• Quiet Launch of the Retina iPad Mini may be pointing towards the New Normal

    by
    Akshay Masand
    Published on 2013-11-13 04:32 AM
    7 Comments Comments


    With the recent unannounced retail debut of the iPad mini with Retina display, a whole lot of Apple devotees and critics were upset. A lot of people appeared to be confused, simply because an Apple tablet has never launched in such a way. It is strange for an iPad to launch without a parade in its honor but it’s not unusual for Apple products in general. As the iPad line continues to evolve from a set of devices that validate its own existence to a core part of Apple’s long-term strategy, release practices appear to be falling in line with that of the company’s other offerings. TO sum it up, while the quiet launch may be due partly to low stock of the new slates, we could also be moving to a future where Apple’s tablets were upgraded incrementally on a schedule similar to how MacBooks, the mac mini and other Apple products receive their seasonal refreshes.

    When a product line is due for a physical facelift or a major overhaul, a new Mac, the Retina MacBook Pro, etc., Apple tends to show it off at an event. When the device just needs a bump in specs to ensure that it stays competitive with its rivals, Apple’s online store simply just goes down for an hour or two and when it comes back, the more powerful products seem to be in place. A press release is usually issued, news sites run their impressions and the public knows about it – all of which happens without a single Apple figurehead taking the stage.

    Sooner or later, Apple will no longer have to prove that the iPad deserves to exist with large presentations and we seem to be getting closer to that point in time. The recent retail debut wasn’t solely to get us used to the idea of not knowing exactly when the new Retina iPad mini will be available, as the production limitations are likely to blame as well, but the company may be testing the waters with the recent events. Given that Cook teased of Apple’s position in gearing up to take on new product categories, this may be how certain product lines are treated going forward, passing the limelight to more attention-needing upcoming products.

    The iPhone, which has always been fighting a much more intense battle in a faster-paced environment than that of the iPad is likely to never graduate to a level where Apple could afford to skip the annual event. The iPad on the other hand would lose very little by adopting yearly upgrades that come with less noise and it would free up the company’s event schedule a bit to fight wars on new fronts.

    What do you think of the whole ordeal? Do you think this is the direction Apple is headed in? Share your thoughts and comments below!

    Source: TUAW
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Quiet Launch of the Retina iPad Mini may be pointing towards the New Normal started by Akshay Masand View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. Apple,
    3. iPad
    Comments 7 Comments
    1. 2Jaze's Avatar
      2Jaze - 2013-11-13, 06:10 AM
      Works for me. Apple stores stay flooded day in and day out with people who don't intend to buy anything anyway, so word from window shoppers getting around that "they had a new iPad in there!" might actually benefit more to sales than raising the expectations unnecessarily high with big presentations for small upgrades.
    1. fanboyfanboy's Avatar
      fanboyfanboy - 2013-11-13, 07:30 AM
      do you really think apple would give up all the buzz that the iPad events generate? Lol no. I would bet apple would've loved to launch it with the iPad air. But the low supply could not make that a reality. I'd say this won't be the norm ever.
    1. Jahooba's Avatar
      Jahooba - 2013-11-13, 12:06 PM
      Sooner or later, Apple will no longer have to prove that the iPad deserves to exist with large presentations and we seem to be getting closer to that point in time.
      The last iPad unveiling was rather small, wasn't it? The unveil is mostly for the benefit of the media, anyway.

      It seems to me that's the first indicator - If the iPad is no longer generating page clicks then websites will slowly back away from it and focus on other trends.

      I still think the iPad has a lot of time left. It's very hard to lose track of a companionable iPad, unlike the iPod which tends to drift slowly from one's mind. You'll know the iPad is starting to reach a saturation point when you lift you sofa cushion and find an old iPad Mini there with crumbs and hair stuck to it. Personally my family isn't there yet, but one day we may be.
    1. politicalslug's Avatar
      politicalslug - 2013-11-13, 12:26 PM
      What is this article talking about? Day in and day out since the massive media frenzy last month for the new iPads, this site has offered up one article after another detailing the problems with iPad mini suppliers and production woes. Now instead of pinning down a specific date Apple is trying to fill back orders and avoid issues of long lines with no product availability. Basically, this device was already given a huge launch event just a few weeks ago, and this site already covered that huge launch event.

      More drivel and none-news on another slow news day? I guess so.
    1. bigboyz's Avatar
      bigboyz - 2013-11-13, 03:30 PM
      I have yet to see Apple launch any product quietly. Since 2007, that has not happened.
    1. stevelucky's Avatar
      stevelucky - 2013-11-13, 06:12 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by bigboyz View Post
      I have yet to see Apple launch any product quietly. Since 2007, that has not happened.
      But that's kind of the whole point. We're not talking about a product launch here. The iPad Mini is not new. We're talking about a spec bump. This has been happening for years. Every time the MacBook Pro gets a spec refresh, they don't hold an event. They simply launch the new models and issue a quiet press release. The thought here is that they could do the same for the iPad as it's pretty clearly the leader in the tablet market, they don't necessarily need all the fan fare when it just gets a spec bump. This would allow them to save the hype for when it's getting a full facelift. If they decide to go this route with the iPad, I'm totally cool with it.
    1. fanboyfanboy's Avatar
      fanboyfanboy - 2013-11-14, 03:10 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by stevelucky View Post
      But that's kind of the whole point. We're not talking about a product launch here. The iPad Mini is not new. We're talking about a spec bump. This has been happening for years. Every time the MacBook Pro gets a spec refresh, they don't hold an event. They simply launch the new models and issue a quiet press release. The thought here is that they could do the same for the iPad as it's pretty clearly the leader in the tablet market, they don't necessarily need all the fan fare when it just gets a spec bump. This would allow them to save the hype for when it's getting a full facelift. If they decide to go this route with the iPad, I'm totally cool with it.
      But laptops aren't replaced as fast as tablets. No one thinks "oh new MacBook! Time to ditch last years model!" iPads are different, people hear "new iPad" and instantly will dump there old (but still in great condition and performance) for the new one. That's the difference here.

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