The iPad 2 Set to Be Replaced By Upgraded iPad 4

With the coming of a new year also comes the approach of new Apple hardware, at least in a lot of people's minds, so wondering just what Apple's plans are in terms of new technology releases is pretty common. But past that, many—though not quite so many—also wonder what will happen in terms of the older hardware releases. As the budget-minded check wallets and bank balances and wonder if this will be the year of an Apple product, new word has arrived on just what Apple will be doing with old hardware. And this year, it's about the replacements, as an iPad 4 will take the place of an iPad 2.

Word from Apple says that an upgraded iPad 4 would take the place of the iPad 2 at the iPad 2's old price point, which is a fairly good deal by most any standards. In current terms, the iPad 4 packs a 9.7 inch Retina display and comes available at $399 for the 16 gigabyte model with Wi-Fi connectivity only, but stepping up to a model that includes cellular will drive the price to $529.

But as new models emerged, that prompted some changes in price structures. The iPad 2's price in 2012 had been dropped to $399, so that held on for a while until Apple released the iPad Air, prompting Apple to discontinue the iPad 4. Now, Apple is reportedly offering the iPad 4 in what amounts to the iPad 2's old slot.

What happens to the iPad 2, though, is somewhat unclear, though it's a safe bet that the current number of iPads available on the market will likely mean the iPad 2's demise. With a new iPad likely to follow—some reports suggest the iPhone 6 is already stepping into production—it makes some sense to winnow down the number of varieties currently on hand so as not to dilute the market unnecessarily. Apple's schedule of release on its iOS hardware could rather easily be described as “aggressive,” so decisions like this do have to crop up on a fairly regular basis.

But it might have been a better idea to keep the iPad 2 around, and make it the “cheap iPad” that a lot of folks have been interested in since the iPad line first started rolling out. Check the prices on even eBay makes it pretty clear that an iPad 2 can't be had for much under $200 unless it's wanted for spare parts. Given how many tablets out there are pushing the $200 envelope—consider the Kindle Fire, regarded by some as perhaps the biggest enemy that Apple has in the tablet market thanks to its accessibility and low overall cost—it might be a good idea for Apple to have a dog in that particular hunt as well, and the iPad 2 might well have fit that bill.

Still, Apple's been courting its own market aggressively for years now, so it's not surprising to see Apple stay out of the bargain bins and the like. But Apple may be missing a key market opportunity here, and one that it may be able to correct with the older models on its product line.