DigiTimes reports that Apple's next generation iPad will become available in about 3-4 months. The publication's supply chain sources indicate that the next generation iPad parts are starting to ramp up while the iPad 2 production is starting to decline.
OEM production of iPad 2 will remain high at 14-15 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 but decline to 4-5 million units in the first quarter of 2012, paving the way for the launch of the new iPads, the sources noted.
Volume production is expected to start in February and reach 9.5-9.8 million units in the first quarter of 2012.
March or April should come as no surprise to regular Apple followers. While Apple first announced the original iPad in Jan 2010, the company didn't start shipping the first units to customers until April. In 2011, the iPad 2 was announced around the same time of year.
The iPad 3 is widely expected to carry a high resolution "Retina" display.
Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces.
The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019.
Q.ai...
Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...
Cool. I guess now is probably the best time for me to sell my iPad 2 while it still holds very high resale prices & then wait about 3 more months to buy the upcoming iPad 3 with "retina" display. :D
Don't mean to sound rude, but how much do you really need the latest iPad if you can comfortably manage 3+ months without one?
Will Apple do same with iPad as with iPhone? Sell both models simultaneously?
Two questions:
1) Will Apple sell iPad2 and iPad3 simultaneously, with the iPad2 being the value choice (like iPhone4 or 3GS)? Or will they drop the iPad2 and sell only the iPad3?
Given what they've done with the iPhone, I'm thinking they'll sell both models. Lots of people would be satisfied without a Retina Display, and would prefer to pay less. And lots of folks would gladly pay more for the premium product -- especially business users, who are used to paying a lot for tricked-out laptops.
2) If Apple does sell both models at the same time, will they drop the price of the entry-level iPad2 below $499 (to, for instance, $399) and sell the entry-level iPad3 for $499? Or will they keep the iPad2 at $499 and price the iPad3 higher -- say $599 or $649?
This one I'm less sure about. We know that Apple's margin on the iPad2 is slimmer than their other products, so it's not a foregone conclusion that they'd drop the price on iPad2 like they did on the older iPhones. But given that they have precious little competition so far, they might decide an aggressive move to grab share now will pay dividends later, given the lock-in factor (music and apps).
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
