If they do release this year I'll be pretty miffed as I have a 3 day old ipad 2 64 3G!!! It would be wrong of Apple to release this year, these things are too expensive to churn out 2 per year.
Wrong.
They may be too expensive to BUY to per year, but for Apple to make them, there is nothing wrong with that.
If someone feels they need to always have to newest and best model, then yes, they will end up paying more.
But Apple certainly doesn't make anyone do that.
I'm not saying that Apple or BMW should only be within the reach of the elite, far from it. i'm pointing at the word diluted. Seriously, who in the right mind is going to go out and spend ?660 GBP for device that is going to be replaced in LESS than six months.
But you act like it HAS to be replaced. Like you are being forced to, for whatever reason. Or that the older model suddenly isn't supported, doesn't work, or won't run the apps.
I am still using my iPad 1 - works perfectly fine.
I fully understanding
wanting to upgrade each time to the newest model (I wanted to buy an iPad 2 when it was released) but remember, you aren't being forced to. And in fact, by rolling out iOS that will work with the previous generation, you could argue that Apple is saying "hey, it's okay if you don't upgrade - we will still give you some of these great features!".
Don't buy the top model? Well I got this model so I can do away with my laptop (except for extreme applications), my CD player and I wanted 3G for true portability and the GPS chip.
And if a new version comes out in October, does that somehow mean your iPad
doesn't replace your laptop, CD player, it suddenly loses it's GPS and 3G?
Now to think that ipad 3 could be here inside 4 months has me shouting I want a refund. i work in IT and see thing come and go at a staggering rate, but this is ridiculous.
The rumors have been around for at least two or three months that there will be another release in October. If it is that important to have the newest model, you should have either waited or simply plan on upgrading. If, on the other hand, you wanted something to replace your laptop, CD player, with 3G and GPS (as you stated) - well, the iPad 2 still does all that.
Chris