In 2020, Apple’s Lightest Tablet May Weigh Less Than 300g, Says Gadget Panda
(PRWEB UK) 2 December 2013 -- In the wake of Apple’s lightweight iPad Air, Gadget Panda has analysed tablet weight trends, and believes we could soon see full-size Apple tablets weighing less than 300g.
The tech recycling firm plotted the weights of iPads over time (excluding iPad Mini), and found the leading tablet is getting lighter by an average of 62.5g with each successive generation.
If this trend continues, by September 2020, Apple’s lightest full-size tablet will weigh less than 300g – only slightly more than a small pack of butter (250g) *.
Recent tech stories, such as those below, appear to support Gadget Panda’s prediction for ultra-lightweight tablets in five years – showing that compact technology is fast becoming the norm.
Google, one of Apple’s main competitors, has created Google Glass – a fully-functional computer housed in a pair of wearable glasses, which runs the tech firm’s Android operating system. Google Glass will be available in 2014, and will weigh just 50g. (google.co.uk/glass/start/)
In the world of video games, the GameStick packs an eight-generation games console into a system the size, shape and rough weight of a typical USB flash drive. (gamestick.tv/)
In fact, scientists have created perhaps the smallest, lightest piece of technology imaginable – a transistor made from a single atom, a development which Purdue University claimed may be the “beginning of quantum computing”. (purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2012/120219KlimeckAtom.html, February 19, 2012)
Apple’s iPad Air was released on Friday, November 1. The light, thin tablet – also known as the iPad 5 – has been celebrated for packing high-tech features like the new A7 processor into a tablet that weights only 478g (with WiFi and mobile connectivity), and is 7.5mm thick.
The tech giant’s lightest tablet, the iPad Mini, already weighs in at just 312g, but is less powerful than its full-size equivalent.
Leonard Stumke, spokesman for Gadget Panda, said: “It’s no secret that gadgets are getting lighter with each successive generation.
“Apple’s lightest full-size tablet, the iPad Air, feels astonishingly weightless if you’re used to the iPad 4 or earlier models. But this is only the beginning.
“Apple pioneered powerful, portable computing with the original iPad, and it’s likely the tech giant will continue to create increasingly lightweight tablets each year.
“Our analysis shows full-size iPads should soon weigh only slightly more than a small pack of butter – but all things considered, we believe this may be a conservative estimate.
“The smaller iPad Mini already weighs just 312g, and with developments like Google Glass and quantum computing on the horizon, we could be at the cusp of a weight revolution for tech.
“If these new technology wonders are anything to go by, we may well think back to the iPad Air in 2020, and wonder how we could ever use anything so heavy!”
Gadget Panda believes lighter technology is a great boon for tech fans – but warned of the dangers that come with redundancy.
“Like all gadget lovers, we’re always keen to get our hands on the latest, lightest tablet or smartphone,” said Leonard Stumke.
“But buying gadgets brings big responsibilities – if you’re not careful about where your gadgets go when you’re done with them, you could end up damaging the environment.
“There’s always a danger that customers might forget about their old devices in their rush to pick up the newest, most-coveted tech. And if our prediction is accurate, there’s every reason to believe people will continue to ditch the old for the new.
“Many forgotten tablets end up on landfill sites as e-waste, which can have potentially devastating effects on local wildlife and ecological balance.
“The solution is to sell your used devices to Gadget Panda. We recondition gadgets so they can be reintroduced to market or, if this isn’t possible, make sure they’re recycled responsibly.”
Gadget Panda lets users sell iPad, iPod and iPhone devices online, as well as other tablets and smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Google, and handheld games consoles from Sony and Nintendo.
Users post their gadget to Gadget Panda, which then issues a cash payment, typically within 48 business hours.
For more information about Gadget Panda, or to sell iPad, iPod and iPhone models online, visit: http://www.gadgetpanda.co.uk/
Notes to editors
For more information about this story, contact Leonard Stumke:
Email: lstumke(at)gadgetpanda(dot)co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)845 094 0799
*Weight of iPad with Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity (where available), with US launch dates:
First generation (28/05/2010): 730g
(web.archive.org/web/20100528005538/http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/)
Second generation (25/03/2011): 613g
(web.archive.org/web/20110326230144/http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/)
Third generation (16/03/2012): 662g
(web.archive.org/web/20120317105810/http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/)
Fourth generation (02/11/2012): 662g
(web.archive.org/web/20121105202324/http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/)
Fifth generation (01/11/2013): 478g (apple.com/ipad-air/specs/)
This was plotted in a graph of weight/time, with an exponential trendline added forecasting weights of iPad models until January 1, 2022 (see attached file).
About Gadget Panda
Gadget Panda lets tech users sell their old, unwanted electronic devices online for quick cash payments. Visitors can sell iPad tablets, iPhone smartphones and iPod MP3 players, as well as portable devices from other manufacturers like Nintendo, Sony, Google and Nokia, and will typically receive money by bank transfer within 48 hours of Gadget Panda receiving the item. All items received are either reintroduced to market, or responsibly recycled.
Leonard Stumke, Gadget Panda, http://www.gadgetpanda.co.uk/, +44 845 094 0799, [email protected]
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