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Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?

By | July 7, 2011, 1:46pm PDT

Summary: Now both ThisIsMyNext and Boy Genius Report are fueling rumors that the next iPad will be geared for pros, with a screen so hi-res that it would rival the 21″ iMac’s.

Just one more Apple rumor to round out your day: the upcoming iPad is not the iPad 3 but the iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus, according to ThisIsMyNext and Boy Genius Report. This is apparently not mere semantics as the next iPad is rumored to have a screen with double the resolution (2048 x 1536) for the creative professional, rather than for the consumer market.

Though both ThisIsMyNext and BGR come to the same conclusion that the next iPad will have a much higher-res display and not for the consumer market, they cite different sources that could lend legitimacy to this rumor. Or maybe their sources are one and the same.

BGR cites FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger’s note investors that the “iPad 2 Plus” will not be a new model but “a high-end version of the iPad 2 with a better display,” according to his sources. BGR makes a good point that if the next iPad could have such a screen resolution, it would make it easier for developers to port their apps from one iOS device to another.

ThisIsMyNext’s anonymous sources also told Joshua Topolsky that the “iPad HD” is geared for pro users:

folks who work in video and photo production possibly — and will be introduced alongside something like an iPad version of Final Cut or Aperture. This product is specifically said to not be the iPad 3, rather a complimentary piece of the iPad 2 line. Think MacBook and MacBook Pro.

The idea that the next iPad will feature a significantly upgraded display has been floating around the Web since January. If the iPad 2 Plus/HD does sport such a hi-res screen, it would offer better resolution than the 21″ iMac but in a 10.1″ display according to iLounge, which sounds expensive if not battery intensive. That said, if this “iPad 2 Pro” is marketed to those who spend thousands on high end camera lenses and cameras as tools of their trade, then an iPad made just for them may not be as ridiculous as it first sounds.

But like all other Apple product rumors these days, we’ll just have to wait to see what Steve Jobs unveils (or not) in September.

[Source: iLounge, ThisIsMyNext, BGR via MobileBeat]

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Topics

Apple iPad, Pro, Apple Inc., Gloria Sin

Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

Disclosure

Gloria Sin

I have no stocks or investments in any companies or interests which may lead to a conflict of interest in my coverage.

Biography

Gloria Sin

Gloria Sin is a New York-based freelance journalist who writes about the tech toys that you can't live without for ZDNet. She has little patience for poorly designed user experiences, and is not afraid of opening the guts of her own machines for repair or hacking her gadgets for new uses.

She has written for FastCompany.com, Popular Science, Olympic News Service; she currently covers the startup scene in the Tri-State area for NYConvergence.com.

Prior to ZDNet, Gloria was the online editor for Dance International, and dabbled in web design and social media consulting. When she is offline, you will find her at an ice rink living out her figure skating dreams. Follow her on Twitter.

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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
timertrainer 12th Jul
@awkward hug

It might cost more, why would you want one for $100 extra? We know how Apple overprices, we should wait until we get a special announcement.

http://ipad2plusrelease.com/?p=1
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A higher resolution display is a pretty small improvement
Johnny Vegas 7th Jul
Hopefully theres more to it, there a any number of other shortcomings they could address. Otherwise this will be completely a product for suckers who will regret they didnt wait for the ipad3/hd
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iPad for 'pros' is made-up nonsense by BGR; iPad Retina will be no more
DeRSSS Updated - 7th Jul
@Johnny Vegas: ... more for 'pros' than iPhone 4, which is sold in parallel to cheaper iPhone 3Gs.

And, it is ridiculous that they say this iPad Retina will run pro-apps like Final Cut Pro and Aperture -- since these require much more powerful CPUs. Even if Apple would release A6 with four cores, even then it will be much weaker than normal Intel CPU.

So the rumour is stupid in this area, too.
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I will believe it when I see it.
Bruizer 7th Jul
Without 1GB of RAM to hold all those UIViews and pixel buffers, a Retina Display iPad (while sweet) would be a bit hobbled IMO.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
rhonin 7th Jul
@Bruizer
I suspect more than 1gb would br needed.
The iPad2 has half that and I find it is pushed by the current crop of apps, especially the higher end graphic games and photo/video mods.

Unless the 1gb is reserved for video....
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I doubt it.
Bruizer 7th Jul
@rhonin

The 256MB on the iPad does an admirable job with the exception of Safari that force far more page loads than needed. I have found the 512MB on the iPad 2 to be quite sufficient.

I have had one 200+ page document (.doc moved to iWork). I was unable to open on the iPad that opened great on the iPad 2.
  • Flagged
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New screen
archangel9999 8th Jul
@Bruizer Will need a new screen tech to jam 2048x1536 into a 10" screen - pixel density would be very high and the screen might actually be too difficult to use because details would be too small to manipulate accurately - even if they integrated a digitizing stylus
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
tonymcs@... 7th Jul
Higher resolution, but my finger's still the same size. You really find out how ridiculous it is to use these things for real work, when you try and do something as simple as moving a text cursor.
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Do it all the time with no issue.
Bruizer 7th Jul
@tonymcs@...

Nice try at making stuff up.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
rhonin Updated - 7th Jul
@Bruizer
deleted - will not update properly
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Handle what well?
Bruizer 7th Jul
@Bruizer

Seriously. I edit documents, emails and lists all the time. The added resolution does not go toward smaller controls, just added detail.

tonymc@.. simply makes stuff up to suit his needs.
  • Flagged
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
rhonin 7th Jul
@Bruizer
Suspect he misworded.
"try to do something you can do simply with a cursor..."
The ability to do detailed work on a tablet at this time without a secondary device is a laugh.
It does not have that fine a level of control - even if it did, the finger is not very usuable as such.
plain
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
SlithyTove 8th Jul
@Bruizer

Well, I find that moving a text cursor around on the iPad is a real pain as well.

A big fleshy blob simply isn't as precise as per-pixel pointer accuracy being transmitted through a device designed to allow for ease of fine motor control.

Extras screen resolution is still nice though.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
Habiloso 7th Jul
@tonymcs@...

You are being a bit limited in your thinking. Higher resolution would make an iPad or similar devices even better for displaying video, photos, books and magazines and so forth. It has nothing to do with finger touch on the device.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
awkward hug 7th Jul
Why wouldn't a consumer want a higher res screen?
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
timertrainer 12th Jul
@awkward hug

It might cost more, why would you want one for $100 extra? We know how Apple overprices, we should wait until we get a special announcement.

http://ipad2plusrelease.com/?p=1
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
Playdrv4me 8th Jul
Considering that Apple has been moving away from the professional market recently, I don't realistically see them diverging the iPad line in this fashion or for a "professional" purpose.

As noted above, a resolution increase is just as merited for the consumer market as any professional one. Especially with a public that has already been wooed with the Retina Display in the past. I'd say it's a fairly safe bet a resolution improvement is coming, but it WILL be the iPad 3 whenever that finally shows up.
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How can it help photographers? Will it have a card slot?
voltrarian 8th Jul
Use case: traveling photographer wants to view her photographs on a larger, color corrected screen.
Therefore the laborious process of having to sync the iPad with a laptop to transfer files.
Why bring the iPad if you need to bring a PC?

Alternative use case if the iPad has an SD/CF card slot:
Take pictures with camera.
Preview pictures with iPad.
(and only need to bring camera & the wonderfully light iPad)

However, with an android tablet or a "lightweight" PC/Mac laptpop, there are alternatives. In fact, why use a feature limited, low storage capacity, more expensive version of an iPad for professional work when a lightweight, powerful laptop is an alternative?
Just saying...
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
edkollin 8th Jul
I heard a rumor the world is going to end.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
Jeff Tyler 8th Jul
The iPad will never be more than a toy until Apple works out it's incompatability issues with Adobe Flash and other background applications that many professional cloud services are based on.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
DeusXMachina 8th Jul
@Jeff Tyler

Flash is the toy here, and a shoddy one at that. But nevertheless, Flash apps can run just fine on the iPad.

And professional cloud services running on Flash?!? Name one.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
Dougvbx 8th Jul
Seriously:
How about comparing any laptop to one of these toys?
I have a laptop that does everything this does plus more. I have it hooked up to a 27 inch SamsungHDTV and wireless ergonomic keyboard and wheel mouse.
I have my keyboard and mouse on the couch, the HDTV monitor to the side and I put it between the couch and end table when not in use (out of sight).
SO I CAN
Lay about the couch and watch my regular HDTV with the computer monitor on a stand 5 feet away with keyboard and mouse at my fingertips.
Not worry one bit about flash capabilities with my hardware, continue to use all the features in windows that I am accustomed too, like RIGHT CLICKING which apple seems to think is useless.

This setup costs me about $899.
The TV is also a backup in case my regular TV has problems.
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RE: Rumor: iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus for pros?
Hellking 8th Jul
Not only would a device aimed at pros need better screen resolution, it would need more RAM, faster processors, fast external storage, and precise input interfacing that lacks lag. I don't see this happening with any tablet device in the foreseeable future.

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