Apple Inc was to hold an event yesterday in San Francisco and there have been hints that it was to reveal a new iPad model. Rumors speak of an updated tablet with a speedier processor, a sharper screen and an option for faster wireless broadband access.
If last year’s launch of the iPad 2 is any guide, the new iPad model will go on sale in the US next week, likely on March 16.
The upgrade from the iPad 2 to the iPad 3 will be less significant than the upgrade from the original iPad to the iPad 2, which added two cameras, while cutting both the thickness and the weight of the device.
These are some rumored features of the iPad 3:
‧ A sharper screen, similar to the retina display on the iPhone 4 and 4s. The rumored resolution is 2,048 by 1,536 pixels, which would make text look smoother and some high-resolution pictures look better. It won’t make much of a difference for images on the Web, or video.
Some speculate that Apple will call the model the iPad HD, for high definition, rather than iPad 3.
‧ The new iPad could include Siri, the voice-activated “assistant” found on the iPhone 4S. Siri has gotten mixed reviews, but Apple has been touting the feature heavily in its advertising and it would make sense to expand the availability of this high-profile feature.
‧ Faster wireless capabilities. iPads are available with built-in modems for US carriers’ 3G cellular networks. The iPad 3 could come in a version that offers faster 4G or LTE networks. However, most iPads are used only on Wi-Fi, so an LTE chip wouldn’t matter to most buyers.
‧ A faster processor. This is pretty much a given, since every new iPhone or iPad has improved on the computing power of its predecessor. However, few users say their iPads are too slow, so this should not be a major selling point.
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