I totally love the idea … with that ecosystem behind it, it will close the gap between the iPhone and iPad that a lot of people are talking about, which I actually don’t see. Nevertheless I think the iPad Air will sell like cupcakes and with a price range between 200 – 300$, maybe better than the iPad. That’s the amount of money that every parent could and should spend for their kids! For Authors and Developers it would also open an extra platform where they could sell their software, books and ideas.
I am all in for an iPad Air!
Internally at Apple, it’s probably called the iGatewayDrug. I’m probably one of the tons of people who will buy a mini iPad, get addicted, then toss it to a family member to buy the full size iPad less than year later.
Gruber is digging a grave bigger than last year ipad in fall announcement.
To succeed in the marketplace, it has become necessary for Apple to broaden its product offerings in the iPhone and iPad lines.
To date everyone is emphasizing the need for more sizes (larger iPhone, smaller iPad) but premium hardware features could be added to the standard model to ensure better performance: more RAM, more flash storage, faster processor, battery add-on that attaches to the bottom of the phone (making it 1″ longer), improved antennae with boosted power to improve reception, etc.
This is essentially what Apple has done with the Mac and iPod lines, so it is consistent with the company’s existing practices. Given the differing needs and economic circumstances of consumers, Apple’s current iPhone & iPad offerings reveal an insensitivity to the marketplace that does not bode well for the company’s future.
I would argue that no they don’t need to broaden the lineup. The iPad is selling by the hundreds daily. Amazon is releasing a bigger Fire to compete with the current iPad even
What Apple needs is to keep doing what they are doing, improving the internals and the content. NOT doing as the other boys do and release another size unit simply because everyone else has a 7 inch unit.
If Apple has found a legit reason to create an item of that size they will. But I suspect it is a revamped iPod touch of more like 5-6 inches, running the same ‘iPhone’ apps as before. Or this is perhaps the new teardrop
You may find that a lot of Authors and Developers hate the idea because it means yet another size to have to deal with. Sure they could just rest on pixel doubling etc but that tends to lessen sales as it doesn’t look as good and folks give such ‘behind the times’ apps negative reviews
I predict that in the indeterminate future, Apple will release an “iPad Stretch,” which will vary in size between 7 inches and an astounding 15 inches diagonally when the user pulls gently on the lower right hand corner of the screen. I have no idea how they’ll do this, or how long it will take to develop the technology, but I plan on making a few random telephone calls to numbers in mainland China for confirmation. Please recall that somewhere along the line, Apple made a deal with the “Liquid Metal” producer, so that sounds like the direction they’re heading in, right? If it ever happens, you heard it hear first…
I agree with you, but Apple is not doing as the other boys do, they are playing a whole different game, thats why the iPad is outselling every other tablet. And with the iPad Air (I love to call it that way) Apple creates another platform for all their apps, music, videos, ebooks and emagazines.
Sure, there are developers and authors who may be anoyed, but I was talking about myself. There is no reason for me not to welcome another size of iOS devices to build for, which actually is my work and purpose.
But it isn’t another size. It’s the same 1024×768 screen resolution as the iPad 1 and 2.
Do you believe in a screen resolution of 163 ppi? I am not sure. They could sell the iPad Air with retina and non-retina displays, but I don’t believe that also. Once you have used retina there is no going back!
As gruber points out in his article, hitting a perceived price point might be one of the primary goals. To do that they HAVE to compromise somewhere, and the must-be-dirt-cheap-by-now 3GS display is a way to do that. And by launching with a non retina display- they give themselves any easy upgrade option a year or two down the road (which again Gruber points out), when the cost of iPhone4 display material drops.
With Apple angling for education in a big way, a $200-$250 device could seal their dominance in the emerging market.
As some have postulated, a 7.8″ device may actually be the preferred size for most people. We just don’t know.
I agree with you and with Gruber’s point of view and I they might go that way (although the new Kindle Fire does have a higher resolution). But I really don’t want a 163ppi screen, after using the new iPad with retina display, the iPhone4/4S oder iPod touch 😉
Another upgrade option for Apple could be some tactile screens for the iPad Air second generation, esp. for education.
If the rumors are correct, I don’t see the Kindle Fire’s incremental resolution shift from 1024×600 to 1280×800 being a massive improvement- certainly not a “retina” type shift.
I certainly don’t think that the majority market for one of these will be turned off by the ppi. It’s an iPad for the same (or close) price as a Fire or Nexus7. Good luck keeping up with demand this holliday, Apple!
A tactile layer to the screen could be a great innovation, but so far that’s been all noise. I’ve never even heard of the technology being demoed. It could be years off.
I am all in for an iPad Air!
I totally love the idea … with that ecosystem behind it, it will close the gap between the iPhone and iPad that a lot of people are talking about, which I actually don’t see. Nevertheless I think the iPad Air will sell like cupcakes and with a price range between 200 – 300$, maybe better than the iPad. That’s the amount of money that every parent could and should spend for their kids! For Authors and Developers it would also open an extra platform where they could sell their software, books and ideas.
I am all in for an iPad Air!
Internally at Apple, it’s probably called the iGatewayDrug. I’m probably one of the tons of people who will buy a mini iPad, get addicted, then toss it to a family member to buy the full size iPad less than year later.
Gruber is digging a grave bigger than last year ipad in fall announcement.
To succeed in the marketplace, it has become necessary for Apple to broaden its product offerings in the iPhone and iPad lines.
To date everyone is emphasizing the need for more sizes (larger iPhone, smaller iPad) but premium hardware features could be added to the standard model to ensure better performance: more RAM, more flash storage, faster processor, battery add-on that attaches to the bottom of the phone (making it 1″ longer), improved antennae with boosted power to improve reception, etc.
This is essentially what Apple has done with the Mac and iPod lines, so it is consistent with the company’s existing practices. Given the differing needs and economic circumstances of consumers, Apple’s current iPhone & iPad offerings reveal an insensitivity to the marketplace that does not bode well for the company’s future.
I would argue that no they don’t need to broaden the lineup. The iPad is selling by the hundreds daily. Amazon is releasing a bigger Fire to compete with the current iPad even
What Apple needs is to keep doing what they are doing, improving the internals and the content. NOT doing as the other boys do and release another size unit simply because everyone else has a 7 inch unit.
If Apple has found a legit reason to create an item of that size they will. But I suspect it is a revamped iPod touch of more like 5-6 inches, running the same ‘iPhone’ apps as before. Or this is perhaps the new teardrop
You may find that a lot of Authors and Developers hate the idea because it means yet another size to have to deal with. Sure they could just rest on pixel doubling etc but that tends to lessen sales as it doesn’t look as good and folks give such ‘behind the times’ apps negative reviews
I predict that in the indeterminate future, Apple will release an “iPad Stretch,” which will vary in size between 7 inches and an astounding 15 inches diagonally when the user pulls gently on the lower right hand corner of the screen. I have no idea how they’ll do this, or how long it will take to develop the technology, but I plan on making a few random telephone calls to numbers in mainland China for confirmation. Please recall that somewhere along the line, Apple made a deal with the “Liquid Metal” producer, so that sounds like the direction they’re heading in, right? If it ever happens, you heard it hear first…
I agree with you, but Apple is not doing as the other boys do, they are playing a whole different game, thats why the iPad is outselling every other tablet. And with the iPad Air (I love to call it that way) Apple creates another platform for all their apps, music, videos, ebooks and emagazines.
Sure, there are developers and authors who may be anoyed, but I was talking about myself. There is no reason for me not to welcome another size of iOS devices to build for, which actually is my work and purpose.
But it isn’t another size. It’s the same 1024×768 screen resolution as the iPad 1 and 2.
Do you believe in a screen resolution of 163 ppi? I am not sure. They could sell the iPad Air with retina and non-retina displays, but I don’t believe that also. Once you have used retina there is no going back!
As gruber points out in his article, hitting a perceived price point might be one of the primary goals. To do that they HAVE to compromise somewhere, and the must-be-dirt-cheap-by-now 3GS display is a way to do that. And by launching with a non retina display- they give themselves any easy upgrade option a year or two down the road (which again Gruber points out), when the cost of iPhone4 display material drops.
With Apple angling for education in a big way, a $200-$250 device could seal their dominance in the emerging market.
As some have postulated, a 7.8″ device may actually be the preferred size for most people. We just don’t know.
I agree with you and with Gruber’s point of view and I they might go that way (although the new Kindle Fire does have a higher resolution). But I really don’t want a 163ppi screen, after using the new iPad with retina display, the iPhone4/4S oder iPod touch 😉
Another upgrade option for Apple could be some tactile screens for the iPad Air second generation, esp. for education.
If the rumors are correct, I don’t see the Kindle Fire’s incremental resolution shift from 1024×600 to 1280×800 being a massive improvement- certainly not a “retina” type shift.
I certainly don’t think that the majority market for one of these will be turned off by the ppi. It’s an iPad for the same (or close) price as a Fire or Nexus7. Good luck keeping up with demand this holliday, Apple!
A tactile layer to the screen could be a great innovation, but so far that’s been all noise. I’ve never even heard of the technology being demoed. It could be years off.