Besides the iPad mini, Apple is launching another new iPad on Friday -- the 4th Generation iPad. The embargo has been lifted on those reviews as well, though they contain no real surprises. The 4th Generation iPad came out only seven months after the 3rd Generation model.
The changes include a faster A6X processor running at 1.4GHz allowing the device to run twice as fast as its predecessor. The new processor doesn't worsen battery life. Engadget's testing even showed it to be slightly improved. The front facing camera has been upgraded to take HD video, and the only other external change is the replacement of the 30 pin dock connector with the new smaller Lightning connector. CNet sums it up:
The latest iPad adds several tweaks and improvements to secure its position at the top of the tablet heap. It's better all around, but third-gen owners need not apply.
The other interesting effect the new iPad has on Apple's product line is that it increases the gap between the iPad 2 and the "new iPad". Apple has chosen to keep the iPad 2 at the $399 starting price point and simply retired the 3rd Generation model, replacing it with the new one. That $100 difference between the two models now represent a larger feature gap than before.
Lovely. My "new iPad" lasted all of 7 months. Is that the shortest product life cycle ever for an Apple product?
(Of course, it still works fine, and I will continue to use it. It's just never a nice feeling knowing your product got superseded by the new model -- twice as fast even -- while yours isn't even out of warranty yet. Oh well...)
Got my iPad 3 in April and see no compelling reason to get the 4. Will wait another cycle or 2 as long as this one works for me.
You shouldn't feel compelled at all to upgrade. I am glad you aren't. THe iPad3 is a great piece of hardware and there is no reason to move from it to the new iPad refresh.
Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums.
CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year.
The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID.
iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Apple today published a support document explaining why it decided to release a standalone Apple Music Classical app for classical music.
In short, Apple says the app was designed to support classical music's complex metadata:Classical music is different. It has longer and more detailed titles, multiple artists for each work, and hundreds of recordings of well-known pieces. The Apple Music...
Tuesday March 28, 2023 10:15 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the launch of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4.
Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an...
Tuesday March 28, 2023 1:50 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple has made the option to upgrade to new Home architecture available again with the release of iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, after it temporarily pulled the update in December.
After updating Apple devices to the latest software, users can once again opt to upgrade any homes set up in the Home app to the new Home architecture, which Apple says brings faster, more reliable ...
Apple on March 27 released iOS 16.4, delivering 21 new emoji characters, support for Safari web push notifications, the return of the page-turning animation in the Books app, updates for the Podcasts app, and more.
Image from CNet
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(Of course, it still works fine, and I will continue to use it. It's just never a nice feeling knowing your product got superseded by the new model -- twice as fast even -- while yours isn't even out of warranty yet. Oh well...)