After rumors late last week, Apple confirmed yesterday that an iPad with 128 gigabytes of storage with hit shelves on February 5. Following traditional iPad pricing, the new Wi-Fi model will cost $799, while the Wi-Fi plus 4G model will cost $929. Unlike previous Apple releases, however, this is a new product that you can almost assuredly ignore. More and more content providers – Apple very much included – are distributing digital content by streaming it or letting you store it in the cloud. Traditionally, that’s the only reason you’d need tons of room on an entertainment device: to store tons of movies, music and pictures. As Apple pushes services like iCloud and iTunes Match, most consumers have no need for this much storage. So who’s this iPad for? Businesses with deep pockets who want their employees to carry around huge files, like AutoCAD designs, RAW photo files or HD video. For now, keep your money in your pocket and wait for the iPad 5, which is rumored to arrive this October.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.