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CNBC: Quad-core iPad 3 with LTE to be unveiled in New York (update: not New York)
The above tweet from CNBC says it all, really. Apparently sources close to the news network have revealed that the iPad 3 will be unveiled in New York rather than the traditional West Coast unveiling of previous products. It's interesting to note that the recent Mountain Lion briefings and Education event were both based in the Big Apple, lending some weight to the claim. Although company expert Jim Dalrymple has already rebutted the broadcaster's claim about the location. The rest? Well, it certainly tallies with the most recent crop of rumors, but when it's Apple-silly season we won't believe anything until we see it.Update: Here it comes. The official invitations have been sent out by the company to an event in San Francisco on March 7th.
iPad 3 rumor roundup
If Apple's usual release schedule is to be believed (as it usually is), we're just about due for another iPad. Naturally, the rumor mill has amped up accordingly -- in fact, given the amount of news we've seen hit the wire regarding the phantom product, the only thing that would genuinely surprise us would be if Cupertino just opted to pull out of the tablet space altogether. Given the sort of sales figures the company has been seeing as of late, its seems a pretty safe bet that the company is confident that the old slate's still got a little bit of steam left in her.Yep, the one thing we feel pretty confident in saying at the moment is that Apple most likely has a new iPad in the works and it's most likely coming fairly soon. It also seems like a pretty safe bet that the company goes with the iPad 3 name -- but hey, we've been burned there before. If the rumors flooding in from the likes of Digitimes and The Wall Street Journal are to be believed, the slate will bring with it faster internals, a higher res screen, a tapered back and a general smattering of Apple's customary pixie dust. So, what can we expect from the third iteration of the company's crazy popular slate? Not even Samsung knows for sure, but we're breaking down the fire hose of rumors after the break.
Best Buy pulling iPad 2 from display to make way for iPad 3?
Pretty much all signs point to the arrival of a new iPad in the very near future -- in fact, more specific reports have the tablet getting the official unveil next week. With that in mind, it certainly makes sense that a store like Best Buy would be taking the last gen product off its displays. The big box retailer has already reduced iPad 2 prices by a cool $50, apparently to make way for the big number 3, and now we've gotten a note from a blue shirted tipster, saddling the slate (known here as the MCQSULL/A W) with a "Deleted" status. What you're looking at is the entry for the white 32GB model, but we're told other models have been similarly flagged. Granted, we know that this isn't exactly a definitive statement on Best Buy's part by any means, but it's certainly been a harbinger of Apple product launches in the past. [Thanks, anonymous]
iFixit examines alleged iPad 3 display, confirms doubled resolution
Mac Rumors recently got its hands on a component that's allegedly the display from the forthcoming iPad 3. After putting it under a microscope, the site was able to confirm that the display has a 2048 x 1536 resolution, double the horizontal resolution and quadruple the number of pixels on the iPad 2's current 1024 x 768 LCD. iFixit has been able to confirm Mac Rumors' findings; Mac Rumors actually mailed iFixit the same display and let them have a look at it. iFixit confirmed that the display has the same overall dimensions as the iPad 2's display (though the "iPad 3" display is 0.6 ounces lighter), and microscopic examination of the display confirmed a 2048 x 1536 resolution at 260 pixels per inch, far higher than the current iPad's 132 ppi. In its examination iFixit confirmed that this display features a different display connector from the iPad 2 display, so even if you could secure one of these displays on the aftermarket, there doesn't appear to be any means of successfully hooking it up to an iPad 2 or original iPad. No surprises there. iFixit suggests the new display's ppi might be too low to qualify it as a "Retina Display," while others have quite erroneously suggested that the iPad 2's current display is already Retina quality (in spite of Apple never classifying it that way and despite the current iPad's pixels being easily discernible even with my less than stellar vision). However, we did the math on this last year, when the iPad 2 was rumored to be getting a Retina upgrade, and the numbers tell a different story. The only consistent definition Apple has ever given about the Retina Display is that individual pixels are indistinguishable from one another. This statement comes with several implied asterisks: pixels are indistinguishable for people with 20/20 vision when held at a reasonable distance. An Air Force bombardier holding an iPhone 4S four inches from his face is going to see those pixels easily, but his 87-year-old grandma isn't going to see them no matter how hard she looks. Running the numbers shows that this display would meet the "Retina Display" requirements of indistinguishable individual pixels for someone with 20/20 vision if held at a distance from the eye of 13 inches or greater. I don't see too many people holding their iPads closer than that, so despite having a lower ppi density than the iPhone 4S display, the "iPad 3" display easily meets Apple's somewhat fuzzy Retina Display qualifications. Standard caveats apply: the iPad 3 hasn't even launched yet, so this is all speculative. However, it's worth noting that the iPhone 4's display leaked through the same channel -- aftermarket component resellers -- months before its debut in summer 2010.
Rumor: iPad 3 case thicker, shows more gradual taper
Chinese tech website M.I.C Gadget gets some amazing spy shots on occasion. This time, they have photos that purport to show the back case of the rumored iPad 3. As you can see from the photos above, the alleged iPad 3 case (bottom) is slightly thicker than the case of the iPad 2. Although the difference in thickness appears to be significant, another photo (below) shows that the iPad 3 case is actually only about 1 to 1.5 mm thicker. The site notes that a poster on a Chinese forum has said that the bezel on the new device is narrower, which could be a way to resolve the "light leak" issues that some early owners of the iPad and iPad 2 experienced. M.I.C Gadget also published a photo of the back case that shows a slightly larger rear camera. That's in line with rumors of an improved iPad 3 camera, although nobody will know the exact specifications of such a device until the new iPad is announced. The site has a complete "rumor roundup" for your reading enjoyment, but remember that at this point, everything is pure conjecture.
iPad 3 logic board with 'A5X' chip purportedly snapped by Mr. Not-so-Blurrycam
Well, if it looks real, sounds real and is halfway logical, we probably should distrust it all the more. Yes, it's the time when all the rumors, photoshops and general hysteria around Apple's next slab reaches its apex. The photo above was grabbed by the steady hand of sas126, a blurrycam snapper in name only, and posted to Chinese site Weiphone, purporting to be the logic board for the iPad 3. The big news (if true) is the "A5X" silicon, suggesting we'll see an incremental enhancement rather than the wholesale revolutions evident in the A4 and A5 chips that accompanied its predecessors. The SoC (with the Apple logo, to the right of the two Hynix memory modules) carries a date-stamp of 1146, suggesting it was produced in the 46th week of last year. Of course, now that we're getting so close to the actual event, whatever Tim Cook whips out on stage will never match whatever we'd conjured up on our own hearts: so try to dampen down that rampant excitement because we've still got 17 days left to wait.
MacRumors all but confirms iPad 3 will have Retina Display
We have no idea how they got hold of one, but MacRumors has apparently sourced the display component for the next-gen iPad and put it under the microscope -- literally. In a deja vu moment from roughly two years ago when the iPhone 4 was confirmed to have a Retina Display, Mac Rumors put the alleged iPad 3 display under a microscope, counted up the pixels, and compared it to the existing display on the iPad 2. Although the display was unpowered, microscopic examination still revealed the physical components of the pixels. When considering the same areal cross section of the display, the current iPad's LCD contains a grid of 2 x 2 pixels, 4 pixels total; this new display features a 4 x 4 grid for a total of 16 pixels. This much higher pixel density on the LCD, which is the same 9.7-inch diagonal size as the one on the iPad 2, is consistent with a display featuring exactly double the linear resolution of the existing iPad display. In early 2011, various rumors pointed to the iPad 2 featuring a Retina Display upgrade; however, no actual parts featuring a 2048 x 1536 resolution ever surfaced, and the iPad 2 launched with the same 1024 x 768 resolution as its predecessor. The iPad 3 Retina Display rumors resurfaced this year, but this is the first time anyone has provided physical evidence of such a display. The usual caveats apply: this display may be nothing more than a leaked prototype or even an extremely elaborate fake, and the iPad 3 may yet launch without a double-resolution Retina Display. However, at this point that scenario is looking unlikely indeed, and with MacRumors' new evidence, we consider the iPad 3's Retina Display all but confirmed now.
Alleged iPad 3 Retina Display examined under a microscope
There are no shortage of iPad 3 rumors out there. Quad-core A6, LTE radio, Retina Display -- we've heard it all, but haven't actually seen much in the way of evidence. Now MacRumors claims to have gotten its paws on part of the mythical beast. The site has a 9.7-inch LCD, in the same aspect ratio as the iPad and iPad 2 that certainly appears to be rocking a full 2048 x 1536 resolution. Without a way to power the screen its a little tough to be certain, but the same area of the alleged iPad 3 panel does seem to house twice as many pixels as its predecessor when viewed under the same magnification. Could this in fact be the Retina Display destined to put iOS 5.1 in the hands of millions of tablet fans? We'll just have to wait for Tim Cook to reveal of its secrets to us, which should be happening sooner, rather than later.
WSJ: Apple testing 8-inch iPad
The invites haven't even been sent out and yet the frenzied speculation about what Tim Cook will whip out on stage at next month's purported announcement has begun. The Wall Street Journal believes Cupertino's planning to produce a smaller, 8-inch slate to partner its 9.7-inch flagship. Unnamed sources at the company's suppliers say it'll pack a screen with a resolution close to the 1024 x 768 display on the current model. This jibes with what we've heard about the iPad 3 toting a Retina Display -- unless the smaller unit is aimed at budget buyers. The report claims test panels are being produced by AU Optronics and LG Display and that this model might also run on LTE. It's probably fair to point out that Apple is famous for producing prototypes in a wide variety of sizes that will never see the light of day, so don't get your hopes up too soon.
WSJ: AT&T and Verizon will sell LTE iPads
Citing sources "familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal is now stating rather unequivocally that both AT&T and Verizon Wireless are set to begin selling LTE versions of Apple's iPad. The latest revelation is hardly a leap of faith, as rumors to this effect have been swirling for a month now. Still, it coincides rather nicely with the recent chatter surrounding the launch of Apple's next iPad, which is currently thought to launch during the first week of March. It remains unknown whether Sprint will be stocking a 4G version of the iPad to call its own. Perhaps Mr. Hesse and crew will be forced to sit this one out.
iPad 3 may be announced March 7
The next-gen iPad or "iPad 3" may be announced as early as Wednesday, March 7, according to Rene Ritchie of iMore. Citing "sources who have been reliable in the past," iMore claims the iPad 3 will be announced on that date featuring a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display (a widely expected upgrade), and a quad-core A6 processor. This report of a March 7 announcement date aligns with AllThingsD's earlier report that the iPad 3 will be announced in the first week of March. Jim Dalrymple of The Loop, who almost always has good information on such matters, simply quoted the first sentence of iMore's report on the March 7 announcement date and responded, "Yep." When Dalrymple breaks out the "Yep" stamp, it's almost as good as hearing something from Apple itself. With Dalrymple's endorsement, we consider the date announcement decently sourced. Aside from that, not much concrete information on the next iPad is available, with only the usual storm of rumors to go on. While widely expected, a Retina Display and A6 processor update are both unconfirmed. Recent leaks to third-party repair depots allegedly show an iPad 3 case and display remarkably similar to the iPad 2 except for very minor internal changes. Other rumors have suggested the iPad 3 may feature an improved camera (let's hope so, because the iPad 2's camera is rubbish). Far less credible rumors have suggested the iPad 3 may feature support for 4G LTE networking, which both iMore and we here at TUAW find less likely for a variety of reasons. If Apple follows a similar schedule to the iPad 2 announcement in 2011, the next iPad could be launched for sale in the US on Friday, March 16. International sales may follow in select markets like the UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand two weeks later on March 30, with staggered rollouts continuing in later months.
TUAW Talkcast 7pm PT/10pm ET: iPad 3 speculation edition!
We come again to the end of the weekend, and it's time for another round of talkcasting. We will have a stack of speculation to get to, from new MacBook Pro rumors to impending new iPads. We'll cover other headlines of the week as well, but be warned most of the show will probably consist of theories, whether they're from my House (of Crackpot Theories) or not. We'll even have a little time for bonus rumormongering in the aftershow, if that's the sort of thing you enjoy. Your calls and questions help us make the show the best it can be, otherwise I'm just talking to myself! To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (yay for free cellphone weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy (you know those headphones that came with your iPhone?), you can connect via the free Zoiper, X-Lite or Blink SIP clients; and basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Daily Update for February 9, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Apple announcing iPad 3 first week of March? Anonymous sources think so
Is the long, treacherous wait for the iPad 3 nearly at an end? That's what anonymous sources tell All Things D. The site caught wind that an Apple event next month will host the announcement of the company's latest tablet. The event is said to be slated for the first week of March at that popular Apple haunt, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco -- and seeing as how last year's event was held on March 2nd, that timing doesn't seem all that crazy to us. As for an actual release date, said sources are a bit less chatty.
AllThingsD: Apple to announce iPad 3 in March
John Paczkowski of AllThingsD is claiming that Apple will hold a press event in the beginning of March to announce the new iPad, which he calls "iPad 3" (noting that might not be its official name). Paczkowski expects the announcement to take place in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where Apple has held several other similar events. The iPad 2 was announced on March 2, 2011 and was released on March 11 on the US. If the rumor is true, the so-called iPad 3 would be in line with a similar schedule. Paczkowski's sources say it should be available for purchase "...a week or so after the event."
Considering Aperture for iOS
Gabe Glick over at Macstories has a proposal: Aperture for iOS. On the surface, it sounds like a pretty silly idea -- Apple's high end camera app is really made for a desktop environment, and with the hassle required to get high quality photos onto iOS devices, there really isn't a point bringing Aperture over to a platform like the iPad. But Glick, though he agrees with the naysayers to a certain extent, is willing to take the opposite position. He says that he thinks Aperture is coming to the iPad with the announcement (expected sometime this year) of the iPad 3. So we'll let him make his case. He says the Retina Display is a big benefit, for photographers who really want to see their pictures close up and in full color. Of course, the iPad 2 doesn't have a Retina Display, but if the iPad 3 gets the same kind of high definition screen that the iPhone 4 already has, Aperture would be more likely. iCloud's photo stream would make it easy to get pictures on the mobile device, a better A6 processor would make editing RAW photos and other high end resolutions easier as well, and finally, Glick says that a "professional workhorse" app like Aperture shouldn't be automatically dismissed from the iPad. Most people would have said the same thing about iMovie and GarageBand on the iPad, and both of those have done quite well. When you put it like that, well, sure. Obviously this is all just speculation -- we won't know that Apple is releasing an app like this until it's actually announced on stage. But I will say as well that I've been trying to make noise lately for a sort of "iCamera" -- a more professional DSLR camera made and produced by Apple -- and I've been answered most of the time with the suggestion that Apple is betting on the cameras in its mobile devices rather than a separate dedicated device. If that is true, then sure, why wouldn't we want to see better official tools to deal with photos than the current Camera app offers?
You're the Pundit: iPad 3
When it comes to forecasting the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is the iPad 3. It's been a long, cold winter for TUAW. As days lengthen and Spring becomes less of a dream and more imminent, our thoughts turn to new technology. What do we expect to see in the next generation iPad and when do we expect to see it? Preorders in March, pickup in April? You tell us. Place your vote in this poll and then join in the comments with all your predictions. %Poll-73413%
iPad 3 rumored to bring faster CPU, higher-resolution display and LTE this March
On one hand, it's just another iPad rumor. On the other, there's an interesting wrinkle here that hasn't been confirmed -- let alone talked about seriously -- in past reports. Bloomberg is reporting that the iPad 3 will go on sale as early as March, boasting a higher-resolution screen, a speedier processor and support for "next-generation wireless networks." According to the all-common "unnamed sources," the outfit's manufacturing partners are purportedly "ramping up production" of the device this month, with full volume to be hit by February. Within, you'll supposedly find a quad-core chip and support for LTE, but it's unclear whether or not both AT&T and Verizon's 4G networks will be supported.As it stands, the iPad 2 can be purchased with a Verizon 3G or AT&T 3G module within, and we highly doubt Apple would prefer to launch the next iPad with LTE support on just one or the other. Moreover, the solidification of LTE within the iPad is the best confirmation yet that the wireless spec will also be a part of the iPhone 5; granted, that's far from written in stone, but if Apple has managed to get battery life to a comfortable place, there's no reason to not give prospective buyers an avenue to hop on the faster mobile superhighway.
Crapgadget CES, round five: iPad 2 / 3 case is probably just one third short
What's this, an iPad case that will work with either the iPad 2 or the iPad 3? According to the vendor, that's exactly what it is. Maybe so -- maybe not so.
Daily Update for January 11, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
