Manual de servicio

Apple’s annual iPad updates look set to be pretty lean this year, with latest reports suggesting that while an iPad Air refresh is on the cards, no iPad Pro or iPad mini 3 will be released.


Although multiple rumours of a larger, iPad Pro have circulated in recent weeks, industry analysts have now suggested that Apple’s 2014 iPad collection will consist solely of an update to the 9.7-inch iPad Air.

Speaking in a note to investors, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that claims of an iPad Pro launch will not be fulfilled this year, with Apple unlikely to launch a 12.9-inch tablet to rival the CES introduced Samsung Galaxy Note Pro.

Claiming Apple will focus its development efforts elsewhere, Kuo offered a bit of wiggle room, stating: “Even if it (a larger iPad) does make an appearance this year, shipments will be low.”

Despite the success of the iPad mini, and subsequent iPad mini 2 which launched last November with a new Retina display in tow, it has been claimed that Apple will not launch a third-generation 7.9-inch tablet this year.

While consumers will have to make do with the iPad mini 2 for a further 12 months at least, serial Apple tipster Kuo has claimed the iPad Air will receive a specs bump this autumn.

Targeting two easy areas of improvement, the analyst has claimed that the iPad Air will be upgraded to a new A8 processor and introduce the TouchID fingerprint sensor incorporating home button found on the iPhone 5S.

According to Kuo’s insiders, Apple’s reduced tablet efforts are being forced by the company’s push to finalise Apple iWatch hardware and software for launch later in the year.

He added that “unless more aggressive promotions are launched,” a lack of new models will see annual iPad sales drop for the first time.

The vice-like grip of the iOS and Android operating systems is only getting tighter, according to new sales figures published late last week.


New data from Comscore, released on Friday, showed Android leading the way at the end of May 2013 with 52.4 per cent of all US sales, up from 51.7 per cent at the end of February.

iOS share of the US market rose 0.3 per cent to 39.2 percent during same time period.

Despite the launch of BlackBerrys new BB10 operating system and the best selection of Windows Phone 8 devices yet, both of those platforms saw their share fall to 4.8 and 3.0 per cent respectively.

Numbers dont lie

It was a similar story for hardware sales. Apples iPhone led the way with the 32.9 per cent, closely followed by Samsung which enjoyed a sizeable 1.7 per cent jump to 23 per cent of sales.

The next three, HTC, Motorola and LG all endured a fall in sales during the three month period, all of which remain under 10 per cent.

Samsungs continued rise will have been fuelled by the launch of its new flagship Galaxy S4 handset but, worryingly for HTC, its critically acclaimed HTC One release couldnt stem the the drop-off in its share.

There is, of course, hope for those competing operating systems and manufacturers, but until the numbers start going in the other direction, its difficult to be too positive. They have to start gaining at some point, right?

HTC has confirmed that its 2012 mid-range handset, the HTC One S, will not receive any further Android updates.


The highly-rared device, launched in April last year, will not get Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie after that, and will be stuck on Android 4.1 for ever more.

The 15-month-old handset also wont receive the latest version of HTC Sense, although thatll be of far less significant to most who recently snapped up the device.

In a befuddling statement, the company said it understood some users disappointment, but for some reason thinks the amazing camera and Beats Audio experience already present on the device make up for it.

HTC said: "We can confirm that the HTC One S will not receive further Android OS updates and will remain on the current version of Android and HTC Sense. We realize this news will be met with disappointment by some, but our customers should feel confident that we have designed the HTC One S to be optimized with our amazing camera and audio experiences."

Perhaps something was lost in translation?

It is a somewhat surprising move from HTC as it seeks to win back some of the customers it has lost to the Samsung Galaxy range of smartphones.

Those thinking of buying a new handset from the company may think twice if they believe the device will become practically obsolete after only a year on sale.

In somewhat better news for those already rocking the newest HTC One handset, the company has started rolling out Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean in some international markets today. The latest word we had was that itd be arriving in the UK sometime this month.