No, again. The iPad was supposed to run iOS 4 at release, but it wasn't ready...so rather than delay release by almost a year they released it with 3 and promised 4 as a free update. That is all there is to it. You will have to pay $10 for 5 just like we had to pay for 3.
I don't think so at all. In fact I would wager no fee for upgrading to 5.0. Apple would rather put features in iOS 5.x that current iPads can't run to entice you to upgrade to a newer device. That is a carrot approach whereas charging for it is a stick. Not to mention the whole app upgrade nonsense that can render apps unusable on a non-updated device.
Moreover, in the iOS arena, that is taking what Apple does for the Touch, on average a considerably less expensive device than the iPad and one that has no 3G version, and applying it to the iPad.
Also, both 2.0 and 3.0 had to be purchased for the original iPod Touch, and of course 3.0 for 2G Touch. So the argument that only the first update is free makes little sense when they did just that for both the 2G and 1G Touch. And then... no charge at all for 4.0?
Let's not forget the iPhone either. Only the original iPhone had revenue sharing with AT&T. Since the 3G there is none, not to mention iPhones sold outside the USA. So the argument that Apple doesn't charge for iPhone updates due to revenue from AT&T is false.
Seems to me Apple has abandoned that upgrade fee policy for iOS devices. They merely make it more and more attractive to move to a new device--I certainly wouldn't want to be using my original iPhone anymore when all the good stuff is on iOS 4.x.
Michael