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In October of 2012, Apple shocked the tech world by announcing a new generation of iPad with Retina only seven months after launching the third-generation model. Today, Apple shocked the world again by replacing the low-cost iPad 2 with the fourth-generation iPad at the same price point. If you have not yet purchased or upgraded your iPad in the past few years, your choices have just gotten harder.
First off, let’s compare the iPad 2 to the fourth-generation iPad. The former has a 1024 x 768 (132ppi) display screen while the latter sports twice as many pixels at 2048 x 1536 (264ppi). The iPad 2 runs on the outdated A5 processor chip while the fourth-generation iPad features a significant increase in speed and performance with the upgraded A6X processor with quad-core graphics. The prior model connected to Bluetooth 2.1 while the newer model uses Bluetooth 4.0. The iPad 2 features a 1MP resolution camera and 720 HD video recording on the backside, with a 640 x 480p front-facing camera. The fourth-generation iPad comes with a 5MP iSight camera on the backside with 1080 HD video recording and the front-facing camera features FaceTime technology including face detection and backside illumination. The iPad 2 uses the 30-pin connector to link to external cables and accessories. The fourth-generation model features the Lightning connector.
That is just the basic specs. The iPad with Retina Display also has a faster Wi-Fi connection, 4G LTE compatibility, a stronger battery, and much more.
By the time the iPad mini with Retina display launched in November of 2013, the question of which tablet you should by was fairly straightforward. The iPad 2 wasn’t even worth it anymore. Not when you could get the 64-bit Retina display 7.9-inch tablet for the same price. Now, however, the lower cost tablet choice is harder. Do you want the faster processor or the larger sized screen?
The same advice I gave in October leading up to the launch of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display works for the fourth-generation iPad versus the second-generation iPad mini. Size matters. Of course, the current model of iPad mini is superior to the fourth-generation iPad, but if you would rather have a larger screen, the latter is nothing to sneeze at. That being said; why not save up $100 and get yourself an iPad Air? With the two most current iPad models competing for your attention at such a slim price difference, it is highly possible that newcomers to the iOS ecosystem will opt for the cheaper model since it is still a pretty classy gadget.
Which brings me to the subject of why Apple would replace the iPad 2 with the fourth-generation iPad for the low-cost model. If I had to guess, it would be because the company has big plans for the next operating system that will make the iPad 2 obsolete. Currently iOS 7 is compatible with the iPad 2 and newer. iOS 8 probably won’t be. If Apple continued to sell a tablet that would not even work with its own operating system a few months later, a lot of consumers would be upset. Plus, Apple likes to brag about adoption of new operating systems. If too many consumers are still buying the iPad 2 and iOS 8 isn’t compatible with it, the adoption of the mobile operating system would be lower.
The question you have now is; will you upgrade from the iPad 2 now that you can replace it with the fourth-generation iPad for the same price?
» Related posts:
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