AppleInsider Staff
In line with previous reports, Bloomberg on Tuesday says Apple's next-generation iPad Air will be offered in gold, bringing the company's flagship tablet up to speed with iPhone color options.
The publication cites sources familiar with Apple's iPad launch plans as saying the company is looking to bolster tablet sales by adding a gold rear case choice to existing space gray and silver colors when the next-generation 9.7-inch iPad Air debuts this fall.
Apple first released a gold colored device with last year's iPhone 5s and continues to offer the option with its current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus product lines. The gold iPad Air is expected to feature a white faceplate identical to Apple's gold and silver iPhone versions, leaving only space gray models with black bezels.
Today's report mirrors a forecast from noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier in September said the "iPad Air 2" would come in the same color palette as Apple's new iPhone. Kuo also said the iPad mini with Retina display could get Touch ID fingerprint recognition, a long-awaited feature some hoped would come with last year's iPad refresh.
The publication did not mention future plans for the iPad mini with Retina display, which is also due for a revamp, but suggested that a next-gen iPad Air could be announced in October. Reliable sources have informed AppleInsider that Apple has set a mid-October deadline for internal projects and marketing associated with major product lines, suggesting a media event could follow in the second half of the month.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
71 Comments
Sorry Bloomberg but the idea that Apple would offer a gold color option to "boost sales" is preposterous. I highly doubt iPad sales have been soft because they didn't offer it in gold.
[quote name="Rogifan" url="/t/182601/bloomberg-apples-next-gen-ipad-air-to-come-in-gold-color-option#post_2610660"]Sorry Bloomberg but the idea that Apple would offer a gold color option to "boost sales" is preposterous. I highly doubt iPad sales have been soft because they didn't offer it in gold.[/quote] Yeah, same here. iPad sales are soft are because iPads are too good. I still know people happy with the performance of their iPad 2 on iOS 8. Heck, people are still happy with the first gen. Not that Apple needs to do anything, just the facts.
I love my 4th gen.! Gold is cool, though. Seems fitting since the iPhone is in gold. Maybe the idea is the iPad is always a year behind everything. One year behind on finger print scanning and the gold color. Better late than never!
With color, what other config its going to have. Any inputs
What other config will it have