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i PAD RELESE NEWS DATE AND RUMOURS
iPad 4 release date, news and rumours
UPDATED Will it be theThe new iPad 3 has been out for just a four months, but there are already murmurs surrounding the next iPad release.
Details are thin on the ground regarding iPad 4 specifications and features, but this hasn't stopped new iPad rumours cropping up from various sources.
We've put together what we know so far below. Don't forget to keep checking back for the latest the iPad 4 rumours.
iPad 4 release date: October 2012
There have been reports that Apple will launch two new tablets during 2012: the iPad 3 in March, which turned out to be the new iPad, and then the iPad 4 in October.
The news came via Digitimes which says this information was confirmed by a Taiwanese component manufacturer. The source goes on to say that the iPad 4 will come with killer applications and beefed up hardware to take on various tablets scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2012.
iPad 4 release date: March 2013
That said, Apple does like its uniform, annual releases so don't be surprised if we the iPad 4 release date is actually March 2013, 12 months from the launch of the new iPad.
This release schedule would give the new iPad time to flourish in the market and then slowly move out of the spotlight come Christmas as various Windows and Android powered tablets are released.
This "down-time" for Apple will fuel frenzied iPad 4 rumours as fans start dreaming about what the next generation could offer, culminating in another super-hyped event next March.
iPad 4 features
Little is known about the features and specifications for the new iPad, butsources quoted by iLounge claim it'll be a modest upgrade, with a slimmer body, smaller dock connector and internal improvements to reduce the heat which is produced by the third-gen new iPad.
A rumour that we reported on 26 September 2012 claims that the iPad 4 will feature a wider 16:9 screen (the current iPad is 4:3). Industry analyst Paul Mueller told the Examiner: "I have talked to at least three people close to Apple who say that there are new iPad prototypes that have a 16:9 aspect ratio."
Is the iPad 4 the iPad Mini?
There is speculation that Apple's next tablet could in fact be the iPad Mini.
Currently Apple's new iPad dominates the high-end tablet market, leaving the likes of the Amazon Kindle Fire and budget Android devices to swoop in and meet the needs of the more frugal shopper.
It's thought that Apple won't want to miss out on this low-end market, which has led to rumours that we may see the iPad Mini break cover in October - possibly sporting an 8-inch or 7.85-inch screen and sub £200 price tag.
Those rumours that the iPad 4 will be the iPad Mini gathered pace on 4 July 2012, with fresh reports from Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journalclaiming that the iPad Mini would launch before the end of 2012.
On 31 July, sources quoted by iLounge claimed that the iPad Mini would launch in November with its own debut event, rather than fighting for attention with the iPhone 5.
On 9 July, we reported that Japanese blog Macotakara had cited an unknown source, claiming the new iPad Mini would be a very svelte 7.2mm thick, and come with 3G functionality, with production starting in September, and on 5 August, some supposed iPad Mini case pictures appeared on Chinese blog Sina Weibo.
For the latest iPad Mini rumnours, check out iPad Mini release date, news and rumours. iPad Mini? Will it arrive this year or next?
iPad 4 price
The same report from Macotakara said that the iPad 4 price (assuming that the iPad 4 is the iPad Mini) would be in the region of $250-$350 (around £160-£230).
On 16 July, we reported that the The New York Times, which claimed to have spoken to sources "with knowledge of the project", put the iPad Mini price at "significantly less" than the new iPad, which starts at £399. The same report put the iPad Mini screen size at 7.85 inches, a size rumoured by Digitimes back in March.
Two new iPads
In summary, current rumours suggest that we're looking at the iPad Mini in October/November for $250-$350 (£160-£230), and the next full size iPad in March 2013, with a price comparable to the new iPad that's on sale now.
As we gather and analyse more rumours, we've also put together our iPad 4 wishlist...
iPad 4: what we want to see
By Craig Grannell
While we're waiting for new rumours to roll in, we figured it's time to start complaining about the current iPad and outline our demands for the iPad 4.
Despite essentially being a metal-backed pane of glass with a few buttons, a massive battery and a smallish circuit board, we've hardware-oriented wishes for Apple's next-generation device, which we're assuming is probably also going to be called 'the new iPad', or 'the new, new iPad' or perhaps Apple will return to numbering its tablets and we'll get an iPad 4.
1. Thinner, lighter, faster!
The new iPad is (very) slightly thicker than the previous one (although not the original iPad) and (very) slightly heavier. Through a combination of amazing engineering, technical breakthroughs and unicorn tears, we're dreaming of an iPad 4 that would be as light as a Kindle and as thin as something thinner than an iPad 2; we'd also like the iPad 4 to be faster, because we're demanding like that.
2. More storage
The new iPad has a Retina display, providing the potential for pin-sharp graphics, like those on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, but over a much bigger area.
This comes at a cost: app file sizes. For example, the revamped GarageBand is a few hundred MB larger than the previous version. Yet iPads remain available only in 16, 32 and 64GB configurations. Would 128GB in the iPad 4 be too much to ask for?
3. Thunderbolt support
Apple's shift to wireless sync has removed one major reason forThunderbolt, but rumours still abound about the high-speed I/O tech coming to iOS, providing compatibility with a new generation of peripherals. Adaptors could be released for legacy kit, further boosting Apple's coffers.
4. Better keyboard support
Steve Jobs hated the idea of a touchscreen computer, because it's an ergonomic nightmare that rapidly makes an outstretched arm shriek with pain. But this is what an iPad and a Bluetooth keyboard turns into.
To fix this, Apple would just need to make some extra keyboard commands baked into iOS, for example to enable app switching.
5. A truly magical screen
A Retina display? How 2010! What about haptic feedback? OK, so we didn't seriously invest in thoserumours, and a 'morphing' screen gives us T1000 nightmares, but it could be useful for feedback when typing and playing games on the iPad 4. And while Apple's at it, a better oleophobic coating that eradicates fingerprints would be lovely.
6. A smarter Smart Cover
The Smart Cover, or Mr Flappy as we call ours, needs to be smarter. It looks very swish and clever when the iPad wakes. It's also a reasonably good stand. But it's rubbish when you're holding an iPad and the cover's swinging about and then falls to the floor in comedy slapstick style.
7. Battery and charging improvements
Ten hours of usage from the new iPad is impressive, but that's a best-case scenario. Play some games or watch video and that figure will fall. Apple's hampered by technology, but in a year, who knows? An iPad 4 that lasts for a day on a single charge? Wireless charging? We can dream.
8. Improved speakers
If you want a reality check about the quality of the iPad's speaker, use an iPod touch for approximately ten seconds. The iPad will sound like a Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin by comparison. But with so many great music, gaming and video apps, better speakers - More power! Stereo! - is nonetheless something we'd love to see (well, hear) on the iPad 4.
9. Near field communication
We're not suggesting Apple should add near field communication (NFC) to the iPad so you can wave it around like a massive glass-and-aluminium wallet. But NFC would enable iPads to be more commonly used for taking payments, and NFC across iOS devices as a whole could provide a boost to this emergent technology.
10. The same form factor (ish)
'Thinner and lighter' was our first wish, but we don't want 'smaller'. A 7-inch iPad? No thanks. iPad apps are designed for a ten-inch screen, and we're sure Apple doesn't want the box to include iMicroscope and iFileDownYourFingertips.
Similarly, people seem obsessed with binning the bezel, but we like it; the bezel enables you to hold your device without accidental touchscreen presses and without covering on-screen content. One of the iPad's greatest aspects has been strong usability, and we'd hate to see anything compromise that.
