Apple losing innovative core?

Apple is in trouble on its own turf — innovative design paired with wow-inducing product releases — showing signs of critical weakness in the pending redesign of one of its signature devices, the iPad, with the iPhone in danger of following suit.

The new iPad due this fall is reportedly designed in the image of the iPad Mini. Not smaller, just with the screen filling more of the body, according to rumors that peg the announcement and release dates at sometime this fall, possibly September.

But here’s the puzzling part: There is no indication that Apple has plans to add a major innovation to the fifth generation of its trailblazing tablet. An iPad without a gimmick is like a man without a country. We want something like Retina display, which the third generation tablet introduced. Or a front-facing camera, as was introduced with the second iteration.

And when the fifth generation of the iPad is unveiled, I’d like to see at least one of the following game-changers added to the mix:

• Instant iCloud: Microsoft helped pioneer the idea of instant cloud backup for consumers. When you save a document in Office 365, it’s backed up automatically to the so-called SkyDrive cloud service. Apple should rip off this idea, as we know it’s had no trouble doing in the past.

• Waterproofing: Taking a page from the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, outfitting the iPad with a substance-fighting exterior would really help those of us who use our favorite tablet as a recipe card. Not to mention those of us with children who subject our household electronics to daily punishment. Or anyone who wants to work with it out in the weather. Or play with it on the boat.

• Wireless charging: Again, Apple could pretend it invented this technology that is being used in Nokia Lumias and devices in Japan. I truly wouldn’t mind the shamelessness of such a move if it meant I could easily charge my iPad on-the-go.

But here’s what I expect instead: lots of talk about how amazing the new iPad is because of its new operating system, iOS 7. I expect a similar price structure to today’s iPad, and perhaps an iPad Mini with Retina display that will be announced simultaneously.

It’s around that same time — just on the brink of the holiday season — that Tim Cook & Co. will release a new iPhone and the final version of iOS 7. They would be smart to follow through with long-rumored plans to introduce a cheaper iPhone. I think many of us are sick of dropping hundreds of dollars on a new smartphone that is guaranteed to be outdated in 18 months. If Apple stops making strides with its iPad, keeping current with the iPhone is the only way it will remain the world’s most valuable company.