We saw yesterday the awaited announcement of the new IPAD model which will ship in a week or two. The main things about the upgrade are the retina (2048 X 1536 resolution) screen – better 5 megapixel camera and better processor in the for of the A5X. Size remains the same (probably for accessory compatibility) and battery life much of a muchness.
So is it worth an upgrade – mmmmmmmm. Not sure about that. Just as the Iphone 4S was a small step up – it appears that the Ipad (HD?) or whatever the designation will be is really a brush and polish up on the Ipad2. The hardener users of IPad will certainly look at the model to see if the 4G capability is really proven (will be interesting to see what impact this might have in UK).
More importantly Apple have produced something. Not doing so would signal to other tablet providers that there is room for them in the busy touch based tablet market. Aplle are now in the unenviable situation of having to think of things that continue the life of products such as the Ipad without radically deviating from their current course too much. The future products will not be so easy to fudge and the real questions with be what next – the Ipad 3 – the Iphone 5 – the real Apple TV. Which ever it is – the size of Apple as a company and the effect on markets of their share price and value is going to be keenly watched in 2012 and beyond.
Heres hoping there are at least a few more surprises in Apple’s techno pockets to come !