The 'New iPad' Can't Read Minds, But It's Still Way Ahead
Apple finally unveiled its third generation tablet dubbing it "the new iPad" yesterday at a media event in San Francisco.
The company chose to keep the name simple this time around, and tech enthusiasts have expressed their disappointment over the lack of new features. Some have even called it a disappointment.
But are these critics overlooking some of the more impressive aspects and expecting too much of an update in just a year's time?
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"The new iPad is not just a modest update to the iPad 2," Elyse Betters, senior editor of tech site 9to5Mac, told The Christian Post. "I think people expect a showstopper from Apple every spring at this point, but the important thing to remember is that the company remains true to its existing product line and constantly tries to improve on it."
Betters leads a site that specializes in all things Mac. And the new iPad features that some are disappointed with are much more significant than many understand of believe.
"The new iPad is a remarkable feat of engineering with its gorgeous Retina Display, drastically upgraded camera, faster processor, LTE capability, dictation, and superior iPhoto app," added Betters.
She believes that the rumor mill sometimes sets the bar far too high and has consumers expecting ridiculous add-ons such as "hologram technology" or "mind reading software." And although features such as these can eventually be developed, they will not arrive on the tablet anytime soon.
Despite the lack of Star Wars-like technology, Apple still has the most advanced tablet in the world, according to Betters.
Apple also chose to stick to the basic design of the first two iPads. This came as a disappointment to some tech enthusiasts who were fascinated by the concepts created by developers on the internet that eliminate bezels and reworked the device's entire look.
But what's wrong with sticking to what made the iPad the number one tablet in the first place?
"The new iPad did not need a makeover," said Betters. "There are not many ways to design a tablet aside from giving it the rectangular shape. I guess more color options would have been nice, or the removal of its border. But then Apple would need to deal with issues like where to put the camera eye and home button."
Of course, there is always room for improvement on a device such as the iPad. One of the more enticing rumors that surfaced shortly before the device's release was that it would feature tactile feedback technology. This would allow the touchscreen to emulate texture.
"In addition, out of all the rumors about the new iPad prior to the launch event, the tactile feedback technology by startup Senseg intrigued me the most," said Betters. "However, we already know that such technology is at least one to two years away, so maybe we will see it in the new new iPad."
And Betters believes Apple will continue to dominate a market that other giants are desperate to make their mark in- Microsoft, Samsung and Google haven't been able to successfully overtake the iPad so far.
"Unless some unforeseen force prevents the company from continuing to innovate, all other competing companies are just copycats caught in a rat race," she said. "Nothing can take the No. 1 spot away from the company that created the tablet niche as we know it today."
