iPad

Apple’s (AAPL) iPad mini stole the full-size tablet’s thunder when it launched last November, and a number of industry watchers believe the larger iPad’s heyday is behind us. Not so, according to plugged-in market research firm TrendForce. In a new report, the Taiwan-based research firm says that Apple’s fifth-generation iPad is set to debut in the third quarter this year and it will feature an extensive overhaul that will reignite consumer interest in Apple’s 9.7-inch slate. More →

Steve Jobs had it wrong: people do want smaller tablets after all. CNET points us to a note written by Citi analyst Glen Yeung making the case that the market for larger tablets such as Apple’s (AAPL) 9.7-inch iPad has peaked and that more compact tablets such as the 7.9-inch iPad mini and the 7-inch Google (GOOG) Nexus 7 will be the dominant form factors going forward. Yeung thinks that while Apple will still be a major player in the market for smaller tablets, the company’s profits will still take a hit since the cheaper iPad mini generates smaller gross margins than the traditional iPad. More →

No, Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook isn’t overly worried that smaller tablets, including his own company’s iPad mini, are cannibalizing sales of the traditional 9.7 -inch iPad. In fact, Cook says that he’s glad Apple has remained at the forefront of the tablet market and that lower overall tablet market share for the larger iPad is inevitable. More →

Right on time, Apple’s (AAPL) new 128GB iPad is available for purchase in the company’s online store. As attention elsewhere continues to turn to the cloud, Apple last week unveiled a new version of its full-size tablet that doubles the maximum amount of internal storage. The 128GB iPad blurs the lines between tablet and PC in some respects, and it also blurs the line between tablet pricing and PC pricing. Available beginning Tuesday, Apple’s latest iPad costs either $799 for the Wi-Fi only model or $929 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. According to Apple’s website, the Wi-Fi model and the AT&T (T) version ship within 1-3 business days while the Verizon (VZ) and Sprint (S) models ship within 3-5 days of a new order.

According to a new report from Digitimes, the next-generation 9.7-inch iPad will be equipped with the same “G/F2 (DITO) thin-film type” touchscreen technology as the iPad mini. Apple (AAPL) currently uses a glass-on-glass touchscreen in its iPad models, however the switch to G/F2 technology will reportedly allow the fifth-generation iPad to be thinner and lighter. Digitimes notes that Apple’s move to DITO technology shows that the company is “looking to bump up its competition in the tablet segment,” adding that it is also expected to have a “more adequate supply” to the technology compared to the one-glass-solution technology Apple was said to be exploring. Recent reports have suggested that Apple will release a new iPad and iPad mini in March.