Apple currently offers its fourth-generation iPad in three different models that offer storage ranging from 16GB to 64GB. That group may soon be growing in size, though, as a new report from 9to5Mac claims that Apple is planning to introduce a fourth model of its latest iPad with Retina display. A new list of SKUs (stock keeping units) has been given to the site by a tipster at a "high profile retailer," and as you can see above, it lists P101 and P103 "ULTIMATE" models. The P101 and P103 identifiers indicate the Wi-Fi-only and cellular models, and the "A" and "B" point to black and white units, respectively.
It's not yet known exactly what makes this new iPad different from the three existing models, but the model's new "ULTIMATE" designation along with the recently discovered mentions of a 128GB iOS device in both iOS 6.1 beta 5 and iTunes 11, 9to5Mac suggests that this could be a 128GB iPad. The 16GB iPad has the "GOOD" identifier, the 32GB version is "BETTER" and the 64GB flavor is "BEST," so the new "ULTIMATE" classification would fit with a 128GB unit.
The iPad has been available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB sizes ever since the first model debuted in 2010. Since then, the iPad has gained new features like a 5-megapixel camera and 2048x1536 Retina display, both of which can lead to content like photos/videos and apps that take up more space than they would've in 2010. That'd be a good reason for Apple to introduce a 128GB iPad, and while it's not yet clear exactly when this new iPad model might be introduced, a release sometime in the next month or two could give Apple some "new" hardware to launch in the spring now that that the iPad and iPad mini may have moved to the fall. What do you all make of this rumor? Would you purchase a tablet with 128GB of built-in storage or is that a bit more space than you need?
UPDATE: 9to5Mac has now gotten word that the pricing for the Wi-Fi-only and cellular versions of this mysterious new iPad 4 is set at $799 and $929, respectively. Apple currently sells the 16GB/32GB/64GB iPad 4 at $499/$599/$699 for the Wi-Fi model and $629/$729/$829 for the cellular-enabled variant. With that in mind, these new $799 and $929 price tags appear to serve as further evidence that the new iPad 4 will be a 128GB model.
Via 9to5Mac
