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Topic: iPad

Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

Summary: According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is set to announce the next-generation iPad at an event in March.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Sources close to the company said that while Apple is not planning to hold an event in February, it will in March. Expected at the event is the long awaited arrival of the iPad 3. That is, according to AllThingsD.

It appears to be in line with recent reports that manufacturers were building and increasing production of the device in its factories in China.

DigiTimes suggested late last year that the iPad 2 would decline in production from 14--15 million devices in the fourth quarter by a third to 4--5 million by the first quarter. It is thought that over 9 million units of the iPad 3 will be made by the first quarter, filling the deficit left by the tablet's predecessor, in anticipation of an second quarter release.

Many have guestimated that the iPad 3 --- that is, if it will in fact be called that --- will be slightly thicker to accommodate a larger battery, which in turn would power possibly 4G LTE technologies for faster mobile broadband, and a Retina display --- or "something close to it".

But for now, we know as much about the iPad 3 as we do about Martian dust. We know it is in existence, but it continues to amaze even the most intellectually-minded people this world has to offer.

An Apple spokesperson declined to comment. No surprise there.

Image source: Avijeet Sachdev/Flickr.

Related:

Topics: iPad, Apple, Mobility

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36 comments
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  • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

    Better form factor, retina display, and quad-core. Can't imagine much else they would do. Cameras will probably make a marginal improvement.
    thejellymon
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

      @thejellymon
      Better battery life is the killer feature. Imagine if the tablet didn't change at all but it could last 24 hours (a complete day) no matter what you do on it.
      Who cares about retina display...nice to have but won't change how you use it. Same as quad-core processors.
      global.philosopher
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

        @global.philosopher My 3G iPad 2 already has plenty of battery life. In a day of average use, I only use about 30% of the battery. I can go a couple days between charges without any trouble.

        The biggest reason they might need to add a bigger battery is if they add 4G LTE. Those chips eat batteries like candy. If they move to 4G, the iPad 3 will likely get fatter and heavier. Personally, it's not worth the tradeoff. I would much prefer a retina display, better cameras, and a quad core CPU. Those will have minimal impact on battery life, weight, and thickness.
        BillDem
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

    Thicker? No way. That flies in the face of everything Apple stands for. Every new device MUST be thinner. Apple is thin-obsessed. It's the new American dream to get thinner, faster, better every year!
    lippidp
    Reply Vote

    • No thinner is not in Apple's case an obsession but a rational

      @lippidp... realization that thin and light equal improved mobility. Thick and heavy equals desktop or at the very least a device that is less qualified to be a mobile device. If not why did we not stop development of mobile devices with the famous Osborne? At it's time it was cool and kind of mobile for a suitcase that is:)

      Pagan jim
      James Quinn
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

    "We know it is in existence, but it continues to amaze even the most intellectually-minded people this world has to offer. "

    - What a stupid statement. People with intelligence are not much interested in utterly ovepriced apple devices.
    owlnet
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

      @owlnet Wait, what?, didn't you used to drink the Kook-aid?

      I agree though, I don't know many people who are amazed by something they have never seen.
      slickjim
      Reply Vote

      • And yet here you are:) You and Owlnet had to come

        @Peter Perry ... and post snarky comments (Koolaid) anyone? You both knew there would be no actual details in this article about the iPad 3 as is Apple's long established policies regarding new product. You knew the article was Apple related however and you could not help yourself. You are not a fan of Apple so what drives you? Could it be emotional like hatred? I can't say for sure but I think it does point to a problem.<br><br>Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

      @owlnet I thought it was a stupid statement for entirely different reasons. The context was "we don't know much about it yet" -- so how can it amaze anyone, intellectual or not? And, "intellectually-minded"? That's the wrong part of speech -- a person who has someone else minding them, and doing so in an intellectual way is what that literally means. And it is just plain hard-to-read writing as well. The dearth of highly-qualified journalists, capable of writing grammatically correct and understandable, is lamentable!
      techboy_z
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

      @owlnet it is not stupid because it is not even a statement. Something is missing in this stentence, and it has no meaning in its present form. I agree with some other comments here that it is pathetic that out of ten sentences in the text, one is grammatically wrong.
      pupkin_z
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

    Maybe it will actually have a properly functioning WiFi chipset, unlike the iPad and iPad 2....
    RickBullotta
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

      I don't know about you but my Ipad 2's WIFI chipset works just fine. Even the 3GS works fine too.
      pc boss
      Reply Vote

  • I hear there are going to be protests about Apple's manufacturing policies

    I wonder if they will try to stage them the same day the iPad3 is going to be released.
    William Farrel
    Reply Vote

    • Wow - It looks like you get flagged if you offer a negative comment

      @William Farrel
      or ask a legitimate question that may place Apple in an undesirable light.

      And people claimed that Vilolet Blue was so wrong, ther's no such thing as an "Apple Zealot". ;)
      William Farrel
      Reply Vote

      • I for did not flag you... but to be certain it is not Apple's

        @William Farrel... manufacturing policie by rather EVERYONE's manufacturing policies:P Just because Apple is doing a better job of making money (something every single business large, medium and or small is suppose to do it is the reason they exist) does not mean Apple has some sort of EXTRA obligation to this issue. If you win a race consistently does not mean you should be forced to wear a backpack with a 100 extra lbs to give the other contestants a fare shake. That is the thing with being better it is what it is.

        Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • James, Quinn

        @William Farrel <br><br>I didn't say you flagged me, not at all.<br><br>I was just pointing out that a couple of people on this sites just randomlly flag anything they view as anti-Apple.<br><br>They can't have that, no way!<br><br>I only asked that as they where talking on the news this morning that people are putting together a protest <b>against</b> Apple, in reference to the issues at Foxconn.<br><br>I was just curious as to when they where going to do it, wondering if they would wait until the iPad 3 launch, that's all.
        William Farrel
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

    Talk about the upgrade treadmill, paying out $700 every year just to get a new iPad seems quite silly.
    Loverock Davidson-
    Reply Vote

    • That assumes that everyone who bought the original iPad

      @Loverock Davidson- ... bought the iPad 2 and is planning on purchasing the iPad 3. Of course that is not the case. And Apple sales of the iPad has been growing so it can not be simply the same people over and over again. New people come to the iPad daily. Is it me or is this snarky comment day and no one told me!?!

      Pagan jim
      James Quinn
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

        @James Quinn
        I'm assuming correctly and that is the case.
        Loverock Davidson-
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple set to announce iPad 3 in early March

        @James Quinn

        Jim, I know lots of people who have gotten every iPhone and both iPads when each device is released. They actually get all in a tizzy and nearly wet themselves with anger and disappointment when they have trouble finding one and are upset when their friends get one before them.
        PollyProteus
        Reply Vote
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