Apple is expected to ship iPad3 with a full HD display in March and then “iPad 4” – named so by its component suppliers – with killer applications in October, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
iPad 3 will offer greater detail than some high definition TVs, with the pixels said to be small enough to make images look like printed material, while videos will play almost instantly because of the device’s additional graphics processing capabilities, and its new chip will enable users to jump more quickly between applications. It will also be compatible with a wireless standard called long-term evolution, or LTE, giving users faster access to data.
The March launch of iPad 3 as well as the price cutting for iPad 2 will enable Apple to fend off competition from non-iPad vendors including Sony, Motorola Mobility and Samsung Electronics, who currently price their tablet PCs at US$359 or above, commented the sources.
The 9.7-inch iPad 4 is expected to come with much upgraded hardware specifications and integrated applications so as to compete with an array of Android-, Wintel- or WoA (Windows on ARM)-based tablet PCs to be released in the fourth quarter, said the sources.
Hopefully we’ll be able to extract a few more details and truth in the coming months, but for now, take these rumors as you will.