back to article HOT AIR-FILLED Apple fanbois SHUNNED iPad 2 at Xmas

Novelty-seeking Apple fanbois turned their backs on the iPad 2 in the run up to Xmas, heralding the imminent demise of the ancient legacy fondleslab. The fruity firm still sells the iPad 2, which costs about 20 per cent less than the super duper iPad Air, which is the latest model. According to a report from Consumer …

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  1. Big_Ted
    Facepalm

    And in other shock news

    Non ipad buying customers shun 2 year ol tech for latest models......

    Well I was shocked that Apple Fanbois are like the rest of us after all......

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Do they make them to order or are they just overstocked or refurbished?

      1. JaimieV

        They still build them

        And sell them to the educational and semi-embedded systems markets, as controllers on kit that uses the old 30pin iPod connector like tills, and even in-shop intelligent signs and product catalogues. Single function, no need for hi-res displays.

        Remember all those Psions used in warehouses in days gone by? That sort of stuff too.

  2. Alistair MacRae

    I used my iPad2 at christmas!

    I installed and attempted to play the wolf among us. The apps store says it runs on the iPad2, they lie! It's frame rate is terrible so I got it on PC instead.

    My iPad is really just for watching fails of the week and other various YouTube detritus.

    Other than aesthetic and weight changes I don't see the point of upgrading.

    2K res is all well and good but how much stuff is running that?

  3. Neil Lewis

    Wait a minute...

    'LG is set to manufacture the screens for the widely anticipated iWatch'

    An iWatch? But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF SAMSUNG, wouldn't it? And the super-innovative fruity ones would never steal other people's intellectual property, would they?

    No, that can't possibly be true.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Wait a minute...

      The iWatch was rumoured long before the Samsung watch. Therefore Samsung produced the sort of thing they thought Apple might do, except without having an Apple device to copy they produced a device with current technology instead of something new or cutting edge.

      The iWatch may appear, who knows. Having just got a Pebble I can see the potential, but I'm not a fan of the buttons on the Pebble.

      You need to use a pinching motion to push the Pebble buttons when you should really be able to press them without doing so. They should have put the buttons on the bezel edge so you can press down on the phone instead of sideways.

      1. Tachikoma

        Re: Wait a minute...

        The iWatch was rumoured long before the Samsung watch.

        Don't worry, Apple will soon be awarded the patent for "wrist mounted electronic device with integrated screen" and will sue Samsung. And as for those cheeky upstarts Seiko, them releasing a digital watch in 1973 will be proven to have been done by copying Apples "innovative intellectual property"

        1. NumptyScrub

          Re: Wait a minute...

          quote: "And as for those cheeky upstarts Seiko, them releasing a digital watch in 1973 will be proven to have been done by copying Apples "innovative intellectual property""

          There are some gems on the smartwatch entry in Wikipedia, to whit:

          "The RC-1000 Wrist Terminal was the first Seiko model to interface with a computer, and was released in 1984. It was compatible with most of the popular PCs of that time, including Apple II,II+ and IIe, the Commodore 64, IBM PC, NEC 8201, Tandy Color Computer, Model 1000, 1200, 2000 and TRS-80 Model I, III, 4 and 4p."

          "In June 2000, IBM displayed a prototype for a wristwatch that ran Linux. The original version had only 6 hours of battery life, which was later extended to 12. It featured 8MB of memory and ran Linux 2.2."

          It is a constant source of amusement (and equal measures of chagrin) when I see people blindly claiming that anyone producing a smartwatch is obviously copying Apple's intention to produce a smartwatch at some undisclosed point in the future. I would offer the observation that smartwatches have been around in one form or another for decades (much like tablet computers) and that this belief that Apple invented the concept is simply because they have a really good marketing department.

          I'm sure that once it actually appears (whenever that may be) the Apple offering will be well designed, intuitive to use and integrate seamlessly with their existing infrastructure. I'd expect no less from Apple, they have a history of taking the time to ensure new products resonate with the target market. It's just not going to be the first to market, is all...

          1. Ralph B

            @NumptyScrub Re: Wait a minute...

            > this belief that Apple invented the concept is simply because they have a really good marketing department.

            I think you'll have to admit they did a fair job on the implementation, as well as the marketing.

            1. Sir Runcible Spoon

              Re: @NumptyScrub Wait a minute...

              @AC "That news doesn't fit through El Reg's anti-Apple news filter so presumably has been lost."

              I've always found the Reg to be an 'equal anti-arseholes' news provider.

            2. NumptyScrub

              Re: @NumptyScrub Wait a minute...

              quote: "I think you'll have to admit they did a fair job on the implementation, as well as the marketing."

              Well, the iWatch has yet to appear, so I couldn't comment on the implementation. Their tablets have always been eminently usable and well integrated, even if they haven't necessarily been bleeding edge tech for that generation. I'm making the assumption that the iWatch is going to continue the trend of "usable and well integrated" as the focus, rather than trying to push the envelope too far.

              I'm probably going to get downvotes for the "bleeding edge" jibe, but hey, it did take them 2 generations to put something better than 1024x768 on a 10" screen, when their 3.5" phone had 960x640, or move to a dual core SoC when Android manufacturers were all shouting about quad cores... ^^;

          2. Philip Lewis

            Re: Wait a minute...

            You know, I realise that history is something most people in here know nothing of, but we already had "the great watch race", and it was far grander and considerably more interesting.

            http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Complication-Build-Worlds-Legendary/dp/1439190089

            http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/books/review/a-grand-complication-by-stacy-perman.html?pagewanted=all

            And so on.

            For those of you without an horological appreciation, too bad.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Facepalm

      Re: Wait a minute...

      An iWatch? But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF SAMSUNG, wouldn't it? And the super-innovative fruity ones would never steal other people's intellectual property, would they?

      No, that can't possibly be true.

      It'll take a few days for the register to catch up, but a lot of sites are running with a source citing that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced this April with a...... fingerprint scanner...... But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF APPLE, wouldn't it? And the super-innovative Korean ones would never steal other people's intellectual property, would they?

      No, that can't possibly be true

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Wait a minute...

        It'll take a few days for the register to catch up

        That news doesn't fit through El Reg's anti-Apple news filter so presumably has been lost.

      2. Toothpick

        Re: Wait a minute...

        And it seems they're ripping off MS for the UI too. Make of that what you will.

        http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a545173/samsung-galaxy-s5-user-interface-appears-in-new-photos.html

      3. fishman

        Re: Wait a minute...

        <<<but a lot of sites are running with a source citing that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced this April with a...... fingerprint scanner...... But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF APPLE, wouldn't it? >>>

        No, Samsung would be ripping off the far older Motorola Atrix.

      4. Greg J Preece

        Re: Wait a minute...

        It'll take a few days for the register to catch up, but a lot of sites are running with a source citing that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced this April with a...... fingerprint scanner...... But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF APPLE, wouldn't it? And the super-innovative Korean ones would never steal other people's intellectual property, would they?

        You mean like the Android powered Motorola Atrix had long before the iPhone?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Motorola Atrix

          The Atrix had a swipe scanner on the side. By placing the fingerprint sensor in the home button you use to wake up the phone, it doesn't require anything extra to get the added security (which isn't close to foolproof, but is probably more resistant to snoopy spouses than a PIN that can be shoulder surfed by anyone who spends much time with you)

          Obviously fingerprint scanners, or "smart" watches or whatever are not being invented. The innovation, if any, is in how it designed to be used, not the mere existence of it.

          1. Greg J Preece

            Re: Motorola Atrix

            The Atrix had a swipe scanner on the side. By placing the fingerprint sensor in the home button you use to wake up the phone, it doesn't require anything extra to get the added security (which isn't close to foolproof, but is probably more resistant to snoopy spouses than a PIN that can be shoulder surfed by anyone who spends much time with you)

            Actually, the Atrix's scanner was at the top back, and doubled up as the power/lock button. So yes, Atrix did do this first.

      5. sam bo

        Re: Wait a minute...

        "No, that can't possibly be true" Well you got that bit right at least :-)

        "state of the art iris sensor" for security purposes, ...close but no banana.

      6. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Wait a minute...

        "but a lot of sites are running with a source citing that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced this April with a...... fingerprint scanner...... But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF APPLE, wouldn't it? "

        Samsung's first touchscreen smartphone with a finger print sensor came out almost 9 years ago (the S370 in 2005)

    3. Philip Lewis

      Re: Wait a minute...

      Sony are already up to their second generation and the first gen predated the Galaxy by quite some time.

      Do try to keep up. And perhaps you might shed some of the ignorant bias as well.

    4. Euripides Pants
      Trollface

      Re: Wait a minute...

      "An iWatch? But, ...but surely that would be BLATANTLY RIPPING OFF SAMSUNG,"

      No, its an eye-Watch - a little watch on a heads-up-display, so they're ripping off Google...

  4. Michael Jennings

    The iPad 2 is used by lots of corporate customers

    There are lots of businesses using large fleets of iPad 2s for relatively simple tasks: at tills, as interactive guides to information, as electronic signs, and whatever. The hardware needs for such tasks are often low, and many such businesses have infrastructure set up to allow charging and software updating of their devices using Apple's old style hardware connector rather than the new Lightning connector. Apple continues to sell the iPad 2 to keep such customers happy. If you are a consumer, buying an iPad 2 makes no sense whatsoever, as it is ridiculously underpowered and overpriced for today's requirements. If you are a business who has hundreds or thousands of them, they are adequate for whatever task you are using them for them, and there are advantages of having common hardware for all the iPads you are using plus you don't want to upgrade your infrastructure, buying more iPad 2s might make sense.

    Such customers aren't any more inclined to buy iPads at Christmas than at any other time of year, though, so the market share of the iPad 2 goes down at Christmas. Simple.

    1. returnmyjedi

      Many hospitals use iPad 2s to allow patients to rate how miserable they are.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        The 2 is still a great device though. Underpowered for fancy games but otherwise very capable with great battery life. And of course the design is just as nice, if you want that kind of look - and/or you have an iPhone and want to stay in the same ecosystem - iPad2 is still a decent budget choice.

      2. Simon Harris
        Coat

        "Many hospitals use iPad 2s to allow patients to rate how miserable they are."

        To rate how miserable the patients are...

        ... or the iPads?

      3. sam bo

        "Many hospitals use iPad 2s to allow patients to rate how miserable they are."

        I'd be miserable too, if they gave me an iPad to use ;-)

    2. Philippe

      Re: The iPad 2 is used by lots of corporate customers

      Although I've upvoted you for a well written and factual post I'd like to remind you that this site is El Reg.

      Only crazy fanboys willing to die for their plateform of choice are allowed around here.

      Next time, please insert comments such as Android fragmentation, windows empty store, or iOS walled garden so that we can keep up appearances around these shores.

      thank you.

      1. PusillanimousPseudonym

        Re: The iPad 2 is used by lots of corporate customers

        My plateform of choice is round, and made of some sort of clay based material. Never, ever, a chopping board, which seems to be all the rage around some poncier eating establishments these days.

  5. hammarbtyp

    Moved to iPad 4 or lost all together?

    Hmm, I wonder how many of those sales went to Android tablets.

    Truth is if you can afford a iPad you might as well go for the latest and greatest, for the rest of us a lower price android tablet provides a much better performance/price point

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Moved to iPad 4 or lost all together?

      Although lower security and poorer support.

      If you get an Amazon Kindle fire tablet you get a horribly dumbed down OS.

      1. hammarbtyp

        Re: Moved to iPad 4 or lost all together?

        I'll accept the security concerns, but poorer support? Compared to PC's generally tablets just work, 7 year old kids use them with little input from anyone

        "horribly dumbed down OS"

        well you are welcome to your opinion, but most people find Android fine for there needs. At the end of the day it is a platform and does not need or should it be greatly sophisticated. You could also of added better App support and there you would have a point, but the gap is narrowing as the mass market moves to Android.

        The point is how long can Apple justify the price of the iPad, when a cheap android tablet will do 95% of what you want a tablet to do at a far lower cost. The only way Apple in the past have managed to justify the cost of an iPad is through innovation, but the gap between the competition catching up has come down markedly. There is also a point when all devices become 'good enough' and premium brands struggle to justify the price difference. At this point the price should come down, but Apple has been extraordinary resistant to this. Instead they try and shift old stock, sold as the value brand. That does not seem to be working now because the old systems are competing with the latest android kit.

        1. OrsonX
          Flame

          "how long can Apple justify the price of the iPad"

          Woz*: "crap, we're making soooo much money, and people just won't stop buying our products...., but I feel so guilty, how can we justify selling our tech for such high prices..., sob, the money, sob...., just sooo much money, sob..., and they keep buying them..., why don't they stop?!"

          *yes, I know. But I couldn't say Steve.

      2. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

        Re: Moved to iPad 4 or lost all together?

        I have a kindle HD and I really don't care about the dumbed down interface.

        I use it to read books, play a few solitaire games and store lots and lots of PDF's when I go on my travels for business. sure I could use my laptop or pretty well any other tablet but it works for me.

        sitting in Cattle class seat 22A for 11hrs (as I do pretty regularly), you need kit that is going to last the duration of the flight AND the waiting around in the Airport at either end. The kindle does just that.

        finding the technical PDF's is easy, far easier than any Android tablet I've tried. I can't comment on an iPad or Surface because I've never used one for any length of time.

        Using if for Email, web browsing and shootem up games don't interest me in the slightest.

        What works for you may well not work for me so get over it.

  6. Simon Harris
    Stop

    Only 20% below the iPad Air?

    If I was buying something two generations behind the latest model, It would have to be a lot cheaper than that!

  7. JDX Gold badge

    Is 2 or Air the only choice?

    I have a 2 and would quite like a newer one, but I was hoping they'd move to sell iPad Retina as the new low-end model. But I don't see Apple selling them. Although the new mini is like an iPad 3/4 inside.

    1. Steve Todd

      Re: Is 2 or Air the only choice?

      The Mini comes in two versions. The standard Mini has the same CPU as an iPad 3 and the screen rez of a 2. The Retina version is fully up to spec with the iPad Air.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Is 2 or Air the only choice?

      The retina iPad mini has the 64 bit A7 processor in it plus a higher resolution (pixel per inch) than the iPad air.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: Is 2 or Air the only choice?

        Can you point me to benchmarks showing the mini-retina is equivalent to the Air?

        Also - are you sure the non-retina mini is packing the same punch as an iPad3? I was convinced the original mini was just an iPad2 in a smaller box with a different connector.

        These figures show a confusing picture, that the iPAd3 and iPad2 are equally powerful: http://browser.primatelabs.com/ios-benchmarks

        1. MikeCorris

          Re: Is 2 or Air the only choice?

          The ipad 3 is the same as the ipad 2 except it has a retina display and beefed up graphics chip to drive the display. The original mini is indeed the same spec as the ipad 2.

  8. Yugguy

    I also have yet to buy an Apple product as I object to paying 50% more for a product that is only 5% better.

    And that's a subjective 5%.

    I'm not an Apple hater, I just don't see the point. My Samsung smartphone and tablet do everything I need them to do and they were half the price of the equivalent i- offering.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I'll start by saying that "I'm not an Apple hater, I just don't see the point." is tantamount to saying "I'm all for equality, but... ". It's vacuous.

      "My Samsung smartphone and tablet do everything I need them to do and they were half the price of the equivalent i- offering."

      No they weren't. Currently;

      Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 RRP: £359.99

      iPad Air RRP: £399

      So £40 in it; the iPad arguably having the upper hand in specs.

      Galaxy S4 sim free RRP: £629.95

      iPhone 5S sim free RRP: £549

      Sure, on contract the Galaxy S4 is cheaper than the iPhone; with a 24 month 4G contract available at £34pm vs £42pm respectively. We should take into account that the S4 is about 6 months older than the 5S though. Clearly not "50% cheaper" though, 20% maybe. The figures showing that iOS based device users actually use their devices may have something to do with that though.

      Nothing wrong with a little banter, but outright bullshitting is symptomatic of the halfwitted fandroidism that is rife here.

      1. Philip Lewis

        "halfwitted fandroidism"

        for a moment I thought litotes, but the I realised it was hyperbole

    2. JDX Gold badge

      The whole point of it being a "subjective 5%" is that for someone else it's 25% or 50% or 200% or -50%. You're basically admitting in your own argument that it's just your personal opinion, so why bother telling us?

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