Rather than asking how Apple can keep selling the relatively ancient iPad 2 at just 20% less than its original price, maybe we should be asking why all tablets aren’t expected to be fully useful for over three years after their launch.
-Marco Arment, “Younger Than The iPad 2”
I was honestly surprise that Apple didn’t update the iPad 2 in some other way in the attempt to keep it relevant. The original iPad Mini is now a year old but it has a lightning port, whereas the iPad 2 is still rocking the 30-port connector, much like the iPhone 4S. I agree with Marco that we should be asking why more tablets don’t last as long as the iPad 2. Of course, the Apple that I was hoping to see—as were many others I am sure—was the one that left old things behind to embrace the future: retina displays, lightning adapters, flash storage. Instead, we saw an Apple who is still selling a version of the non-retina, spinning hard disk MacBook Pro and still selling iOS devices that carry an old standard.
What I have found most interesting about the press event commentary, however, has been the idea that Apple focused too much on products that may not matter in the not-too-distant future, i.e. Apple spent a lot of or too much time on the Mac, whereas the iPads are more important in the future of computing. Think of it this way, the Mac Pro was discussed on stage and people who desire the Mac Pro are complaining that Apple did not give enough stage time to the future in which the iPad is the only computer one will ever need. Yet, if Apple had not discussed the Mac Pro, those same individuals would have complained that their segment was no longer important to Apple’s future goals.
I, for one, saw a vivid glimpse into the fact that no matter what Apple device you buy, you can be successful. This is only mirrored by the iPad Air reviews that I have read; they all seem to point to the fact that the Air could realistically be someone’s only computer, not just a companion device. In terms of raw power, the iPad Air is faster than a 2010 MacBook Air when comparing benchmark scores. This is no small feat, but it doesn’t mean that the 2010 MacBook Air should be considered obsolete nor does it mean that Apple can’t continue to support the segment that still desires the Mac.
In short, even I am surprised that Apple is still selling certain hardware devices, but I will choose to be happy with what I have because Apple has yet again shown that they will continue to support their customer base, which is more than can be said for a lot of tech companies these days.
Posted: October 31, 2013
In 2022, I am participating in two leadership training programs. This should be a social experience, so I am writing about it. Check out the full list of posts in the series here.