iPad 2: Why I'm Waiting for the Next One
Apple debuted the highly anticipated iPad 2 at a private event in San Francisco Tuesday. My fiance and I had this marked on our calendars, as we're debating whether to make the splurge. Neither of us are early tech adopters and wanted to see what the new version - which ships March 11 - had to offer.
Here's the news: The iPad 2 got much skinnier, going from 13.4 mm to 8.8mm in thickness. The second-generation tablet also works on the Verizon Wireless 3G network, in addition to AT&T's 3G network. It's got two video cameras (one for face-to-face chatting and one for taking videos), as well as a dual-core A5 processor that Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who presented the latest version, says makes the new iPad "dramatically faster."
That's all well and good. But I'm not going to buy it; instead, I think I'll wait for the next generation. Here are three reasons why.
1. No Price Reduction
The 16GB wifi-only iPad 2 starts at $499, the same as the first generation. The 3G version is also the same as before: $629. Call me spoiled, but I was hoping Jobs would also announce a lower price. Not that Apple needs to reduce the cost - since the company estimates it will sell 40 million iPads in 2011 - but even a $50 reduction would have been enough to get me off the fence. Apple has reduced prices for new generations of the iPod - and tech experts had told me the price might drop to as low as $200! What can I say? We're used to getting more for less, and here we'd just be getting more for the same.
2. iPad 3 Will Probably Be Cooler
An Apple staffer who writes the blog, The Cult of Mac, says the third iteration "is the one to make a song and a dance about." Another report says it may have a better resolution. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed.
3. iPad 3 Is Arriving Soon Enough
The same Cult of Mac blogger says that I won't have long to wait for the third-generation tablet: It's expected to arrive just in time for the holidays. That's a reasonable amount of time to continue delaying gratification. Perhaps by then, with growing additional competition, Apple will find it in its heart (and profit margin) to cut us a break.
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