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3rd Generation iPad Dead After Just 7 Months

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Today Apple announced the new fourth generation iPad, and quietly killed the third-generation iPad it introduced in March. This is the first time Apple’s introduced a new iPad model just before the holiday shopping season, a timeframe Apple will likely stick with, just as it’s done with the iPhone line for the past two releases.

Apple released the third-generation iPad on March 16, almost exactly a year after the iPad 2. That means the third-generation iPad’s lifespan is just 221 days (7 months and 7 days).

By introducing the fourth generation iPad today Apple most likely reset the timing for its iPad release schedule. For the first two years of the line’s life Apple announced new devices in February or March every year, just a few months after the holiday season.

(Read: iPad mini Features, Release Date & Price Announced)

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The early death of the third-generation iPad doesn’t mean users should run to the store to buy the fourth generation, however. While the new iPad has a faster processor than the previous model, it’s virtually identical in every other way save for the Lightening connector. That means the new model won’t work with older accessories without an adapter.

So far Apple is the only company that makes Lightning cables and accessories, and it only makes half a dozen of them. Of those accessories, two are adapters to the 30-pin dock connector, two are for connecting to a camera, and the other two are for audio/video out. There are no docks or speakers available for the new iPad with Lightning yet.

Lighting accessories will likely arrive sometime this holiday season, with more coming early next year. In the meantime, users with the third-generation iPad can still use all the dock connector accessories already available. The accessories might even drop in price as more users switch to devices with the Lightning port.

The big star of Apple’s special event today was the new iPad Mini, a new device that starts at $329.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. CJ

    10/23/2012 at 12:30 pm

    So Many New Tablets This Week — Another tabletmaker has introduced a series of new Android tablets with some impressive features — one is called the Novo 7 Flame – priced at $189 at a site called TabletSprint – it’s a 7 Inch tablet that gives the $249 Nexus 7 & the new $300 Mini iPad some competition– the Novo 7 Flame has 16GB, Android 4.1 O/S, a high resolution 1280×800 screen, Micro-SD portable storage, HDMI to view movies and media downloads on a TV in HD, Two Cameras – a 5 MegaPixel camera with AF & Flash, and a 2 MegaPixel Webcam; plus Bluetooth, Ethernet, WiFi and an option for 3G… The tablet is made by Ainol Electronics – an Award Winner for “Best Tablet of the Year” at CNET/Consumer Electronics Show 2012 — And they also have two new 10-Inch tablets coming out with high resolution screens — one has a Dual Core processor with a 1280×800 screen for $220; and a powerful Quad Core with a 1920×1200 Liquid Crystal display (like Apple’s Retina screen) for around $260 — all with great specs and price — one of the first sites to offer these new models in the U.S. is called TabletSprint —

  2. BeachBlonde

    10/23/2012 at 3:48 pm

    To CJ above : The product offerings on TabletSprint do indeed appear impressive.

    Just one question: Where is the WHITE?

    Seriously …. those of who love White devices (a large share of the market, btw) will go to great lengths to get them….and avoid the “black or silver/grey only”. Samsung even finally listened with the original Galaxy Note “Phablet”, then quickly followed by Galaxy Tab white options in Asia, and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet here in the US. Now, they’ve introduced a 7″ tablet option in white, available in the States, called the “Student Edition”, an 8Gb 7″ Galaxy Tab in white with silver back, bundled with a WHITE keyboard and USB adapter. Samsung has learned what Apple did from the start: when a consumer pays this much money for a device, they expect FORM to be equal to Function…and for many that means a statement made about art, beauty, a statement made in WHITE.

    There is a cell phone customizer in the local that does nothing but change the color of iPhones (including the front glass + digitizer) – to a tune of $125.99 & Up. The line is always out the door, full of teens, parents, and every type of person imaginable, save the elderly, who probably could not care less, lol.

    Offer white on TabletSprint and watch those sales skyrocket!

  3. George

    10/23/2012 at 3:56 pm

    yes its dead if you’re a sad fuck that really thinks paying more dosh to apple for a new connector and faster processors that won’t make much difference to the operation of the device is worth it. and no, i don’t own any sort of ipad – android all the way for me. it just annoys me when a glib headline like this is posted. as if its designed purely to wind up anyone who bought a 3rd gen ipad – which is of course still a fantastic machine if you like that kind of product.

  4. Best iphone5 Case

    10/25/2012 at 1:40 am

    Yes after iphone4s it is now time for ipad 3rd generation they r coming with this product one after another but these product are well anticipated

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