iPad 2 Follow Up

By Josh Barrett on March 8, 2011 in News

I neglected to reflect on my iPad 2 predictions mostly because I had read so many that I figured another one wouldn’t add much – at least not last week. I did finally have a chance to see how my picks fared. Results and comments below.

Oh, and yes, I will be getting one. My original iPad will go to the wife and kids.

Thinner

Prediction: Yes. Very slight, couple mm.
Actual: Correct, though in reflection how much of a surprise is this. I don’t think Apple has ever updated a product to make it thicker. Still, I was amazed by how much thinner – 33%.

Lighter

Prediction: Yes. But not much. The current iPad is 1.6 oz with 3G and 1.5 oz without. Given that most of the rest of the components are glass and battery, there isn’t much to give. I suspect they will be able to shave off an ounce or two mostly so they can truthfully say “lighter.” it wont be so much as to change how the device is held.
Actual: Correct, though like thickness, Apple’s products typically don’t get heavier over time. I think it netted a 2 oz reduction or 13% reduction. Not bad.

Retina Display

Prediction: No.
Actual: No, got this right too. Wish I could say I figured it out on my own but my judgment was informed by John Gruber’s post back in January.

Other Display Improvements

Prediction: I’ve heard rumors of better protection agains smudges, better readability in sunlight, but I don’t think we’ll see either of those. I do think the display assembly technology will improve to bring the LCD closer to the glass to make them appear as one, which is something you see in the iPhone 4
Actual:By all accounts, nothing in this area. So, I was right about the oleophobic improvements and wrong about the tighter assembly of the screen and the glass.

Shape

Prediction: Flat back. More iPhone 4-ish.
Actual: Correct on this as well.

Better Processor

Prediction: Yes. Will be the A5, will have more on board memory.
Actual: Correct, though memory is unconfirmed. Will need a tear-down to confirm the actual amount of RAM as Apple doesn’t mention this spec (it is 256 MB in the current iPad).

More Storage

Prediction: I don’t think we will see a 128 GB model, so I expect size configurations to remain the same.
Actual: This was a guess on my part, but I lucked out. I think these sizes make sense for this type of mobile device. If Apple’s North Carolina datacenter operates as a cloud based locker for media, more on-board storage is probably even less important. If the iPad file system gets updated in iOS 5 to allow easier file access among apps, I can start to see a desire for more storage.

Cameras

Prediction: Front, yes. rear, no. I think Apple expects your phone to be where you take pictures. I’d like to see an iOS feature that simplifies getting photos from your phone to your iPad.
Actual: Half right here. Front and rear cameras, but we don’t have specifications. Speculation is that they are on par with the iPod Touch cameras rather than the high quality iPhone 4 cameras.

Speaker

Prediction: Improved single speaker design.
Actual: I actually haven’t seen anything on this. Pictures suggest at least a bigger grille that wraps around the back of the device. Again, will need a teardown to confirm.

Ports

Prediction: No changes.
Actual: Got this one right in the sense that there aren’t any additional physical openings on the device you can plug stuff into. The existing 30 pin got an upgrade by being able to push HDMI out and a mirrored display, which makes at least this lawyer happy.

Grab Bag

Prediction: We’ll see the next version of iOS, 4.3, which will have some bells and whistles to take advantage of the new hardware like FaceTime and Photo Booth. I think the base model (16 GB) will drop in price but not have a camera. The rest of the price structure will remain the same.
Actual: Lots of action in the grab bag. I was right about iOS 4.3 and the photo related apps but I didn’t expect the iMovie and Garage Band apps. Looks like they have decided not to continue the current model, but Apple is blowing out remaining stock for $100 less per unit. I was correct in that the price structure would otherwise remain the same. The Smart Covers are getting lots of press. They look cool, but they won’t work for my workflow (I like to protect the back too, which in reflection is strange I realize).