iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up

Well, folks, it's once again the beginning of the year, which means we're once again close to witnessing the launch of another iPad. However, as always, Cupertino has done its best to keep any details away from prying eyes, so we're pretty much left to deal with a number of rumors and some other speculation. But, our excitement for the third offering in Apple's tablet line is too big, not allowing us to stay still and wait patiently until the company finally lifts the veil off the new iPad. That's why we wanted to gather all the few, but very interesting tid bits around the iPad 3 and see if this would allow us to get a better idea of what the final product may end up being.


iPad 3 vs iPad 2S vs iPad HD

Right from the start, we should acknowledge the fact that there are two main theories surrounding the upcoming Apple tablet: the first one claims that what we'll see will be introduced as a full-fledged, redesigned successor (iPad 3), while the second one sticks to the belief that we'll actually be treated to a slightly upgraded, refreshed model (iPad 2S).

Of course, the exact product name shouldn't bother us, as long as there are enough new features and improvement. Initially, it was rumored that the iPad 3 will come with a quad-core A6 processor - a logical move forward from the dual-core A5. However, some unofficial sources have claimed that it's also possible for us to see an iPad 2S with an enhanced dual-core A5 (A5 is the iPad 2's processor), instead of a quad-core A6.

UPDATE: According to a recent rumor, Apple's third generation tablet will be known as the iPad HD, which is a name that would clearly highlight the device's upgraded display. That same iPad HD moniker also appeared on an accessory listing not long ago. Of course, the name could be nothing but a placeholder, so nothing is certain just yet.


iPad 3 specs

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
Leaving the iPad 3 vs iPad 2S vs iPad HD clash to the side, there are still other sources that would rather assume that the iPad 3 will have a processor dubbed A6, however, it will still be dual-core, but will have an overall better performance and a significantly more powerful graphics unit. As you can see, everything surround the next iPad's processor right now can fall into the category of wild speculation, and the many different takes on the matter don't really help us determine which one's the most likely. One idea is shared by all theories, though - the iPad 3 will have a faster processor! Whether it will have two or four cores, however, remains to be seen.

The screen is another vital point that's been subject to a lot of debate in the community. Obviously, the iPad 2's 1024x768 pixel, 132 ppi display isn't among the prettiest ones, due to its relatively low pixel density, so having a higher resolution in the new model seems anything but unexpected. All in all, the debate here centers around the question if the iPad 3 will have a higher-res display, or not. If yes, everyone is looking at 2048x1536 px, as this would double the pixel density of the screen, the same way that Apple once doubled the pixel density of the iPhone, when introducing the iPhone 4. If the screen size remains the same - 9.7", and it probably will, that would translate into a ppi (pixels per inch) of 264, allowing for much finer text and details, but a bigger strain on the hardware as well.

Then comes the subject of LTE. Thankfully, everyone seems to agree here that the iPad 3 should sport LTE connectivity (though it's 99% sure that there will also be a Wi-Fi-only variant), compatible with Verizon's and AT&T's 4G networks. For now, Qualcomm is seen as the most probable producer of the chip, though surprises can still be expected. Naturally, the radio is also believed to support other connectivity options such as HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev. A and B, where 4G LTE is unavailable.

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
One of the more peculiar rumors insists that the new Apple iPad will be thicker than its predecessor by about 1mm. And while that different won't be really noticeable to the naked eye, it sure intrigues us to know why such a measure could have been taken. The answer is that — again, according to those fellas that are said to be familiar with the matter, but no one actually knows who they are — this change was needed in order to be able to fit a larger battery, which, some say, will be able to provide a battery life that's almost twice as long. Wow! This actually sounds pretty cool, and we do hope it will turn out true. One millimeter of thickness for almost 2x the battery life - oh, we are so a-OK with that!

Of course, many people out there (with and without any internal knowledge) believe that the iPad 3 will have an upgraded camera, and we're willing to agree, though we don't expect any wonders in this respect.

iPad 3 specs and release date: rumor round-up
UPDATE: Some claim that the next-gen iPad will drop the physical home button in favor of a capacitive one, and they even have evidence to back up that theory.

If you take a close look at the official invitation to Apple's March 7 event (pictured on the right), a physical button is, obviously, missing on the device's bezel.

Of course, whether these claims hold water or not will become known in a very short while.


iPad 3 release date and pricing

Now, for the question that's probably in everyone's head right now. When is Apple going to finally put an end to all of this wild speculation and unveil the real thing? Once again, it's hard to find a single, solid theory that's able to make everything else seem like far-fetched guesses, but there is a couple of dates that are being suggested for us to mark in our calendars. Having in mind that the first two iPads were introduced in January and the very beginning of March , respectively, it makes sense for Apple to hold an event very, very soon.

The more optimistic forecast is that Apple will show us the device on February 29, and will then launch it sometime around March 9. The other prognosis prefers the first week of March as the time of unveiling, and then sees mid-March as the timing for the eventual release. There's one conclusion we can draw from all this - the iPad 3 should come out of hiding by mid-March at the latest.

UPDATE: Apple will be hosting an event on March 7, and it is pretty certain that the next-gen iPad will be under the spotlight. And given that new iPad accessories are reportedly already in stock at some big box retailers' outlets, we can expect the device to be made available for purchase soon after its announcement. As far as pricing is concerned, rumor has it that the next iPad will cost just as much as the iPad 2 does.

And that's pretty much all we have, folks. Now tell us - are you excited about the upcoming iPad 3? What other stuff do you think will make its way into the device? What would YOU like to see in it? We're looking forward to hearing what you think!
Source-itechix

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iPad 3 Latest Reports Say Screen Sharpness is Nearly as Good as Billed

Apple's enhanced display on its yet-to-be-unveiled iPad 3 appears to be the worst kept secret, judging by all the eyes that are reportedly able to see it.

MacRumors owner Arnold Kim says anyone can buy the next iteration of the popular tablet at the Chinese website TrueSupplier. The skinny: The screen measures 9.7 inches in diagonal, the same size display as used in the iPad and iPad 2, but the resolution is four times as sharp.

Apple is reportedly expected to take the ribbon off the iPad 3 on March 7. Experts say it could include support for 4G LTE, more internal memory, and perhaps Apple's first quad core processor. For now, a lot of the speculation is focused on the display.

"When comparing the iPad 3 display to one from an iPad 2 under a microscope, the difference in resolutions becomes readily apparent, with the iPad 3 display's pixels appearing to be one-quarter the size of those on the iPad 2," reports MacRumors, which says it got its hands on one and used its measurements to extrapolate what the iPad 3 screen resolution should be: 2048 by 1536. That's four times the resolution of Apple's current and first-generation tablets.

PCWorld’s Matt Peckham has made the interesting point, however, that the "retina" description that's been applied to the next iPad is simply a marketing term Apple uses to refer to displays with greater than 300 ppi (pixels per inch), which is the maximum number the average human retina can discern. The iPhone 4 and 4S, running at 960 by 640 pixels across 3.5 inches diagonal, meet this requirement, but the iPad 2, running at 1024 by 768 pixels across 9.7 inches diagonal, doesn't.

When you compute a 2048 by 1536 pixel density across a 9.7-inch screen, it comes out to about 264 ppi, short of the generally accepted 300 ppi threshold. But, as the pundits point out, that's still a big improvement from the iPad 2's pixel density.

As for where MacRumors got the display, Kim said it wasn't stolen, but rather is readily available, much to Apple's chagrin. He says the TrueSupplier site sells an "OEM Apple iPad 3 LCD Screen Display Replacement" for $122.99.

On its website, Truesupplier says it serves more than 65 percent of the U.S. market and is a global provider of mobile data products, software and consulting services, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, with branches in Hong Kong. Apple iPads are made in China, and Apple is currently embroiled in a spat with a Chinese company that claims it holds the rights to the iPad name in China.

Source-itechix

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China faces conflict between law and business in dispute over iPad trademark

BEIJING — Chinese officials face a choice in Apple’s dispute with a local company over the iPad trademark — side with a struggling entity that a court says owns the name or with a global brand that has created hundreds of thousands of jobs in China. Experts say that means Beijing’s political priorities rather than the courts will settle the dispute if it escalates.
Shenzhen Proview Technology has asked regulators to seize iPads in China in a possible prelude to pressing Apple Inc. for a payout. There have been seizures in some cities but no sign of action by national-level authorities.
Proview has a strong case under Chinese trademark law, but that could quickly change if Beijing decides to intervene to avoid disrupting iPad sales or exports from factories in southern China where the popular tablet computers are made, legal experts say.
“If this becomes political — and it’s very easy to see this becoming political — then I think Apple’s chances look pretty good,” said Stan Abrams, an American lawyer who teaches intellectual property law at Beijing’s Central University of Finance and Economics.
The dispute centers on whether Apple acquired the iPad name in China when it bought rights in various countries from a Proview affiliate in Taiwan in 2009 for 35,000 British pounds ($55,000).
Apple insists it did. But Proview, which registered the iPad trademark in China in 2001, won a ruling from a mainland Chinese court in December that it was not bound by that sale. Apple appealed. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29.
“My gut reaction is that many of these activities really could be seen as pre-settlement brinksmanship,” said David Wolf, a technology marketing consultant in Beijing. “Proview’s motive is money, not to shut down Apple.”
Shenzhen Proview Technology is a subsidiary of LCD screen maker Proview International Holdings Ltd., headquartered in Hong Kong.
Chinese news reports say Proview is deeply in debt, increasing the pressure for it to demand a substantial payout from Apple. Proview International, meanwhile, has been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong stock market since August 2010 and will be removed in June if it cannot show it has sufficient assets, business operations and working capital.
In a rapid-fire series of moves, Proview has filed a trademark-violation lawsuit that goes to court Wednesday in Shanghai.
That deadline is likely to prompt Apple to agree to a settlement within a few days to avoid the uncertainty of a court fight, said Kenny Wong, an intellectual-property lawyer with the firm Mayer Brown JSM in Hong Kong.
“I think Apple will be under immense pressure to have this settled as soon as possible,” he said. “Obviously, it depends on the amount the Shenzhen company is asking.”
In a statement, Apple said its deal with Proview covers the iPad trademark in 10 different countries, including China. “Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter,” Apple said.
Apple has pointed to a Hong Kong court ruling in July that said Proview and the Taiwan company both were “clearly under the control” of the same Taiwanese businessman, Yang Long-san, and refused to take steps required to transfer the name under the agreement.
Source-washingtonpost

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iPAD 3 COMPLETES CHEAKLIST

The iPad 3 will run on the next-generation wireless networks called long-term evolution, or LTE, according to a report by Bloomberg. This lets Apple’s iPad keep the marketing edge against Android tablets.

Some manufacturers of Google’s Android-based tablets are hitting the market first with LTE. But overall, if the iPad gets LTE support by March, as expected according to these reports, Apple will have completed a checklist of extremely compelling features for the device — at least if you believe the reports leaking out in recent months. The iPad reportedly will sport an amazingly enhanced high-definition screen produced by Sharp (it will be a 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution, according to one rumor). This lets Apple’s iPad keep up with higher resolutions manufacturers are producing for Android tablets. The iPad will also run on a faster quad-core A6 processor that lets users jump faster between applications, and will have better front and rear cameras, according to the reports.

True, it may be a little silly to compare the iPad with Google’s tablets, as if this was really apples to apples. It’s not. Many consumers have essentially made their mind up. For example, even though Google’s Android-based tablets are hitting market first with LTE, and may offer this or that little additional bell or whistle, there are a ton of Apple fanatics who simply don’t care about Android.  There are just too many Apple features they’re already in love with, and they’re hooked by Apple’s focus on delightful design and user experience. And vice-versa. There are Android fans, who just don’t want to buy into Apple’s slightly more closed ecosystem, and will buy an Android tablet over the iPad any day. So really, no one is going to win this battle over a slight technology edge.

Those religious differences aside, if you’re looking as simply a technology comparison, the latest LTE move gives the iPad an edge overall. If the iPad can boast at least a close match to any given Android tablet in the main spec areas (screen resolution, speed of processor, speed of network, app offering, etc), it wins, simply because it doesn’t suffer Android’s big “fragmentation” problem. Each manufacturer of an Android tablet can come close to matching an iPad’s offerings, but each one of them use a different version of Android’s OS, a different chip manufacturer, a different network configuration, and a different set of agreements with carriers about its deck, different marketing campaigns. It just creates confusion around branding. Each manufacturer dilutes attention from the other. Cheaper, poorly performing versions of Android tablets detract from its allure. Overall, Apple is left sitting there able to boast that it consistently offers best in class with its iPad.

That’s why the move to LTE is so important for Apple’s iPad. Of course, the questions are now focusing on the iPhone, and when Apple will support LTE for that device. Carriers such as Verizon Wireless and ATT are rolling out LTE networks to give users faster access to data, and so the networks are there. But Apple is bringing LTE to the iPad before the iPhone because the tablet has a bigger battery and can better support the power requirements of the newer technology, the Bloomberg report said.

According to the Bloomberg report, Apple’s manufacturing partners in Asia started ramping up production of the iPad 3 this month and plan to reach full volumes by February.
Source-venturebeat

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