Tag: iPad HD

Apple is launching their much-anticipated next-generation iPad today at a media event in San Francisco. Scheduled to start at 1 pm Eastern time, the event will put an end to months of speculation about what to expect from Apple’s latest gadget. With all the coverage buzzing around the internet about the tablet, it can be hard to keep it all straight. Here’s a rundown of what we can probably expect from the next iPad:

iPad HD

While most of the coverage – including our own – has called the new tablet the iPad 3, evidence has surfaced in the past week or so to suggest that it will actually be called the iPad HD instead. The first evidence came at the beginning of last week when references to the iPad HD were found in inventory lists for Griffin, a company that sells accessories for iOS devices, and in the usage data for an app called Tapatalk. Yesterday those rumors were apparently confirmed by sources within Apple itself. So if you were really attached to the iPad 3 name, you’re probably going to be in for a disappointment.

Retina Display

Everybody has known that the iPad would be getting a retina display since July of 2010, when Apple unveiled the remarkable new display technology in the iPhone 4. Of course, at the time everybody thought it would be coming to the iPad 2. Though the iPad 2 did get a boost in resolution, it did not get a retina display. Ever since then, a retina display in the iPad 3 was considered a given. Confirmation came a few weeks ago when MacRumors apparently got their hands on an actual retina display for the new iPad.

Though they couldn’t actually power the display (the connector that plugs into the logic board is different than on the iPad 2), they did put the thing under a microscope. There they found that it had a pixel density double that of the iPad 2. Whereas the iPad 2’s pixel dimensions are 1024×768, the iPad HD’s display is 2048×1536. After MacRumors was done with the display they sent it on to the folks at iFixit, who did their own examination and confirmed what MacRumors had found.

For reference, the 27-inch iMac this article is being prepared on has dimensions of 2560×1440. The iPad HD crams almost as many pixels into a 9.7-inch display. This retina display, by the way, is likely the reason that the new iPad will be called the iPad HD instead of the iPad 3. Apple has a history of naming their devices for major features instead of just numbering them, and retina display is something iPad owners have been waiting for for quite some time.

A5X Processor

Earlier in the rumor cycle it looked like the iPad HD might be getting a quad-core A6 processor. In early January developers found references to a quad-core processor in the beta versions of iOS 5.1. About a month later, more evidence of a quad-core processor was found in reports from diagnostic software called iBoot that had purportedly been run on a new iPad.

The quad-core processor was apparently not to be, however. As the end of February approached, images of an apparent iPad logic board leaked. These images showed not the expected A6 processor, but a processor labeled A5X. This processor was believed to be an enhanced version of the dual-core A5 processor found in the iPad 2 and IPhone 4S. Later information would show that Apple had been developing the A5X and the A6 at the same time. While there was all sorts of speculation as to why Apple would develop the two chips at once and then put the A6 in the iPad HD, the answer looks to be a simple one: Apple’s suppliers couldn’t produce the A6 in time.

iOS 5.1

Apple has had beta versions of iOS 5.1 in the hands of developers for awhile now. A report yesterday said that the Gold Master version (i.e., the one Apple considers ready for release) had passed Apple’s final quality checks. The original iPad released with iOS 3.1 (which never actually came to the iPhone at all). The iPad 2 released with iOS 4.1, which was available for download on all iOS devices shortly after the launch event.

Actual news about iOS 5.1 is a little thin on the ground at this point. Siri confirmed some time ago that Siri would be getting Japanese support (though whether the iPad will be getting Siri is very much in doubt). Facebook integration is a possibility, though that’s very much up in the air at this point.

4G LTE?

This one is the most unclear of the bunch. There have been conflicting reports flying for months concerning whether the iPad HD would be getting 4G LTE capability. The same report in February that seemingly confirmed the quad-core processor also predicted a 4G iPad. Early last week, though, there was another report that suggested that Apple would be sticking with 3G for the new iPad. Yesterday, though, another report said that yes, the iPad HD would be 4G LTE ready. This one could go either way. Apple has been a bit slow to adopt 4G technology – it was expected in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S – so they may delay putting it in the iPad. Also, a 4G iPad would be a dead giveaway for a 4G iPhone coming later this year. We’ll have to wait and see on this one.

So, to recap: Apple’s new iPad will almost certainly be the iPad HD instead of the iPad 3, will definitely be getting a retina display and iOS 5.1, will probably run on a dual-core A5X processor, and may or may not have 4G LTE capability. For more speculation on what may or may not be coming later this afternoon, and for our full range of iPad coverage, check out our iPad page.

What would you like to see in the iPad HD? Let us know in the comments.

It looks like the last piece of the iPad puzzle may be falling into place. With the launch event for Apple’s latest tablet less than 24 hours away, reports are circulating this afternoon that the gold master version of iOS 5.1 has been undergoing Apple’s thorough QA testing for about three weeks.

Citing a “very solid source,” Chronic Wire says that iOS 5.1 is nearly finished with both Apple’s internal testing and similar testing with carriers and other partners. Apple has not made this version of iOS available to developers yet.

There hasn’t been a lot of attention given to the features of iOS 5.1. Most of the focus has been on the iPad 3 (iPad HD?). That said, we know a little of what to expect. For one thing, Siri will be learning Japanese, according to Siri herself. Facebook integration is at least possible, since references to Facebook were found in earlier betas of iOS 5.1 back in January. Chronic Wire’s report also suggests that iOS 5.1 will be getting an easier method of accessing the camera from the lock screen (a nifty feature introduced in iOS 5 last year), as well as “at least two other new features that have not been publicly leaked.”

It’s likely that iOS 5.1 will release either sometime tomorrow (after the iPad launch event) or sometime later, closer to when the iPad is actually released to the public. In either case, it’s a pretty safe bet that the iPad 3/HD will run iOS 5.1 right out of the box.

What are you hoping for from iOS 5.1? Let us know in the comments.

With the iPad launch event just about twenty-four hours away, people are starting to get excited. Never one to let a good marketing opportunity pass, Verizon has put a teaser about the tablet at the top of verizonwireless.com.

The tease, seen below, says that “Something is Coming,” and offers you the chance to give Verizon your email address so that they can let you know what it is. Of course, they don’t actually say that this mysterious “something” is the iPad 3 (iPad HD?), but since nobody else is staging a major launch event for a long-awaited and much-rumored product, there aren’t really any other candidates.

Of course, what Verizon doesn’t tell you is that by giving them your email address you’re probably also setting yourself up to get more emails from them. If you’d rather find other sources all the latest on the next iPad, you can check out our iPad 3 page.

Earlier this morning we covered what appeared to be the first up-close look at an iPad 3. Well, most of an iPad 3, anyway. It seems that Chinese tech blog MIC gadget got their hands on the front and rear panels of the device, and gave the components a pretty thorough examination.

Tucked away in MIC Gadget’s report, though, was an interesting bit of speculation. They note, citing sources, that the price of the iPad 3 will not be higher than that of the iPad 2. While this is a welcome contradiction of earlier rumors, it may come at a price. MIC speculates that the reason Apple is keeping the price the same is that the device will not be getting 4G LTE capability.

Speculation about the iPad 3 has included 4G capability for quite some time. As carriers expand their 4G networks and an increasing number of mobile devices (mostly phones) become 4G-capable, adding the technology to the iPad seems like a logical step. In fact, evidence surfaced early last month that seemed to confirm that the next iPad would have 4G. Screenshots from iBoot diagnostic software reportedly run on a prototype iPad 3 showed the device with 4G connectivity and running a quad-core processor. While the quad-core processor is looking unlikely at this point, many were holding out hope for 4G.

Of course, MIC’s speculation is just that – speculation. While they’re likely right that the iPad 3 won’t be getting a price increase, that doesn’t mean that the device won’t be 4G-capable.

With the iPad 3 (or is it iPad HD?) launch event just two days away, we only have a little while left to wait. While the rumor mill isn’t likely to wind down until Tim Cook leaves the stage on Wednesday, the end is definitely in sight. Until then, check out our full coverage of the iPad 3 here.

What do you think? Would you like to see the iPad 3 get 4G? Does it really need it? Sound off in the comments.