[Messiahtosh]

Is the iPad rumormill dead? All we hear about are iOS updates, smaller screens (now apparently "Steved"), dock connectors being placed everywhere, and sadly the most exciting possibility seems to be Facetime capability?

This is iPad! Magical. Revolutionary. Ha! I want crystal storage (ok, ok, at least 32 GB for $399). But really, the iPhone 4 was way beyond iPhone 2007. I think Apple ought to have a hefty update to iPad, especially given the crazy estimates being made to unit sales next year.

We need a little more magic.

Maybe an iPad with all of those unexciting additional features, costing $299 to start, would be Just the magic needed to really shove that revolution into full swing.

Alligator skin covers made by Apple wouldn't hurt either. Those are so in.

[PB PM]

Other than adding a camera I'm not sure what to expect from the second gen iPad. The only way I can see Apple making the iPad truly revolutionary is freeing from the need to be synced with iTunes.

[screensaver400]

Apple A5 processor (Cortex A9?)
512 MB of RAM (Ideally 1GB, but that's not really necessary)
"Even Better" Screen (improved color reproduction or some such)
"Even Thinner" (0.5MM less)
FaceTime camera
32GB for $499, 64GB for $599, 128GB for $699 (maybe; may just be price drops on the other two)

That's my speculation.

[chucker]

Regarding the display, maybe they'll make it use RGB LED backlighting as the next step. That should boost brightness, contrast and color accuracy even further (and would be a clear message against those backing AMOLED).

Other than that… I'm not sure we'll see a CPU bump this soon, but hopefully the RAM will get doubled and a camera or two added.

[Jason]

Retina kind of display, camera for HD stills and HD video. More ram and an A5 chip. Plus somethings that no-one else will have thought of.

The next iPad really needs to be something special. Apple are far ahead now but other companies won't take it lying down.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Jason Retina kind of display

Call me pessimistic, but a 2048x1536 9.7-inch LED-backlit multi-touch display sounds a bit too expensive for now.

Originally Posted by Jason The next iPad really needs to be something special. Apple are far ahead now but other companies won't take it lying down.

Half a year in, there appears to be only one contender, the Galaxy Tab, with very mixed reviews. Google has purportedly restricted Marketplace access to devices with at most 7 inches in size as it doesn't deem Android 2.x viable for proper tablets. (Can't find the link right now.)

[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by chucker Half a year in, there appears to be only one contender, the Galaxy Tab, with very mixed reviews. Google has purportedly restricted Marketplace access to devices with at most 7 inches in size as it doesn't deem Android 2.x viable for proper tablets. (Can't find the link right now.)

Sounds like the same overconfidence that Apple had 2 years ago with the iPhone.

The mobile market is still very young and volatile. Things can change very quickly. Jobs already seems to feel as if they may have slipped up a bit with the smartphone market, but his comments from the last financial conference call make it sound as if he wants to be and stay the marketshare leader in tablets.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Brave Ulysses Sounds like the same overconfidence that Apple had 2 years ago with the iPhone.

Was it overconfidence, really?

Since then, two years ago Apple's profit position has been growing.

HP webOS, to my dismay, doesn't appear to be taking off (version 2 seemed to be in the news for less than a day), Nokia is still screwed, and RIM is in the middle of a transition to a new, QNX-based OS (i.e., it is at least trying to do what Nokia is failing at), but has little to offer in between.

Windows Phone 7? Disappointing launch both in terms of sales as well as in fit and finish of the otherwise interesting, unique approach at an OS. The first feature update can't come soon enough.

That leaves us with Android, right? Android, though, still lacks an iPod touch contender, and has series fragmentation issues, with each carrier and manufacturer making up their own rules, several making their own stores, and Google's own store being an untidy mess. Google simply isn't financially interested in a clean, homogenous experience; they get their ad impressions either way.

[Robo]

...and those smaller tablets still aren't undercutting Apple on price, so Apple doesn't really need to drop their prices to stay "marketshare leader on tablets."

[Satchmo]

Given the apparent lack of competition and decent sales of the current model, I sense Apple isn't in too much of a hurry to update the iPad.
Personally I wish they'd go for the jugular and introduce a bring out a souped up, fully specced iPad 2 in January for the same price.
Sell the current iPad for $299 and the tablet market is all but owned.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Satchmo Sell the current iPad for $299 and the tablet market is all but owned.

...and Apple will make zero dollars on it.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by Robo ...and Apple will make zero dollars on it.

They could make money with the App store, and iAds. If it comes to the point of getting hardware into people's hands there are alternatives to the standard business model, as I'm sure you're aware.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Maciej They could make money with the App store, and iAds.

Why ditch your core business model when it keeps growing and exceeding analyst expectations?

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Maciej If it comes to the point of getting hardware into people's hands there are alternatives to the standard business model, as I'm sure you're aware.

But since when has "getting hardware into people's hands" (i.e., market share) been more important to Apple than making money on what they do sell? Yes, they could all of a sudden ditch their current business model even when it's finally working out beautifully for them, and they could try to be a Microsoft/Google-style high-share/low-margin commodity manufacturer. They also could decide to stop making electronics and start making playing cards.

[Maciej]

Listen, I'm not advocating for it. I'm just saying that there are alternatives and the hallmark of a good company is being able to respond to the market. I agree that there's no point in doing it right now.

Yes, I'd love me some Apple playing cards.

But yeah, the more I think about it the more ridiculous it sounds.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by Maciej I'm just saying that there are alternatives and the hallmark of a good company is being able to respond to the market.

Absolutely. I just think it's a little early to speculate on Apple's plan B when their plan A seems to be going great.

[Chinney]

Originally Posted by screensaver400 Apple A5 processor (Cortex A9?) 512 MB of RAM (Ideally 1GB, but that's not really necessary) "Even Better" Screen (improved color reproduction or some such) "Even Thinner" (0.5MM less) FaceTime camera 32GB for $499, 64GB for $599, 128GB for $699 (maybe; may just be price drops on the other two) That's my speculation.

"Even Lighter" would be better than "Even Thinner", albeit that the two largely go together.

I saw a figure that gave Apple 95% of the tablet market in the last quarter, without a definitely-viable competitor on the horizon. Samsung is reportedly talking with suppliers about reducing its purchasing commitments, given poor sales of the Galaxy Tab at the retail end. What else is there in the works? At the most, there are a few more mini-tablets definitely in the works (RIM, for example), but I am not sure that they even count fully as competition.

There is more to creating a great tablet than just stretching a touch-screen phone. My impression is that Apple's leading position with the iPad is different that it was with the iPhone - they are further out ahead with the iPad in technological implementation. There will be viable competition at some point, I expect, but given Apple's lead, their commanding position will likely remain for some time.

[psmith2.0]

In true Apple fashion, I think the next iPad will be what the first one should've been (more RAM, front-facing camera).



The iPad, like the iPhone, probably won't really hit its stride until the third or fourth version. Remember how the first iPhone seemed "lacking" in various ways (no 3G, etc.) and it took another year or two for it to really "click". Same with the iPod and, to some degree, the iMac years ago (the DV models - Airport, FireWire, easier RAM access, slot-loading DVD drive, better speakers, sleeker chassis, etc.) was a really nice step up from the original tray-loading models).

iPad is the same. As popular and strong-selling as it is, imagine how it'll be when it actually sports the features and capabilities it should've from the start?



Look for 2012 (or maybe 2011, but I'm not sure...depends on how well they update it) to be when the thing truly hits the stratosphere. Until it gets FaceTime, which it should've had already, I think a lot of people are going to hold off. I know quite a few doing exactly this.

[Messiahtosh]

I gave my iPad to my father in law as a gift. I was going to buy one for him specifically, but I found myself using iPad less and less. I want a camera for facetime and I want a device that's 4x the size of iPhone to be that many times more capable. In short, I soured on the iPad, but still see that it will someday replace my MacBook Air.

So, rather than buy my FIL an iPad and spend the money, I gave mine to him. He suffers from COPD and the iPad gives him a sort of new life. I'm glad That he can communicate in 2010, rather than just watch TV and be visited by friends and family.basically, he gets more use of it than I.

Ill hold off until it can replace my portable Mac.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 The iPad, like the iPhone, probably won't really hit its stride until the third or fourth version. Remember how the first iPhone seemed "lacking" in various ways (no 3G, etc.) and it took another year or two for it to really "click". Same with the iPod and, to some degree, the iMac years ago (the DV models - Airport, FireWire, easier RAM access, slot-loading DVD drive, better speakers, sleeker chassis, etc.) was a really nice step up from the original tray-loading models).

I don't know. I think the iPad was damn near perfect, right out of the gate (which is why I bought one, out of the gate ).

The only thing people really seem to want on it, like are "holding out for" or whatever, is FaceTime, and that's something Apple didn't make everybody want until two months after the iPad launch. I'm sure that's coming, but I'm equally sure that I'll never use it, because nobody needs to see my ugly mug. So I'm still happy with my iPad .

While I was typing this a total stranger came up to ask me about my iPad. "That's one of those big iPhone things, right? Wow, it's like a little computer!" If this still didn't happen every time I used my iPad in public, I might agree that people thought current model was "lacking." But from everything I've seen, most people are totally sold on the iPad now.

I've said it before, but I think the holiday season is just going to be crazy for this thing. It's the first really giftable computer.

Of course there will be an iPad 2, and they'll add FaceTime because they can, and hopefully they'll double the storage and boost the RAM. But I'm not expecting a new display, and I certainly don't think they'll drop the price.

The only thing they really need to work on is making iBooks more attractive than the competition. And getting on Verizon, but that's happening anyway.

[Noel]

I don't think we'll ever see a (non-FaceTime) camera on the iPad. It's just not a good device for taking photos or video.

[psmith2.0]

I agree. It's too big and awkward to use as a camera. I do believe the FaceTime cam makes all kinds of sense onnsuch a device (obviously), but nobody wants to use something that big and awkward for a camera.

It works on the iPhone because it's small, already in your pocket and makes sense. Digital cameras are cheap, and powerful enough, that I have to figure most sensible people would opt for that, rather than some half-assed one shoehorned into an iPad. In fact, I never hear anyone seriously asking for that type of camera on the iPad.

And, Robo...the iPad isn't "lacking", in an of itself, but we both know it's less of a device than its two smaller counterparts, in every single way except screen size.

When those things are addressed, it'll be an even more popular device and bigger hit. It's just scratching the surface. In 3-4 years, I see the iPad being bigger than we ever imagined.

As good as it is, it isn't hitting on all four cylinders just yet (simply because it's still lacking some useful, expected features). That's not a slam, mind you. Just an observation.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 And, Robo...the iPad isn't "lacking", in an of itself, but we both know it's less of a device than its two smaller counterparts, in every single way except screen size.

What are those ways? It has the biggest screen (obviously), the highest resolution, the fastest CPU, and (again, for obvious reasons) the best battery life. It lacks cameras, and it only has as much RAM as the iPod touch, which is half as much as the iPhone 4, but it seems a stretch to call those "every single way". What am I missing?

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 And, Robo...the iPad isn't "lacking", in an of itself, but we both know it's less of a device than its two smaller counterparts, in every single way except screen size.

So it's worse in every way other than its defining feature?

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I think the iPad is just an insanely great value, just like the iPod touch, and like the iPod touch, there's just not anything else that's close. If there were other $499 tablets out there that matched or beat the iPad, spec-for-spec, I'd see your point, but...

I agree on the camera thing, though. Holding the iPad as a camera just seems awkward, and nobody's really asking for a (rear) camera. And they'd have to redesign the case for it.

I just want colors. And a Harry Potter special edition. Make it happen, Essjay!

[psmith2.0]

Compared to the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch?

Processor
Camera
RAM
Probably more if I had a spec sheet on hand

Granted, none are deal-killers, but eventually their larger, more-expensive iOS device should at least match, if not surpass, the two pocketable ones in tha above areas.

And I'm sure it will, on the next go-around. Which was really all i was saying. Nowhere did I say it sucks or anything like that. It obviously doesn't.

Or did you think I was referring to some sort of Android or HP stuff with my "smaller counterparts" reference?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Compared to the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch? Processor Camera RAM Probably more if I had a spec sheet on hand

I'm not sure where you got the idea that the iPad's processor is outdated. All three use the A4, and the iPhone 4 and iPod touch may not use it at its full 1 GHz speed, whereas the iPad does.

Camera is obviously true. RAM is only true if compared to the iPhone 4; the iPod touch and the iPad both have 256 MB.

[psmith2.0]

My mistake. It's what I get for wandering into a 'tosh thread.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 My mistake. It's what I get for wandering into a 'tosh thread.

Aww.

What do you think about an orange iPad? Would be pretty cool, no? /cheerupattempt

[addison]

Originally Posted by Chinney "Even Lighter" would be better than "Even Thinner", albeit that the two largely go together. I saw a figure that gave Apple 95% of the tablet market in the last quarter, without a definitely-viable competitor on the horizon. Samsung is reportedly talking with suppliers about reducing its purchasing commitments, given poor sales of the Galaxy Tab at the retail end. What else is there in the works? At the most, there are a few more mini-tablets definitely in the works (RIM, for example), but I am not sure that they even count fully as competition.

This article throws some cold water on the entire segment but especially Samsung. I like the iPad but I don't see the need to have an additional device now. If it was more of a computer replacement I would be more interested I guess. I can get one at a great discount but I'll probably wait.

[Jason]

My only worry with the next iPad is that it won't be much better than the current one. Apple just don't have any competition right now to spur them on.