So those rumors about the new iPad tagging along ‘HD,’ ‘Mini’ and ‘3’ to indicate its place as an iteration of Apple’s tablet, were all wrong. Cupertino decided to do the unexpected with naming their third-generation slate and post-iPhone 4S, we really shouldn’t have been taken by surprise.
Speculations about a new iPad have been doing the rounds for quite some time now and these did get a couple of the specifications right, after all. For one, the 9.7-inch Retina display on the slate is of 2048 × 1536p resolution and it claims 264ppi in sharpness. Furthermore, users can expect a dual core A5X chip supported by quad core graphics on this device that brings with it the latest iOS 5.1 update to Apple’s mobile OS.
“The new iPad redefines the category Apple created less than two years ago, delivering the most amazing experience people have ever had with technology. The new iPad now has the highest resolution display ever seen on a mobile device with 3.1 million pixels, delivering razor sharp text and unbelievable detail in photos and videos,” expressed Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
A 5MP iSight camera with 1080p video recording capability has been affixed to the back panel of the next generation iPad which also has a FaceTime sensor on the front. Landing in memory capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, the LTE slate’s Wi-Fi and 4G build accommodates HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, GSM and CDMA. Additionally, the Cupertino-based company insists that the gadget will last through approximately 10 hours of use before calling for its in-built Li-polymer battery to be juiced up again.
And in keeping with tradition, Apple has been rather prompt with giving out the new iPad release date and price details. The base price starts at $499 for the 16GB tablet, while the most expensive in the lineup is the $829 Wi-Fi cum 4G model. The launch date is marked for March 16, with the company already prepared to accept pre-orders for the device which will arrive in black and white color options.