128 GB iPad on the way

Apple today announced a new 128 GB version of the fourth generation iPad with retina display to be launched next Tuesday, February 5th in black or white. Pricing will be set at $799 for the iPad with Wi-Fi, and $949 for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”

Mixed reactions to the 128 GB iPad launch

“The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device,” said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs’ CEO. “Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionized recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere.”

Fans have taken to Twitter to hail the announcement, particularly musicians and media creators, but a large number of Apple fans have commented on blogs that while excited, they had hoped for a different kind of innovation, or an announcement of a next generation device rather than a pricier version of what they are already carrying in hand.

With rumors continuing to echo that Apple will create lower-end devices (read: cheap) for developing nations, skeptics are quietly questioning the company’s plans, and with the product launch schedule becoming more erratic, the company is not necessarily losing its popularity by any means, but die hard fans are showing signs of fatigue at bi-annual (possibly soon to be tri-annual?) product rollouts that theoretically make their brand new expensive device old.

iPad and iPad mini: spring launch?

A new report showcasing observations from the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas includes hints at a spring release for the next generation iPad and iPad mini.

Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White said, “Our checks at CES indicate Apple will release the iPad 5 and the second-generation iPad mini this March. The iPad 5 is expected to be lighter and thinner than the iPad 4 that was released in October, while the form factor of the iPad mini should be similar to the first generation iPad mini that debuted in October.”

These reports are similar to what various international bloggers have noted, with dozens of claims that Apple is now observing an accelerated product release schedule, particularly with the iOS family of devices, as the company aggressively seeks to keep their market share.

Big changes at Apple

In years past, the company typically observed annual update cycles, and tech analysts could react accordingly, as could consumers, but last fall’s fourth-generation iPad release only seven months after the third generation iPad shocked the world. Many assumed the move was a way to usher in the post-Jobs era after the passing of the company’s CEO, but with rumors swirling of a spring release and the possibility of more releases annually, it appears a change in the company rather than a one-time marketing ploy. It remains unclear.

Rumors of a less expensive iPhone for emerging global markets were subject to criticism as more than one executive said it would never happen, others say the company plans to offer lower priced smartphones without sacrificing quality, but other analysts note the opposite.

Coupling the two recent rumor reports, the most obvious conclusion one can come to is that Apple is coming up with a new formula in the face of tight competition.

An ongoing debate over iPads

There’s a bit of a debate going on right now as to whether the iPad is truly necessary for the average Realtor. While an iPad many not be needed, per se, it could prove tremendously beneficial in helping the average agent carry out their day to day duties and run their business.

I speak with Realtors almost every day who swear by their iPad; they can go on for hours about how great of a tool it is. But looking past Apple’s marketing and all the hype and excitement (the glitz and glamour), how great is the iPad really?

Reports have circulated that in just three days, Apple sold three million units of the iPad mini, selling the product out. Undoubtedly, many of the people who stood in line to be among the first to own the new iPad were Realtors.

The argument for productivity

Many argue that the iPad is tremendously helpful in increasing professional productivity on the road. And because Realtors are often in their car and out of the office for most of the day, agents are a group of people who stand to benefit from the iPad the most.

If agents are using a real estate CRM for Mac and iPad, they can be extremely productive with an iPad. They can do everything from look up and record client notes prior to a meeting, send out a mass email, set automatic prompts, and more.

The iPad can also be a big asset in assisting with listing presentations, impressing clients with high definition property photos, showing details of current listings to buyers on the run, and signing and sending documents.

There are many functions that you can’t perform on your smartphone, so in the past, working on the road meant having to purchase a laptop. But with the advent of the iPad and now the iPad mini, there isn’t a need to carry a comparatively heavy laptop around or spend the money to buy one. The iPad is light, portable, and easy to use. Sounds like a pretty good option to me.

The argument against: digital overload

But as real estate writer Tom Flanagan points out, “…At what point do Realtors have enough gadgets? Do Realtors really need a laptop for home and the office, a 10-inch tablet for listing appointments, a 7-inch tablet for watching videos while relaxing on the couch, an e-reader for library books, a smartphone for apps, and a flip phone to actually make phone calls?”

The “digital overload” argument does make sense. If you already have a laptop you carry around with you, as well as a smartphone, and you’re happy with both of those, why purchase another gadget that looks nice but doesn’t provide extra value to you personally?

The takeaway

Weigh the pros and cons. Look past the fancy advertising campaigns. Understand what you can actually do with the iPad and then decide if the investment is worth the value that it’ll bring to your business.