On Tuesday, Apple announced that it would start selling a fourth-generation iPad with a 128GB storage capacity, doubling the size of the previously-largest model. The bigger devices will be available starting February 5 and will cost $799 for the WiFi model and $929 for the WiFi + 4G model. But do consumers really need this upgrade? And by extension, is it worth the extra money?
With the availability of iCloud (not to mention the Amazon Cloud Player app), from which you can download or stream any of your purchased content, do we need the devices themselves to have that much storage space at all? If you only have the WiFi model, it's easy enough to plan ahead and load the correct media on to your device before a long trip (or at least enough to get you to the next wireless access point), and with the cellular models you can swap at any time. (Of course, there will be scenarios when connections are hard to come by, and arriving at your secluded cabin only to realize that you can't access the entire first and second seasons of Downton Abbey is, admittedly, a real drag.)
It's actually been suggested that one of the reasons for this out-of-nowhere upgrade is not for user convenience, but rather because Microsoft is scheduled to release its Surface Pro tablet on February 9 — and the competing manufacturer just happened to gloat that the Pro would be available in a 128GB flavor. The theory goes that Apple is trying to steal the Pro's thunder, and, at $999, Microsoft is indeed going to find it hard to compete with an Apple product that's (stunner of all stunners) cheaper than a Windows device. Point: Apple!
What do you, dear reader, think? Do you have a need for 128GB of storage space on a portable device, or is it overkill? Is Apple filling a gap in their product line, or just spiting Microsoft? Let us know where you stand by sounding off in the comments below!
Photo credit digibuzz
Swatkat.
In my opinion Apple didn't foresee people wanting 1430 apps (really nexusmtz? WOW!), 64 GB of music, parents wanting to load and retain their entire family's DVD library on a tablet (kids will watch the same movie 15 times). So perhaps Apple came out with 128 for them?
I'm working on NDA projects for the tablets that requires 1 GB apps. The future is coming.
All of the complaints about the lack of an SD slot baffle me… For one we all know that destroys the simplicity of Apple design. Two, it eats up valuable space that could be used for another feature. Three Kingston make a great wi-fi storage unit called the Wi-Drive, comes in various sizes and prices and can be used with all IOS devices and even Android!
So, suck it up haters! ;)
This is just a way to re-package another Apple product....
16GB - 27 apps
32GB - 84 apps
64GB - 551 apps
128GB - 1430 apps (with 52GB left for media or more apps)
You can see that even at 64GB, I have to walk away with as little as 40% of my app library, and that's with no photos, videos, music or documents. Throw in a few movies to watch over the HDMI connector, and a decent karaoke and music library to keep everyone entertained, and I'm down in the 32GB range, or about 6% off my apps.
When you look at it that way, 128GB looks pretty reasonable. Had it been available for the holidays, I'd have purchased it for sure, and I'd have found a way to fill it.
I myself am an app junkie. I have only a 16 GB model, and I have to strain to keep 1 GB free. I'd love 128 GB...I might have room for some photos myself...and maybe a movie.
If you would have told me 15 years ago that a copy of Adobe's Creative Suite would take up 5 DVDs I would have struggled to accept it. A better analogy perhaps: we've always had just enough room in our refrigerator. It was always packed tight but we managed to fit everything. One day we upgraded and moved the old frig to the garage thinking we would have all sorts of food storage now. Instead we now have 2 totaly packed refrigerators.
There are a lot of "app happy" consumers. And while we're a ways off from the days of 50GB+ iPad apps, we're also still a ways off when most of our apps are run from the cloud. Until then, consumers generaly will use most of what we are given.