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Apple is apparently ramping up for an iPad and iPad mini refresh as early as April, and has plans to release the iPhone 5S in August. Word of the unannounced plans comes from anonymous sources claiming to know Apple's road map, and once again the tech news world is trying to recreate the company's big picture from anonymous sources and news fragments.
Apple is apparently ramping up for an iPad and iPad mini refresh as early as April, and has plans to release the iPhone 5S in August. Word of the unannounced plans comes from anonymous sources claiming to know Apple's road map, and once again the tech news world is trying to recreate the company's big picture from anonymous sources and news fragments.
Sources speaking with iMore said Apple is targeting some time around April for an iPad refresh, which most likely will see a new 9.7-inch model and could see an updated 7.9-inch iPad mini as well.
The updated iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 5S, will apparently follow Apple's current design cycle and stick with the iPhone 5 look. It will also get an improved processor and a better digital camera.
So far, the rumors about Apple's product plans for this year put new iPhones and iPad announcements sometime between spring and fall, a lower cost iPhone with a plastic body possibly shipping some time this year, and new iPads before fall. Apple HD Television rumors aren't as big as they used to be, although that's most likely because now the iWatch smartwatch rumors have picked up momentum.
Rumors are big in the Apple news world because the company typically doesn't talk about products in development. That leaves analysts, media, and fans looking to alternate sources for information about the company's plans, which often leads to "unnamed sources," and "people familiar with the company's plans."
It's likely that we will see new iPad and iPhone models at some point this year, and we'll also see updates to the Mac product line. What we know for certain is that Apple CEO Tim Cook said something is coming for Mac Pro users at some point in 2013. Exactly what that is remains a mystery since Mr. Cook didn't elaborate on his comment.
We also know from comments during Apple's earnings report that several product announcements are planned for this year thanks to Mr. Cook saying the product pipeline for this year is full of exciting announcements.
Exactly when these announcements will hit is still a secret, although iMore's sources suggest they'll start happening next month.
What that really means is that it's still business as usual at Apple: The company isn't talking about what it has planned, and blogs and news sites will keep trying to build a tapestry from the rumor threads.