Leaked iPad photos: *** CONFIRMED!!! *** iPad Air 2 tri-core CPU, 2 GB, 8-CLUSTER GPU

[Ravynmagi]

I hope it's a safe bet that the starting flash storage will be 32 GB (and for the next iPhone too). I find it so annoying that I have to pay $100 just to have enough room (an actually more @ 64 GB) from my iTunes library D: Given the cost of flash, Apple is absolutely fleecing us (beyond the normal fleecing, that is).

Yeah, I wouldn't put money on that bet.

 

[Commodus]

I suspect we're in an awkward position where the base cost of memory is high, but the technology isn't as expensive overall as it used to be. Hence why you saw a few phones and tablets start at 32GB this year, but many of them began at 16GB.... and yet, 64GB is no longer as daunting as it once was.

If that is the case, we'll see 32GB become virtually ubiquitous next year.

 

[chin311]

Yeah I hope next iPad & iPhone releases are 32gb standard...if so I'll be on-board for both.

 

[Eug]

My next iPhone will be at least 64 GB, possibly 128 GB. Kid pix and videos take up a lot of room.

My last iPad was 16 GB and that was quite limiting - videos for travel. However I bought that 3.5 years ago. 32 GB would have been workable but 64 GB on my iPad Air 2 gives me much more breathing room.

My daughter gets my 16 GB Nexus 7 for kids books and games, and streaming Curious George.

 

[Eug]

The Safari reloading tab thing still happens, albeit less often. If I load up a bunch of tabs and just run Safari, then the tabs are static. However if I load up a bunch of apps in the background, then some the Safari tabs may reload when I go back to them. So, the behavior of Safari with. 2 GB machine is still annoying, but not quite as annoying as on my iPhone 5s or on my iPad 2. Seeing a bunch of tabs at the top of my browser no longer scares me.

Also, I am running into occasional Wi-Fi issues, but only with my third-party 802.11n Wi-Fi access points. Works fine with my 802.11n Airport Extreme.

Oh and copy and paste is still borked at The AT forums and elsewhere with iOS 8. This is true with both 8.0 on my iPhone 5s and 8.1 on the iPad Air 2. Cursor replacement is also borked.

 

[LightPattern]

My next iPhone will be at least 64 GB, possibly 128 GB. Kid pix and videos take up a lot of room.

My last iPad was 16 GB and that was quite limiting - videos for travel. However I bought that 3.5 years ago. 32 GB would have been workable but 64 GB on my iPad Air 2 gives me much more breathing room.

I've been vocal about 16 GB on new iDevices being far too small.
Now I've realized it actually still makes sense for enterprise & edu settings where users won't be loading up music libraries, video, and a plethora of apps. And where Apple will be offering substantial bulk discounts while of course still keeping an eye on their margins.

iPads: Why business use will ultimately trump personal

So really, I just wish they would be clear in their advertising to consumers and recommend to them outright that they buy the 64+ GB models for personal use.

 

[blairharrington]

I hope it's a safe bet that the starting flash storage will be 32 GB (and for the next iPhone too). I find it so annoying that I have to pay $100 just to have enough room (an actually more @ 64 GB) from my iTunes library D: Given the cost of flash, Apple is absolutely fleecing us (beyond the normal fleecing, that is).

It's a disgrace. And Apple apologists like Gruber have not held back criticizing Apple on this point. 32 GB should have been standard on the base 6/6 Plus.

This combined with their decision to go with soldered RAM on the new Mac Mini's really blows my mind.

 

[poofyhairguy]

32 GB should have been standard on the base 6/6 Plus.

I don't know why anyone would expect that. This is the same Apple that today in 2014 still sells a 8gb 5c for $450. The only way I see them moving past 16GB is if a huge portion of iOS users stop updating because they lack the free space to do so.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't know why anyone would expect that. This is the same Apple that today in 2014 still sells a 8gb 5c for $450. The only way I see them moving past 16GB is if a huge portion of iOS users stop updating because they lack the free space to do so.

Well LightPattern is right about the corporate and edu market. My work issued 5S is 16GB and currently has 8.3GB available. You just don't load up much of anything for devices in these environments. Having said that, Apple should have offered a 32GB model as well, but they saw the opportunity to fleece their customers and there was no real outcry from their fans so it just went along and that's that. It's sad because we all know that if Google tried to do the same there would be a major uproar not just from regular folks, but reviewers as well.

 

[poofyhairguy]

It's sad because we all know that if Google tried to do the same there would be a major uproar not just from regular folks, but reviewers as well.

Most of the Nexus devices Google sells (Nexus 5,7,9, 10) start at 16GB. The new Nexus 6 doesn't, but to me that is just another piece of evidence that thing started off as a Moto Double X.

 

[Eug]

Most of the Nexus devices Google sells (Nexus 5,7,9, 10) start at 16GB.

And most end at 32 GB. That seems rather odd to me.

 

[Red Storm]

Most of the Nexus devices Google sells (Nexus 5,7,9, 10) start at 16GB. The new Nexus 6 doesn't, but to me that is just another piece of evidence that thing started off as a Moto Double X.

But they didn't start at 8GB and then jump to 32GB. That's the part I'm talking about, knowingly getting your users to fork over extra cash. When the Nexus 5 came out, 8GB wasn't enough (so it started at 16GB), just like today 16GB isn't enough (so it starts at 32GB).

 

[Mopetar]

Well LightPattern is right about the corporate and edu market. My work issued 5S is 16GB and currently has 8.3GB available. You just don't load up much of anything for devices in these environments. Having said that, Apple should have offered a 32GB model as well, but they saw the opportunity to fleece their customers and there was no real outcry from their fans so it just went along and that's that. It's sad because we all know that if Google tried to do the same there would be a major uproar not just from regular folks, but reviewers as well.

Eh, Gruber complained about it in his review so it's not as though it's gone unnoticed or no one is talking about it.

Also, Apple users already expect to pay a premium. People have complained for decades that Apple is overpriced, etc. Is anyone really surprised by this behavior?

If you've ever bought a Mac you know what they charge for RAM or CPU upgrades. Anyone who is a long time Apple customer or an Apple fan is used to it.

The reason there would be an uproar if Google were to do it is because they've typically taken the opposite approach of including SD slots so users can add their own storage and had been selling hardware at cost. Hell, there was a lot of complaining that the new Nexus wasn't priced at cost.

In what world does anyone who's been dealing with Apple for any amount of time expect them not to do something like this? Apple does Apple-like thing is hardly news or noteworthy. If you were expecting everyone to be passing out torches and pitchforks, you really haven't been paying much attention to how Apple operates.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And most end at 32 GB. That seems rather odd to me.

Not really when you consider even the i7 Chromeboxes only have 16GB SSDs. Heck the nicest computer Google sells- the $1500 Pixel- only has a 64GB SSD.

 

[poofyhairguy]

But they didn't start at 8GB and then jump to 32GB. That's the part I'm talking about, knowingly getting your users to fork over extra cash. When the Nexus 5 came out, 8GB wasn't enough (so it started at 16GB), just like today 16GB isn't enough (so it starts at 32GB).

I don't buy that last part. If Google really thought 16GB wasn't enough then the larger Nexus 9 wouldn't be shipping with 16GB on the base model. Oh and the 32GB upgrade wouldn't be $80.

I really think supply decisions for the 6 were made before it was a Nexus device and everyone just benefitted. What upsets me is that the X didn't ship with a 64 GB option, that would be my phone right now if they did.

 

[LightPattern]

Well LightPattern is right about the corporate and edu market. My work issued 5S is 16GB and currently has 8.3GB available. You just don't load up much of anything for devices in these environments. Having said that, Apple should have offered a 32GB model as well, but they saw the opportunity to fleece their customers and there was no real outcry from their fans so it just went along and that's that. It's sad because we all know that if Google tried to do the same there would be a major uproar not just from regular folks, but reviewers as well.

Thank you. I make the effort to be sure I'm right.

As techies we'll just need to take it upon ourselves to educate the general public on the need for more memory & storage in the digital tools we use so much.

 

[Eug]

 

[Red Storm]

*Benchmark Screenshot*

Every time I see these the same question runs through my mind... what exactly does it mean in the real world? What specifically does the iPad Air 2 do faster/better than the iPad Air 1?

 

[Eug]

In reality, not a whole lot except for stuff like video editing and stuff like that. The original Air is already plenty fast for surfing and OS navigation. I suppose it would be important for gaming, but I don't game much on this except stuff like Angry Birds. The Air 2 does have faster launch times though for beefy apps.

Touch ID rocks though. And the extra memory does help a bit. Also, the camera doesn't suck. Dunno about the original Air's camera, but the previous ones sucked.

 

[Commodus]

It's the same story as with... well, most iPad upgrades: there's not much point to upgrading if you bought last year's model and still like it. My original Air is still quite dandy, but I'd be all over the Air 2 if I had one of its ancestors (or an Android tablet I didn't like). Curious to see where Apple goes after this.

 

[blairharrington]

I don't know why anyone would expect that. This is the same Apple that today in 2014 still sells a 8gb 5c for $450. The only way I see them moving past 16GB is if a huge portion of iOS users stop updating because they lack the free space to do so.

The question of 32 as the base is a matter of when not if. And some have said that the lower adoption rate of iOS 8 compared to 7 is the lack of space people have on their iOS devices.

 

[Mopetar]

The question of 32 as the base is a matter of when not if. And some have said that the lower adoption rate of iOS 8 compared to 7 is the lack of space people have on their iOS devices.

Knowing Apple they'll only move to 32 GB for the base model when everyone else is saying that you need at least 64 GB on a phone because anything else just won't cut it.

 

[Eug]

I posted this in the CPU thread, but I think it's appropriate here too.

AnandTech: The A8X GPU is NOT the 6650. It is a semi-custom 8-cluster, 2 x 6450 = 6850.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8716/apple-a8xs-gpu-gxa6850-even-better-than-i-thought