a other one in march april

turncoat boat · 14 years ago

apple has arguably great products, but without a doubt i think what they “do” really well is the marketing of their products and the timing of their releases. Remember that these products mainly target the US market with the reasoning that “if America eats up our sh*t, then we see no reason why the whole world wouldn’t.” Anyway, Apple got a beating around this time of the year last year when the Kindle Fire edged the iPad2 in terms of sales. For me that’s the only reason why they moved their release window to a date closer to the holiday season.

Kendra · 14 years ago

i’m not an ipad use but just an iphone but i’ll not be bias to this thing but this is just a test that no matter how soon they’ll launch a new toy, certainly most of apple users will fall in line to get his/her one first…this is just a half-cooked ipad just like iphone5…

Yel · 14 years ago

We don’t want “hotness exclusivity” with our device. We were made to believe that what we purchased was the best there is (at least for a year) making it worth our money. 6 mos later (2 mos for me), Apple comes out with a new device, better specs, but with the same price. I wonder if that A6x chip could address the overheating issues of the ipad3 which i personally experience, everyday. If it does address it, then there you go. I have the impression that they made a mistake on the ipad3 giving it an A5x chipset. They should have released this version of the ipad 6 months ago. I feel cheated as a consumer, but for Apple and everyone else who hasn’t bought their ipads yet, this is a good move. It is a great move. Never mind all those people who bought the ipad3 who were made to believe their device’s overheating problem is normal. Give me un update if the ipad4 does the same. I’m guessing not. Call me butthurt, because i am. I feel cheated.

Jcnjcjcnjc · 14 years ago

It means, after 1yr. Your idevice will be 2gen old, so not much of a resale value. Hehe

Patrick · 14 years ago

Apple needs to release this to improve their investor’s outlook. the company stock took a hit and it needs this to recover.

tonio · 14 years ago

its just too soon. when you bought your ipad3 6mos ago, you were gunnning for the best ipad…not necessarily the newest.

Andy · 14 years ago

This article seems familiar… cnet.com anyone?

tu9tifive · 14 years ago

Me thinks Sascha Segan of PC Mag has one of the better reasons for this ….

“Apple’s goal is to sell devices, and it does that by releasing the best products it could possibly make. For the critical holiday season, if it can put out an iPad that’s aligned with its new Lightning dock connector, uses the latest processor, and works with additional wireless carriers, it will.”

and for those iPad 3 owners that were “affected”…he has these words…

“So what do the iPad 3 whiners want? I don’t think $100 would satisfy them, because their complaints are more existential. Do they want Apple to not release new products so existing device owners can get some sort of exclusive period knowing that they have the absolute hottest gadget on the block? Do they understand how absurd that is?”

The rest of his article is here:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411368,00.asp

berk · 14 years ago

most likely to raise the prices of all the current products Apple had in store and to remove all the old products they have. Christmas is coming, habol pa sa sales….

goosebumps · 14 years ago

Bili lang ng bili ah! kung walang pambili eh no comment na!

Kevin · 14 years ago

I pity the mindless iSheeps haha

Jay · 14 years ago

They’re rebooting the product launch cycle. A new iPhone in September and a new iPad in November (instead of mMrch) makes a lot of sense for holiday shoppers. Previously, I would hesitate getting an iPad for Christmas knowing a new iPad will come out in March. Now I can get an iPad in December without being antsy about it being “obsolete” in 3 months. It’s actually a “win” for the consumer.

parangano · 14 years ago

i think this proves how their innovation is drying out for the ipad. they had to make it small. check. but what about the big one? this new ipad4 would be in response to the backlash they got over the iphone4s. the incremental changes and then the hype. they figured better they screw a million people less now than they would if they released the ipad4 (technically ipad3s) a year later. the ipad is an ipad, i can’t imagine how innovative they can still get with it. but then again that’s apple’s job to think about that, and from the looks of it, there’s not much thinking being done.

John · 14 years ago

No special reason. They did it for the sake of the lightning corrector and processor. They’re Apple. They can do anything they want for fuck’s sake. You should all be happy. It’s technology guys.

Kratak · 14 years ago

@john – agreed. They are apple and they can do anything they want. For those naawa sa isheep – please problemahin nyo sarili nyo they have the money and they are willing to burn it. If you dont have any doon kayo sa magnum ng cherry. After one year or less equals broken.

Bungga · 14 years ago

Kung makapraise naman ang iba dito, parang diyos si Steve Jobs. Ang totoo, kahit anjan pa c Steve Jobs, mauubusan at mauubusan pa rin sila ng tinatawag nilang inovation. Nabigay na nila lahat ng innovation nila step by step from the first iphone to the iphone 4s. Kaya ang latest products nila, wala ng innovation, upgrade na lang! At malay natin the next generation ng products nila may bagong innovation na naman, sini-save lang nila, irerelease ng paunti unti at pagkakaperahan dahil bibilhin at bibilhin pa rin ng mga fans.

Les · 14 years ago

correct. next product release is the ipad mini with Retina Display hahaha they will always find a way to get your money

Gams · 14 years ago

Steve Job,come back to Earth.Apple is slowly rotting.

Elbert · 14 years ago

The reason to release it now is because iPad 3 sales will drop because consumers know that it will soon be phased out as it was the only one left without the lightning connector. By upgrading it now, Apple is assured that iPad 4 sales will not be affected.

parangano · 14 years ago

i don’t think ipad2 has a lightning connector. why not phase that one out?

Kaakit-akit · 14 years ago

Dami na namang maloloko ang apple neto. Pero sabagay, pera naman nila yon. Kaya bili kung may pangbili. Pero sa totoo, kahit yong ibang mga walang pambili, pipiliting magkaron ng pepay para makabili. Buhay naman nila yon, kaya go. BILI!

booboo · 14 years ago

The reason why Apple released iPad 4 this early is for them to justify the pricing and placing of iPad mini. Well, they released iPad mini to get a slice of the 7-inch tablet market, which is big this holiday season.

Marcelino · 14 years ago

Because they are threatened by the soon-to-be-released Microsoft Surface and Samsung’s Nexus 10.

Kasi kung hindi pa nila irerelease ngayon, maaapektuhan yung sales nila kung sa March-April pa, like the other iPads before.

Badtrip naman talaga kung kabibili mo lang ng iPad 3, then walang kaabog-abog, luma na kaagad yung “new” iPad mo. UGH.

And besides, the 7″ tablet category is already dominated by Kindle Fire, Nexus 7, and what have you.

Wrong decisions, indeed.

Omaniac · 14 years ago

Apple is playing catch-up. Remember when steve jobs said that 3.5 inches is the sweet spot for a smartphone? Apple released iphone 5 with a 4″ display because bigger screen is the way to go. And now apple sees the 7″ category a threat that is why they released their own 7″ category tablet. I wouldn’t be surprised if they release their own phablet with stylus.

tarush · 14 years ago

For me, it’s simple. Your product line up should have the iPad with the best processor, and with the release of the iPhone 5 with A6 CPU, the new iPad aka 3rd Gen iPad’s A5X CPU sits below the A6 CPU of the iPhone 5, plus it would be weird that the lower model iPad Mini uses the latest Lightning connector while the 3rd gen iPad uses the old connector.

On the marketing side, the release of the iPad Mini and the 4th gen iPad would generate enough assurance that Apple’s tablets’ new specifications and price would be hard to beat, whatever the real life performances of the Microsoft Surface and the upcoming Nexus update and the high resolution Samsung tablet announcement would be next week.

Whether we like it or not, Apple has one of the best marketing teams not just among tech companies but among all Top 500 companies in the world.

chopotka · 14 years ago

Even if you work for free, I would not hire you for a marketing person, you obviously think using your ass.

There’s no more innovation in Apple, period!

chopotka · 14 years ago

Even if you work for free, I would not hire you for a marketing person, you obviously think using your ass.

There’s no more innovation from Apple, period!

juliancirineo · 14 years ago

won’t that throw people off and lessen the value of their products? I mean, one of the reasons why Apple devices are so expensive is their exclusivity. You don’t see them releasing different phones for different markets. There’s just one phone, the iPhone. Then they improve that and release a new model with newer features. But now they have the iPad mini, which I think is just another huge mistake. THEN they plan on releasing this? It’s not even that far off from the previous iPad.

jhepoyskee · 14 years ago

Holiday season in US.

Docalfred · 14 years ago

They just felt threatened. Just bought new ipad for the upgrade and then this! Bummer!

Jared · 14 years ago

Perhaps it’s to counter the impact which Ipad Mini would have on its own Ipad sales. It is to signal to consumers that the Ipad Mini is not the next Ipad, but an entirely different line.

Had they not released the 4th Ipad, their latest offering will be the Ipad Mini, which has downgraded specs. Not a good contender vis-a-vis the ms surface and other high end tablets which could be introduced.

So, yes, product differentiation may be the reason.

Ezy · 14 years ago

Agree! This seems to be the most logical reason

Mario · 14 years ago

Not really.

John · 14 years ago

they just move the date of releasing a new ipad.

parang ginaawa nila sa ip4 na tumagal naman imbis bumilis.

iphone = september
ipad = october

Dan · 14 years ago

I don’t think it’s an iPad 4, I think it’s still a new iPad; because an iPad 3 hasn’t been released, yet! Haha!

Dan · 14 years ago

I don’t think it’s an iPad 4, I think it’s still a new iPad; because even iPad 3 hasn’t been released, yet! Haha!

AlainL · 14 years ago

Nakaramdam sila ng takot. Wala nang confidence ang Apple para antayin ang normal cycle nila. LOL.

phil · 14 years ago

Agree! They said 7″inch tablet has no use. But after seeing the sales of Nexus 7 and Kindle, they release their own 7″version.

And that 3.5″ screen is the perfect size for smartphone and anything bigger than that is just a waste. But after seeing how the market adopt t bigger display, they followed.

ak47 · 14 years ago

maganda din ang dulot ng bagong ipad dahil, mag dodrop ang price ng luma

Dan · 14 years ago

Correct!

Docalfred · 14 years ago

Sorry, they’ve just phase-out the New ipad and retain ipad2 so no movement in price to be expected. Except sa black market.

bobby · 14 years ago

Exactly not the case. Apple has stopped the production of iPad 3 to give way to iPad 4. So what’s available in Apple Store now are iPad Mini, iPad 2, and this new iPad (iPad 3 eliminated in the picture). So it’s alright for iPad 3 users to feel cheated.

Jay · 14 years ago

Apple is the master at phasing out old and phasing in new products. A month before the announcement, my supplier has informed me they are already out of stock of some iPad variants. Lo, and behold, 1 month later, Apple announces iPad 4. Other manufacturers have to struggle with excess stocks of previous models, but not Apple.

chopotka · 14 years ago

My officemate bought his iPad 3 two weeks ago, imagine the disappoint, LOL. He’s trying all the tricks in book bluffing the store (seller), as if the store is at fault.

On a another note, if Steve was still alive, this would not have happened. Definitely, a strategic blunder of stupendous proportions. Now, if he can only comeback from the dead.

chopotka · 14 years ago

As usual, take this with a grain of salt. It’s a marketing ploy. Next thing we know, iPad 5 will be out this December. LOL

simplynice93 · 14 years ago

I agree! It’s a way to boost Apple income and hit their financial targets for this quarter. I feel sorry for the Apple fanatics since they need to spend more than usual.