Apple’s next generation of iPad tablets, the iPad 5 and the iPad Mini 2, could be launched before the next-gen iPhone, believed to be either the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6, according to reports.
International Business Times reports that ‘new rumours’ suggest the next batch of Apple tablets will be released first, though sources for the claims aren’t cited. The theory goes that iPad launches have traditionally taken place in Spring (between February and April) while iPhones have appeared in the Summer months (June/July).
However, in 2011 Apple’s launch cycle switched to later in the year, seeing an Autumn release for the iPhone 4S (and subsequently the iPhone 5 in 2012). The iPads then followed with a dual-launch of the iPad 4 and iPad Mini slightly later in the same season.
This is where things take an odd twist, the article states (emphasis ours): ‘with confirmation that the iPhone is shifting back to summer, the next generation iPad models are suddenly up in the air as to when they will see their release date.’
The latter part of that claim is certainly true – no one really knows when the iPad Mini 2 and iPad 5 will emerge, though rumours are currently rampant and either Spring (before the iPhone) or Autumn (after or at the same time as the iPhone) are the two main possibilites.
But it’s that first bit of IBT’s statement which rings alarm bells because there’s certainly been nothing official from Apple saying the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will arrive in the Summer, although that is the general consensus from analysts and leaks of varying trustworthiness.
Most recently, the Wall Street Journal has reiterated the claim that the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will launch in the Summer, meanwhile DigiTimes – the source for the original claim the iPhone would arrive in the Spring – has now changed its tune to Summer in the absence of any news from Apple by this point.
If the iPad Mini 2 and iPad 5 models are announced in the Spring then there’s not much of it left, meaning we’re looking at April or May for an announcement, but, Apple being Apple, if this happens you can expect it to hit shelves in a matter of weeks after an official launch event.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
Posts
No comments: