Apple gives and Apple takes away.
On Oct. 23, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Vice President Phillip Schiller presented to the world the two latest devices to the iPad series - the iPad Mini and iPad with Retina Display, which will be referred to as iPad Fourth Generation or iPad 4.
Apple's official website went down for the new devices could be showcased but upon its return, one iPad disappeared from the picture.
After six months, the iPad 3 is no longer available on Apple.com.
The iPad 3 was released in March this year and appears to have been replaced by the iPad 4.
But before the details on the iPad 3, Apple fans or future Apple customers have the option of buying either - or both - upcoming iPad devices.
When it comes to one's wallet, prices range based on not only capacity but also Wi-Fi and cellular options.
The iPad Mini is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB with the starting price at $329, $429, and $529, respectively. The prices are only for the Wi-Fi device.
The iPad Mini with Wi-Fi and cellular costs at least $130 more than the original starting price. Prices start at $459 for 16GB, $429 for the 32GB, and $529 for the 64GB.
The fourth generation of the iPad also offers the same capacity and Wi-Fi and cellular options but at different prices.
The iPad 4, with Wi-Fi only, starts at $499 for the 16GB, $599 for the 32GB, and $699 for the 64GB.
For the Wi-Fi and cellular variant, prices start at $629 for the 16GB, $729 for 32GB, and $829 for the 64GB.
The sizes of the devices also make the difference.
The dimensions of the iPad Mini features 7.78-inches in height, a width of 5.3-inches, and 0.28-inches for depth. The device weighs 0.68 pound but the Wi-Fi with cellular variant weights 0.01 pound more.
The iPad 4's height is 9.50-inches, 7.31-inches for the width, and a depth of 0.37-inches. The Wi-Fi only variant weighs 1.44 pounds while the Wi-Fi with cellular weighs at 1.46 pounds.
A major feature is the screen.
The iPad Mini has a 7.9-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology. The pixel resolution stands at 1,024x768 at 163 pixels per inch (ppi).
The iPad 4 has a 9.7-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology with 2,048x1,536 resolution at 264 ppi.
A difference between the two devices is the iPad Mini does not come with Retina Display but the iPad 4 does.
Cameras are also another catching point for customers.
The camera of the iPad Mini and iPad 4 have the same features.
The rear-facing camera features include an iSight camera of five-megapixels, autofocus, face detection, five-element lens, hybrid IR filter, and f/2.4 aperture.
The front-facing camera, also known as the FaceTime HD camera has 1.2-megapixels, 720p HD video, face detection, backside illumination, and inevitably FaceTime video calling over.
Recording videos are also the same for the two devices. The iPad 4 and iPad Mini can record videos at 1080p HD, video stabilization, face detection, and backside illumination.
Wireless connectivity are relatively the same. The two Apple devices feature Bluetooth 4.0 technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS, and LTE.
The processors are different. The iPad 4 runs with the A6X with quad-core graphics. The A6X, according to Schiller, runs twice as fast compared to the A5 chip, which is what the iPad Mini has.
Another difference will be the SIM card. The iPad 4 allows a Micro-SIM card but the iPad Mini is not compatible with existing micro-SIM cards. The iPad Mini utilizes Nano-SIM cards.
Battery life is also the same with up to 10 hours of music, video, and Wi-Fi time when fully charged. The devices can last nine hours when using cellular date network instead. This has been the case as well with the iPad 2.
When it comes to carriers, both devices will be available for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon.
And now about the iPad 3.
When visiting Apple.com, the device is no longer featured. The only iPads available are the iPad 2, iPad 4, and iPad Mini.
The news of the iPad 4's release, only six months after the iPad 3 was released, has infuriated many iPad 3 users.
According to CNET, Apple could let iPad 3 users exchange the tablet for the iPad 4. However, the exchange offer is only available if the iPad 3 was purchased in the last 30 days. This offer has not been confirmed for all Apple stores so it is strongly recommended to call your local Apple Store about the offer and policy.
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