Amidst rumours of a new iPhone 5S, a cheaper iPhone and a new iPad 5, Apple upgraded the existing iPad 4 to 128GB while retaining the Retina Display. That is double the existing model of 64GB which, along with a 32GB one, was released last year. This release is set to create ripples in the tablet market where manufacturers’ response is looking lukewarm compared to the smartphone segment.
This is what Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, had to say during the release:
With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs. With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.
While we understand that he was carrying out his duty of marketing the new product, he does have a valid point. The iPad has made a visible impact on businesses, educational institutions and households worldwide since its inception. Enterprises and educators have been coming out with innovative ways to use the tablet to facilitate their day-to-day work, creating extensive content and numerous apps. A memory upgrade was, thus, imminent.
iOS 6.1 and A6X processor
Apart from this, the iPad will now ship with iOS 6.1 – the slightly refreshed operating system from Apple. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world and iTunes Match subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud. This new iPad is also powered by the A6X processor that is claimed to have double the capability than its predecessor A5X.
Price and availability
The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available in the US starting February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. We can expect these to arrive in India by March latest and priced around Rs. 40,000/- to Rs. 45,000/-
Market analysis
There isn’t any tablet available in the market with 128GB worth of storage and thus, gives Apple the first mover’s advantage. Other manufacturers like Samsung and Amazon will obviously take time to upgrade their own line of tablets, and by then, reports of a new iPad might start to pour in thereby deterring customers to buy their products. This is certainly a nice little stroke from Apple.
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