Official iPad Thread

[LeMansX5]

iPad 3 Rumor Roundup



iPad 3 Rumor Roundup: New Display Tech, Lots of Contradictions | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

Next year, Apple will unveil its iPad 3. Only an event of apocalyptic proportions would prevent the tablet’s release. History tells us we can expect iPad 3 sometime in the first quarter — but exactly when? And will it include a retina display? And will there be two different models?

If you enjoy your New Year’s Eve cocktails with an extra shot of speculation, check out our iPad 3 rumor and report roundup below. We didn’t originate these stories, folks. We’re just bundling them up in one tidy little package for your own scrutiny and reality-checking.

The Hardware: What Are the Rumored Specs?

* The iPad 3 could be 4G and use Qualcomm’s LTE Gobi 4000 chip, according to CNET. Apple uses Qualcomm to supply the 3G chips in its iPhones. Digitimes says the new tablet is also expected to use a quad-core A6 processor, an upgrade from the A5 in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.
*A “retina display”-level screen is expected to finally arrive on the iPad with Apple’s next launch. The 9.7-inch display is expected to boast a 2048×1536 resolution, according to DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim.
* The display is also expected to utilize a different kind of technology than past iPads: indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) — this in order to increase resolution to full HD. Jefferies analyst Peter Mizek suggested Apple would be using a modified version of IGZO, as this technology would allow the device to be thinner since it wouldn’t need dual-bar LED backlighting.
* iLounge, on the other hand, expects the iPad 3 to be “modestly thicker” (0.7 mm) than its predecessor.
*The Wall Street Journal reported in November that Sharp would be making the displays for Apple’s next-generation iPad (and that Sharp already supplies displays for iPhones). Digitimes says that both Sharp and Samsung will be producing the high-resolution displays, whose dimensions are the same as the iPad 2’s.
iPad 3 could have up to a 14,000 mAh battery, says Digitimes.

ETA: When Will It Be Announced — and Delivered for Sale?

A November 18 Digitimes report suggested iPad 3 units will start being assembled at Foxconn in January.
As of December 12, though, Digitimes was reporting Apple’s next iPad could land in March or April. Components are, reportedly, already being delivered to the factory, pegging the launch at three to four months away, Digitimes wrote. Seeing as the last iPad made its debut in early March, this does seem reasonable.
Although it wouldn’t be available for the masses until spring, we could get a glimpse at the iPad 3 as soon as January, according to iLounge and Digitimes. Loop Insight’s Jim Dalrymple said that rumor is “completely false,” though. We won’t be seeing the next iPad at MacWorld in January (or CES, for that matter), according to his contacts.

Iterations: Will There Be More Than One iPad 3?

Apple has been toying with a 7.85-inch display panel, according to a November Digitimes report, fueling rumors that we could be seeing an iPad “mini” debut alongside a full-sized iPad.
Nope, never mind, Digitimes retracted all that iPad Mini stuff, but still expects two new iPads will be announced. Both will feature QXGA resolution (again, that’s 2,048×1,536), but one version will be high-end and the other will be targeted at the mid-range market. The existing iPad 2 would battle in the low-end market against the popular Amazon Kindle Fire tablet. The higher-end model will feature an 8-megapixel camera, while the middle-range model would sport a 5-megapixel camera.

Based on the number of contradictory reports floating around, and the accuracy of iPhone and iPad rumors in the past, one thing is pretty clear: Nobody really knows what to expect of Apple’s next big iDevice until it actually launches.

But the iPad 3 is coming, and it’s sure to steal the hearts of Apple fanboys, and stoke the fury of Apple critics.

iPad 3: What We Know So Far | PCWorld

iPad 3 may be released on Steve Jobs birthday in February according to some rumors.

iPad 3 face recognition

Steve Jobs was biggest opponent of smaller size iPad. With Steve gone and competition from the likes of Kindle fire and Nook, Apple may release a mini iPad.

Mini iPad size vs. regular iPad and iPhone -> http://cdn.macrumors.com/downloads/i...i/iPadMini.pdf

iPad 3 will also be facing competition from Google.

iPad 3 production begins, iPhone takes UK top spot - Computerworld Blogs

Samsung also offering competition, although Blackberry/RIM may be heading for grave, if their board does not change company's direction, according to some analysts.

BlackBerry delay darkens RIM's future | Reuters

BlackBerry Delay, Weak Sales Weigh On RIM's Future - WSJ.com

[LeMansX5]

iPad 3 debut once again rumored for March | Apple Talk - CNET News

[Quicksilver]

Computerworld - The U.S. Air Force is planning to buy as many as 18,000 tablet computers to serve as "electronic flight bags" that will replace the paper manuals and documents that air crews use today.

Uncle Sam wants iPads, and maybe Androids - Computerworld

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Computerworld - The U.S. Air Force is planning to buy as many as 18,000 tablet computers to serve as "electronic flight bags" that will replace the paper manuals and documents that air crews use today.

Uncle Sam wants iPads, and maybe Androids - Computerworld

Already some airlines have moved to iPads. Big savings in gas. I have seen those flight manuals and those are freakin heavy. The demand will only go up on these tablets.

[Quicksilver]

This thread started January 2010 with some interesting comments about
this product. Now that the product is in full swing it would be interesting
to see some comments about it now.

I guess it's safe to say that the iPad is no longer "a solution in search of a problem".
My not having one is going to be solved in short order. I think I might get the whole package.
A New Macbook Pro and an iPad 3 when it comes out. How's that for a Mac addict?.....

[LeMansX5]

Way to go Apple and Steve Jobs.
Blackberry has been dethroned in enterprise market by Apple and may not survive in another few years.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

This thread started January 2010 with some interesting comments about this product. Now that the product is in full swing it would be interesting to see some comments about it now.

I couldn't see the point two years ago. My X200 Thinkpad handled all my portable computing requirements just fine.

Flash forward two years. I got an iPad 2 32 gb (no 3g) for a Christmas present. It is a nice toy. I use it for reading blogs and forums, but not posting. The touch keyboard is too frustrating, and if I wanted to use a portable keyboard with it I would just use the laptop, since the advantages of the small form factor evaporate. I check hockey scores and news with a free app, check the weather using a free app, and do Sudoku puzzles. So it has partly replaced the daily newspaper, which we still subscribe to. It has been used for Facetime calls with family a couple of times, until we got tired of the novelty and went back to telephones. I use it as an e reader, and I like it for that, since it is backlit and I don't need a reading light on. I had my email set up on it, but have uninstalled that, it was too much trouble.

Pretty neat little device, and an elegant design, but it is one of four computers and three smart phones in the house, between two of us, so its use is really limited to those times I would otherwise be holding a newspaper, book, or magazine. I think of it as a uni-directional web appliance.

By coincidence, when I started a new job around Christmas I was issued an iPhone 4s, not that I asked for one. I had a perfectly good personal Blackberry Bold, and was used to it. The iPhone has represented a rather steep learning curve, but it works fine, is better for web surfing, and worse for phone calls. I don't have any reason to put music or photos on it, so those features don't matter to me. My 20-something daughter says it is cooler, so I guess there is always that.

[Thunder22]

This pretty much sums up the typical IOS user:

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

This thread started January 2010 with some interesting comments about
this product. Now that the product is in full swing it would be interesting
to see some comments about it now.

I guess it's safe to say that the iPad is no longer "a solution in search of a problem".
My not having one is going to be solved in short order. I think I might get the whole package.
A New Macbook Pro and an iPad 3 when it comes out. How's that for a Mac addict?.....

[Thunder22]