The iPad 2 by Apple has an 80% market share in the US Tablet Market. This craze for the iPad 2 is not restricted to the US alone, people worldwide have been craving for this device. Though iPad 2 has been considered the best ever tablet, followers of Apple are eagerly waiting for an even better iPad 3, and continuously searching the internet for information on its release date. Numerous rumors, on the release dates and expected features of the iPad 3, are being spread in the market.
Update (04/11/2011): Reports suggesting Apple might release iPad 3 or an upgraded iPad 2 in March 2012.
Update (23/10/2011): Latest reports suggesting Apple releasing iPad 3 in 2012 first quarter.
Update (20/08/2011): Is iPad 3 releasing, with retina display, early 2012?
These are some of the articles that were regularly found in search engines, as the Apple lovers continued their search for answers on the internet, in regards to the release dates of iPad 3.
Also, there has been huge expectations as to what additional or special features the iPad 3 is going to come with, a summarization of the same has been done below:
Retina Display: Strong rumors suggest that the iPad 3 would be armed with retina display, offering 2048×1536 pixels resolution.
SD Card Slot: Expectations of people are that Apple might introduce an SD Card slot in iPad3.
Improved HDMI: Though iPad 2 supports HDMI playback, one needs an additional digital AV adapter costing $39 more. Hence, expectations form iPad 3 is that it should have an HDMI port eliminating additional HDMI cable requirement.
Camera Flash: People expect an iPad 3 to have a camera with flash.
Thunderbolt: A Thunderbolt port is expected in the iPad 3, thus offering power and data connecivity at faster speed, using same connector.
Wireless Synchronize: Unlike wired connectivity, iPad 3 is expected to offer wireless synchronization of content.
The rumors about these features is nothing more than a wish list of what people WANT from Apple. However, they are not likely to get any of the features mentioned above. Let’s take a look at why.
1) Retina Display – While this might sound super awesome, this will not happen. The fact is that cramming 2048 pixels into a 10 1/2 inch display will do nothing but make it cost a lot to produce. I suspect we will get a higher density display in the next version but it will not be his high. The IPhone got a retina display because the pixel density was needed to provide clear readability for extremely tiny text. Completely unnecessary for the IPad display.
2)SD Card Slot – Also not going to happen. Everything you can do with the IPad will be done through the cloud service. Providing a SC Card slot would diminish the desire for cloud based storage to near non-existence thus removing the most important feature for Apple (profit motive).
3)Improved HDMI – While I personally want this to be the case, I think this is also not in the cards for the IPad 3. Just like the article points out, Apple makes $39.00 from the sale of the converter cable. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed a theme, but Apple likes designing cables and hates competition. Apple has no interest in increasing the sales of someone else HDMI cables.
4)Camera Flash – There is no reason to not believe this rumor. It is quite possible for them to include a flash for the rear facing camera. It is one of the things people have asked for and would add nearly nothing to the research and production costs of the device. However, it is also possible they will not include one since they want us to purchase new IPhones that are much more convenient for taking pictures and would encourage the use of the ICloud service to get the photos on your other Apple devices.
5)Thunderbolt – Not likely to happen. IPad is not designed to be a computer replacement and thus will not receive any treatments that would endeavor to bring Mac features to IPad. Perhaps the IPad 4 will be geared more to this end but I doubt that Apple will consider the IPad anything more than a toy until it has at least an A8 or Intel processor.
6)Wireless Synchronize – Probably the only feature that makes sense for the IPad. Yet, it is not likely either. The advertisements on television point out that this feature is going to be taken care of though the ICloud service. They want everything you do to go to the cloud to be accessible from your other devices.
I know people love Apple. But, they are the shining example of pure capitalism at its greediest. You only get 2GB of cloud space for free and they they start charging. That is their complete and total motivation right now. They enjoyed the fees for data services with the first IPhone and they miss that. Now they have a new service to provide a cash stream. You can bet they will milk it for all its worth.
In response:
1) The iPad is completely unnecessary. The currently low resolution is the only thing stopping me from buying one.
2) Lack of an SD card slot is the only thing keeping my wife on a PC. With the addition of an SD slot and high resolution, she has no need for a PC anymore.
3) ???
4) They probably will, following in the iphone 4′s footsteps.
5) ???
6) Already done with iOS 5.
Assuming these changes are true, that takes my wife off of Microsoft and onto Apple. It also pulls me partially onto Apple as well. I can’t speak as to whether or not they will be included, but I can say they are a big deal, a very big deal.
I agree with you for the most part. I personally only see them doing the following for the iPad 3:
1. Higher Res display, but not 2048
2. A6 Core Processor
3. Better Camera with Flash
SD will never happen, they want you to buy the 64gig model to have that kind of disk space. Also it could effect the cloud. I think the cloud was a great Idea for like settings, notes, calendar, etc.. not really for storing anything else.
I don’t own a 1 or 2 and if the iPad 3 had these things I would buy, there is no way I’m buying without a better screen and cpu.
I think sd card slot might happen for those who getting 64gig.