Word around the campfire has it that Apple's March 7 press event in San Francisco will mark the debut of a third-generation iPad. Given the nature of the event's marketing artwork, it's a sure bet that Tim Cook and his crew will definitely be talking tablets. That said, does anyone have a handle on what we'll see unveiled next week? Nope, but that's never kept anyone from speculating about what Cupertino has in store for the masses in the past, has it?
Here's what we know so far:
– Apple is said to have been testing two different chipsets that could find their way into the iPad 3: a dual-core A5 and a quad-core A6. Should this information prove correct, it could mean one of two things: Apple will soon be providing consumers with the option of not only choosing how much memory they'd like their iPad to come equipped with, but also the tier of processing power it has allotted to it. The second, and more likely scenario here is that Apple has simply been testing two new chip architectures at the same time in order to figure out which chip will best compliment the rest of the iPad 3′s guts.
– The folks at MacRumors claim that they've gotten their hands on a bona fide iPad 3 display. If what they have is the real McCoy, then consumers can expect the next edition of the tablet to melt their faces with a 9.7 inch display boasting a 2048×1536 resolution.
– According to a number of outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and Boy Genius Report, "individuals familiar with the matter" are claiming that iPad 3 will have LTE communication capabilities baked right into it. In areas where no LTE connectivity is available, the iPad will automatically switch over to older network communication standards like 3G in order to stay in touch with the outside world.
– Given the number of HD cameras cropping up in other smartphones and tablets, there's a very good chance that Apple may see fit to finally do something about the iPad's dismal front and rear facing cameras. HD FaceTime chat on the iPad? Where do we sign up?
– That new chip, beefier display, upgraded cameras and robust communications hardware have to fit somewhere, right? Expect to see a slightly thicker case. After all, thinner doesn't always mean better.
Be sure to check in with us on March 7th for Mac|Life's coverage of Apple's San Francisco Event!
Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/what_we_can_expect_ipad_3
