With Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 launch just a few weeks away, reports and rumors have been swirling. We exclusively reported some details on the tablet which The Wall Street Journal has basically confirmed, but here’s a round-up using what we know, what’s been rumored and reported, and what I’d wager the iPad 3 will feature when it launches early next month: More →
Apple’s iPad 3 is currently set for a March 7th introduction and will feature 4G LTE, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed. In addition to the faster network support, the iPad 3 is reported to have a Retina Display, improved cameras, and a quad-core processor, among other upgrades.
Apple is in “crunch mode” to line up apps that will be used for on-stage demonstrations during the company’s iPad 3 launch event, which is said to be scheduled for early next month, TheNextWeb reports. The Cupertino-based company is now looking for apps that will show off the stunning quality of the iPad 3′s high-resolution Retina Display. Apple works with partners to hand-pick apps that highlight the capabilities of new devices during major announcements, and the selection process for Apple’s iPad 3 is now said to be nearing its final phase. More →
More details surrounding the design of Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 have been revealed as images of a variety of internal components have been published online along with new images of the tablet’s rear shell and possibly Apple’s new Retina Display as well. Following reports on Wednesday that emerged surrounding a purported image of the iPad 3′s rear case, Cult of Mac has published higher-quality images of the same component along with a number of additional internal parts. While the various components pictured in the new leak show significant differences in many instances compared to their counterparts in the iPad 2, the external design of the upcoming iPad 3 looks like it will only offer a few minor differences compared to the current model, in line with earlier reports. Read on for more. More →
Still wondering whether Apple will indeed launch a new iPad in the near future with an HD Retina Display? Well, thanks to a tipster, we were able to locate double-resolution iPad images in the latest iBooks app for the iPad. Apple’s next-generation iPad 3 is rumored to feature a high-definition 1,536 x 2,048-pixel display along with a quad-core Apple A6 processor, 4G LTE support and twice the battery life of the iPad 2.
UPDATE: Looks like images like these have been in the iBooks app for quite some time. Maybe Apple just isn’t bothering to remove them since they’ll have to add them right back in March?
UPDATE 2: It seems that a few of these Retina Display-sized iPad images are indeed new, scattered amongst the old files.
What would the Consumers Electronics Show be without Apple rumors overshadowing most of the announcements? iLounge‘s Jeremy Horwitz has taken to Twitter to break down some of the leaked iPad 3 information he’s hearing. First off, it’s being reported that in addition to the rear camera on the iPad 3 being on par with the iPhone 4 or even iPhone 4S camera, the front-facing camera will support HD FaceTime video chats. Because of the Retina Display and new components, Horwitz reiterates an earlier report that parts of the iPad 3 will be around 1mm thicker to accommodate the new components. Finally, the iPad 3 should launch starting at $499 around March, and it will would push the iPad 2 down to $399, possibly even $299 if Apple decides to sell an 8GB unit. More →
Apple may currently be prepping a huge display upgrade for its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers that would be on par with the bump from its iPhone 3GS display to the Retina Display on the iPhone 4. Citing sources from within Apple’s component supplier chain, DigiTimes on Wednesday reported that Apple will add new display panels to its MacBook Pro laptops in 2012 that pack a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels. The new displays would quadruple the resolution of the current 1,440 x 900-pixel screen on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, just as the 960 x 640-pixel Retina Display on the iPhone 4 quadrupled the iPhone 3GS’s 480 x 320-pixel panel. The report notes that both Acer and ASUS are planning high-end ultrabooks with upgraded 1920 x 1080-pixel displays next year as well, up from the 1,366 x 768-pixel displays used on early ultrabook models. More →
Apple’s next-generation iPad tablet will reportedly launch between mid-March and mid-April next year according to a new report. Citing anonymous sources in Apple’s component supply chain, DigiTimes reports that Apple’s iPad 3 will launch in the next three to four months. The sources claim iPad 2 production remains high, likely in the 14 to 15-million unit-range during the fourth quarter this year, but Apple will decrease iPad 2 orders to between 4 and 5 million units in the first quarter of 2012. Foxconn will build between 9.5 and 9.7 million third-generation iPad units in the first quarter according to the report, with production ramping up in February. Read on for more. More →
Will Apple’s next iPad have a high resolution screen? At this point, we hope so. We’ve typed the rumor so many times that our fingers are getting numb from reporting on it. LG’s CEO already confirmed his company is building a Retina Display for the device, we’ve heard Samsung and Sharp are also involved, we’ve seen rumors that it will offer a dual-LED light bar and we most recently reported that LCD builders are already shipping the new screens in volume. Now, DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim says Apple is definitely releasing a high-res iPad. “It’s happening — QXGA 2048 x 1536,” Shim told CNET. “Panel production has started. There’s three suppliers.” The big question we’re all wondering is when Apple will launch the device. Several reports suggest Apple will release a lower-priced “iPad mini” before the company launches the iPad 3 during the second quarter of 2012. For our sake, and the sake of our tired fingertips, let’s just hope it happens soon. More →
LG’s CEO has already confirmed that his company is working on Retina Displays for Apple’s iPad 3, but a new report from The Korea Times on Monday suggests that LG is also working on displays for the iPhone 5 and a smaller iPad. An unnamed source that was only identified as an LG executive told The Korea Times that Apple will add a 4-inch Retina Display to the iPhone 5, a half-inch larger than the current screen. In addition, the executive said LG is working with Apple to introduce a new iPad with a smaller 7.35-inch screen. We’ve heard plenty of rumors suggesting that Apple is hard at work building a brand-new fully redesigned iPhone 5 with a 4-inch screen and a teardrop design, so the report is not overly surprising. Also, a rumor surfaced in October that suggested Apple was building an “iPad mini” with a 7.85-inch screen, which is a bit larger than what The Korea Times reported. Apple could release its next iPad in March, but that model is expected to offer only marginal upgrades over the iPad 2; a fully re-designed unit is expected during the third quarter of 2012. The iPhone 5 could land as soon as this summer.
UPDATE: The post, which originally appeared on The Korea Times’s website, has since been pulled.
Apple is reportedly deciding between two different backlight solutions for the next-generation iPad, DigiTimes said recently. The company is expected to launch a 2048 x 1536-pixel display on the iPad 3, which will require a new backlight solution to maintain the current brightness offered on the iPad 2. As such, the company will need to choose between implementing a single LED light bar solution or using two LED light bars, with one on each side of the display. Sources have indicated to DigiTimes that Apple is leaning towards using a dual-LED light bar design now that manufacturers have created models that don’t consume as much battery life and are more efficient with heat dissipation. The latest reports have suggested that Apple will release a new iPad in March of 2012 with slight upgrades over the current iPad 2 model. A brand new iPad 3 with a 2048 x 1536-pixel Retina Display may not launch until the third quarter of 2012.
Apple is preparing to launch a slightly upgraded iPad 2 in March of 2012, DigiTimes reported on Thursday. The new iPad is rumored to be thinner and is said to offer better battery life than the current model. It is unclear what Apple will call the device launching in March, but the company reportedly has plans to launch a “real” iPad 3 during the third quarter of 2012. Samsung, Sharp and LG are said to be working on a new Retina Display for the next-generation iPad, which may also pack a faster A6 processor, but rumors of manufacturing issues have suggested it may take Apple longer than originally planned to introduce a model with that equipment. A report last month from Ticonderoga Securities suggested that Apple is planning a cheaper iPad model that will debut early next year ahead of an iPad 3, which won’t launch until the second quarter. More →
Apple’s manufacturing partners are running into a few speed bumps creating the new high-resolution Retina Display for the iPad 3, CNET reported recently. LG CEO Young Soo Kwon confirmed that his company, which also builds the Retina Display on the iPhone 4 and 4S, is working on the next-generation iPad 3 screens. Samsung and Sharp are also allegedly behind the development. However, CNET said that mass manufacturing a display with a 2,048 x 1,536-pixel resolution, twice the pixel density of the current iPad 2, has been a struggle. “It’s not a question of just making one,” a source said. “That, of course can be done. The challenge is making lots of them. This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn’t been done before.” In August, a report surfaced that suggested Apple had delayed the iPad 3 due to display issues. CNET said the companies have 1,600 x 1,200-pixel resolution screens prepared as a back-up in case the Retina Display can’t be mass produced in time. More →
