Let me ask you a question, what do you most want to see after you buy something?
There may be many answers, but it is definitely very unpleasant to drop the price immediately after buying it or to be backstabbed by a new product.
For example, if you buy AirPods and iPads now, there is a high probability that you will be stabbed in the back once in N years.
On the one hand, from last year to now, neither of these two product lines has released new products, and on the other hand, the recent new product revelations are still quite strong.
AirPods
Let's take a look at AirPods first, according to Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu's revelations, Apple may launch two new AirPods in the second half of the year.
一款是预计售价 99 美元的低价款 AirPods lite，一款是中端带降噪功能的 AirPods 4。
Among them, AirPods 4 may be two, but Guozi believes that at the price of AirPods one or two thousand, it should not be so fine, and AirPods 3 should continue to be sold at that time.
The low-priced AirPods are not as simple as the fruit originally thought: an "AirPods SE" is released, using the mold of the AirPods 2, making some functional adjustments, and then simply and rudely replacing the original AirPods 2.
The rumored AirPods lite is likely to use a new mold and cost $99, which is $29 cheaper than the current AirPods 2, and it is estimated that it will be more than 200 yuan cheaper than the AirPods 2 in China, which is still quite a considerable price difference.
*Image source: Apple's official website
However, according to Apple's urine properties, the AirPods lite is most likely a defense version that is worse than all current AirPods.
Referring to Apple Pencil USB-C, in order to be 150 yuan cheaper than the first-generation Apple Pencil, it is also ruthless enough to cut off the core function of pressure sensing for painting.
*Image source: Apple's official website
In contrast, the AirPods 4, which has the opportunity to support noise cancellation, is very powerful, and has every chance to become a replacement for the AirPods Pro2.
Those who are familiar with Apple products know that the division of Apple's product line is very strict, and the characteristics of high-end products are not easily decentralized.
For example, the iPad Pro 2017 already has a 120Hz ProMotion display, and now 7 years later, this feature is still exclusive to the Pro series.
For example, the iPad 10 has updated the full-screen design, and the screen has to be a non-full-fit screen, reducing the display quality, and Apple Pencil knocks on it.
Apple actually understands users very well, and we usually evaluate whether a product is satisfied or not by how strong its advantages are, but by whether you can tolerate its shortcomings.
And Apple's non-flagship products can always give you a stab at some very painful points, such as 120Hz, noise cancellation, all-weather display, and so on.
Fortunately, all of our fruit fans are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but how can we stand such humiliation.
I thought that noise cancellation would naturally be a Pro-exclusive feature, but I didn't expect that there would be an opportunity to devolve to the standard version.
At that time, the relationship between Airpods 4 and Airpods Pro2 may be similar to the gap between iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, but there are differences in advanced functions such as adaptive audio and accurate search of UWB chips.
In contrast, it is too painful that the AirPods 3, which are now more than 1300 yuan, do not support noise cancellation, and users who do not need noise cancellation often choose AirPods 2 directly, while users who need noise cancellation can only choose AirPods Pro2.
In addition, AirPods Max may also usher in an update, but the news that can be seen so far is that Max will only update the USB-C port and color selection, which is basically equivalent to a broken update.
iPad
Let's take a look at the iPad, according to the most mainstream leaks so far, the new iPad Pro will have an OLED display and will launch a large 12.9-inch iPad Air.
I believe everyone has seen a lot of this news some time ago, so I won't go into too much detail.
*图片来源 Bloomberg UK
Buying an iPad now is easy to be backstabbed, except for the imminent release of new products.
The long-term toothpaste of the current iPad product line is also the core reason, and the appearance of the current full-screen iPad has been basically finalized on the iPad Pro 2018 model, and now it has been more than 5 years since it was fully counted......
During this period, except for the 12.9-inch Pro upgraded to MiniLED, the core configuration has not been significantly upgraded except for performance.
Not to mention the regular iPad, the most important thing about the full-screen iPad Pro is performance, as long as you are not a heavy gamer of individual games, it is normal for the iPad Pro 2018 to be basically the same as the iPad Pro 2022.
*Image source: Apple's official website
For example, if you buy a second-hand iPad Pro 2018, it will even cost 2000-3000 yuan, and only 2/3 of it will be lost in five and a half years.
In the same year, the iPhone XR, which was released with the same starting price, said: I eat lemon, sour.
And the author himself, who was enjoying the latest Xiaomi Mi 8 at the time, will now be able to replace the stainless steel basin with this phone in a few days......
Many netizens believe that the iPadPro 2018 is the most cost-effective second-hand iPad, and this conclusion is correct when compared with other models in combination with experience and price.
But if you add in the time dimension, the right time to buy is obviously not now, and it can even be said that early 2024 is the worst time to buy a second-hand iPad Pro 2018.
The same is true for other models, although the latest iPad Pro 2022 has a powerful M2 chip, but the core configuration of the 11-inch screen, speakers and other core configurations is basically the same as the 2018 model, and now it is unacceptable to spend five or six thousand soft girl coins to buy me in 2024.
And this kind of high price formed by squeezing toothpaste for many years + long-term interruption, being slightly pushed by the new product, may be an abyss.
Therefore, whether you buy new or old, you may wish to wait for the release of new products and then observe the market, I believe it will not disappoint you.
While the speculation above is based more on some revelations, in the case of the iPad, I don't need to explain the fatigue during this time.
In the Q4 quarter of last year, iPad shipments in China were even surpassed by Huawei, although it was only a quarter's results, but this situation is indeed unprecedented in the tablet market.
*Image source: IDC China
As for whether there will be someone coming later, we can only wait and see.
Resources:
Salted fish
IDC China
Apple's official website
Bloomberg UK
Mac Rumors：Lower-Cost AirPods and New AirPods Max Said to Launch Later This Year
Mac Rumors：Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October
Edit: Bleach