New Apple products for 2012: Speculation and wish list

[haven]

At the new iPad introduction, and again during a conference call with business analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that 2012 will see the introduction of several new products. What might the future hold for the iPhone, iPod, iPad and portable MacOS computer lines?

1. There are a boatload of rumors circulating about a smaller iPad. 7.7 inches is the most commonly reported screen size. The question is whether Apple should stick with the 1024x768 screen resolution, or find a way to squeeze the 2048x1536 resolution of the new iPad into a smaller screen.

The reason this is a problem for Apple is that iOS software is programmed for a fixed screen size. To make a universal app, iOS developers have to code for the iPhone, original iPad, and new iPad screen resolutions. Android software, in contrast, is independent of screen resolution, and can display properly on just about any screen. It seems unlikely that Apple would require app developers to add a fourth screen size to their apps.

2. A bigger iPhone is another rumor. Somewhere just larger than 4 inches is a possibility, with 1024x768 screen just like the original iPad.

3. The iPod Touch is overdue for a hardware refresh. The current iPod Touch runs hardware similar to the iPhone 4, but with a lower quality screen. Upgrading might add the dual core A5 processor and more RAM, making a better machine for gaming. A 5 megapixel camera would be nice. And how about adding SIRI?

4. A MacBook Air with touch screen would work with the new MacOS X 10.8, called Mountain Lion.

Your thoughts?

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

I'd be more interested in a 1TB SSD in the MacBook Pro, and Retina quality display. I don't really see the need for a smaller iPad that's what the iPhone is for. It might be nice to have a slightly larger screen for the next iPhone and iPod though. Once my wife got her iPhone she stopped using her iPad for the most part. Now it's been retired to toddler duty

 

[nwoods]

x2 on the new MacBookPro's. The current style has been out for nearly 4 years, and with all the Ultra Book hype these days from Intel's $350M ad campaign, I would not be surprised if the MacBookAir was revamped as well to put all those freshly designed UltraBooks out to pasture before they were even released!

I think the MBP will lose a few pounds, get the Retina display features, a better video camera, possibly with LED illumination? and have some other killer feature I didn't know I needed.

 

[pyro4fun]

I expect the iPhone and iPod touch will get a refresh and most likely get the better screen resolution and a larger 4" screen. They will put there A6 chip in it with 512mb ram. That's my opinion at least, we'll only have to wait and see. Roumor is October for iPhone 5.

 

[haven]

Next week Apple will hold its World-wide Developers Conference in San Francisco. WWDC gives Apple a chance to alert developers to upcoming products and changes in software.

So what new products might be announced? Here are a few possibilities:

-- refresh of Mac hardware, including laptops and desktops, to use Intel's third generation Core processors
-- addition of "retina" high resolution displays in at least some laptops. Might also include iMac product line.
-- new MacOS features, perhaps including touchscreen capability for laptops
-- update to iOS, Apple's operating system for iPhones and iPads. But what features will be added? Support for larger iPhone screen?
-- addition of links to Facebook built into MacOS. Last year, MacOS added ties to Twitter.
-- new Apple TV product that uses a Bluetooth wireless remote

What do you think Apple will announce at WWDC?

 

[haven]

Two unnamed sources "with knowledge of Apple's plans" told Bloomberg reporters that a smaller iPad is coming this Fall. The screen size is between 7 and 8 inches, measured diagonally.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-03/here-comes-nexus-7-nightmare-the-ipad-mini.html

Let's assume this is true. Do you think Apple should price the small iPad to compete with the $199 Android tablets? or should Apple charge $300 or more, to emphasize iPad's market leadership?

Would you make the screen 1024 x 768, so the new mini iPad could run software formatted for the original iPad? Archos and Visio make 8 inch, 1024x768 tablets.

Or should Apple choose a screen with 1280 x 800 resolution, so 720p video can fill the screen? Samsung has a nifty Galaxy Tab with 7.7 inch, 1280x800 screen. And the Nexus tablet is 1280x800 in a 7 inch screen.

 

[Honu]

My guess if they do it will be in the 1600 ish on the wider size ? Since it will be some form of retina display

Price in the $300 maybe doing something like a $299 base

Will be curious to see the new toys one can hope to get for Xmas this year

 

[nwoods]

I think the 7" market exists, but is much smaller than the iPad. Consequently, i think the screen res needs to be a factor that allows current native iPhone Retina apps to display properly. I haven't done the math, so I'm not sure what that res would be, but this is my prediction. Apple simply does not like cluttering the lineup with hundreds of variations, so the apps will be fully complimentary with existing apps and resolutions.

 

[haven]

These are interesting times for Apple. Along with the mini iPad, there are rumors are that the new iPhone will have a bigger screen.

At least the iPhone case won't need to be larger to squeeze in a 4 inch display.There's lots of plastic around the iPhone 4's screen. It's anyone's guess what the new screen resolution will be. The original iPhone, 3G and 3GS screens were 320x480. The 4 and 4S are the same size, but double the resolution, 640x960.

Will apple double the display resolution again, to 1920x1280? That would allow the iPhone to show full HD (1920x1080) movies, something competitors' phones with 4 to 5 inch displays can't do.

 

[haven]

Here's a thoughtful analysis of the rumored iPad Mini, and why Apple just might do it
http://daringfireball.net/2012/07/this_ipad_mini_thing

Here's a web page that links to images showing what a smaller iPad screen would look like. (You have to view it on a current iPad to get the effect.)
http://seveneightyfive.fscked.com/

 

[nwoods]

Chip, that was a great article, thanks for the link!

 

[Honu]

and more rumor info

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/07/10/purported-physical-model-of-ipad-mini-surfaces/

 

[haven]

Here's an article that shows how Apple has stymied competitors by filling in all price points for the iPhone and iPod. They could do the same by introducing a less expensive (and probably smaller) version of the iPad.
http://www.iamconcise.com/main/the-reason-for-the-ipad-mini.html

 

[4xdog]

Very interesting article, haven. That chart showing how Apple position themselves across the price bands makes a compelling argument for a smaller tablet -- the best argument I've seen yet.

Don

 

[haven]

Not that Apple is hurting for sales...For the April-June quarter, Apple reports it sold 17 million iPads and 28 million iPhones. The two device families generated $25 Billion in revenue. Including sales of iMac computers, Apple collected $35 billion in revenue, and booked a profit of $8.8 Billion. In 90 days!

Some analysts are calling these numbers an earnings disappointment, even though the results are up 18% from the same quarter last year, and the earnings are better than Apple's guidance. The analysts are complaining since the results are down from the January-March quarter, and below what analysts were predicting. Silly analysts.