Apple has already sold more than 120 million since 2010. This is a testament on how this nifty gadget was able to take things around and made people want to have one. It clearly is a major agent of change because it was the release of the iPad that made people realize the convenience of mobile computing being offered by tablet PCs, something that models that came before it were not able to achieve. It is now a common sight for people to have at least one tablet PC in their home and soon, it will become a standard fixture in our lives, much like what mobile phones are to us today.
It is known that Apple has been setting a schedule as to when they would be bringing out new items into its product line. This is to give time and space for each new product to be known, as well as to maximize the sales of the units. Apple usually debuts products once a year, until they broke that cycle in 2012. Now, it looks like they are releasing new products twice a year, which is usually scheduled March and October. However, this year, Apple is veering away from what they usually do by announcing a new version of the iPad, which has more storage capacity than its previous models as early as February.
The new model will be released on February 5, a few days after it was announced to the public. The new model of the iPad will have the same specs as the 4th generation model, but with a bigger storage capacity of 128GB. This is twice the current maximum storage of the previous models. It will still have the 9.7-inch Retina display and dual core A6X chip with quad core graphics capabilities. Another added feature of this new version is that it will come installed with the iOS 6.1 operating system that includes support for LTE networks approved by Apple worldwide. The suggested retail prices for this new version are $799 for WiFi only model and $929 for the WiFi + Cellular model.
This move by Apple is believed to boost their product in line to compete directly with the coming Microsoft Surface Pro tablet. Of course, Apple’s aim is to be ahead of its competitors and is doing everything to achieve that goal. No one doubts their position in the market because of the fact that they have already sold 120 million units of the iPad since its launch in 2010.
But then, with the company reportedly decreasing orders for parts after decreased demand for the iPad Mini and iPhone 5, it seems there’s a chip in Apple’s seemingly flawless armor. The break from the routine new product release cycle is clearly a marketing move by the company to boost sales and retain its top position in the market.
This would also mean that we should not expect any further debuts for a new iPad this coming spring as Apple announced that units with upgraded storage capacity are already available online and in most of their authorized resellers worldwide. People may be thinking if this boost in the storage is really needed. However, a lot of people who have learned to utilize their iPads for work surely appreciate this move because this would mean more space for their files, documents and presentations. But with the price of the unit going up, not everyone would be able to afford it. Thus, many would still opt to go for the unit with lower storage capacity and more affordable price.
But then again, users with an iPad 4 can sell their iPads to refurbishing establishments like Cash for iPads.com and get top dollar for their gadgets. The proceeds of the quick and convenient transaction, plus just a few more hundred dollars, can already be used to buy that pricey iPad with expanded storage. That definitely softens the blow from having to purchase a $799 iPad after buying another iPad just a few months ago for also close to $700.