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iPad 2 - The rumors!

Summary: Time for a roundup of some of the most popular and widespread iPad 2 related rumors doing the rounds.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Time for a roundup of some of the most popular and widespread iPad 2 related rumors doing the rounds.

#1 - Smaller, thinner iPad

Everything that Apple makes gets smaller and thinner, so this a no-brainer!

#2 - Front/rear camera

Given that the current iPad has a space in the design for a camera, and given that Apple released FaceTime video tool for the iPhone and the Mac, the next iPad is almost certain to have a forward-facing camera. What about a rear-facing camera? Dunno, not sure how anyone would be able to sensibly use one.

#3 - 7-inch iPad

Doubtful, especially given that Steve Jobs himself bad mouthed the 7-inch market. It's hard to see how Apple could price them competitively enough given that a full-sized iPad start out at $500.

#4 - High-resolution 2048×1536 panel

A retina-display style panel on the iPad would fall into line with the iPhone, but the 2048×1536 number being thrown around at present is awfully high resolution - even 1080p HD video would either be windowed or need upscaling. It also takes a lot of processor power and a big battery drive such a large screen. A screen like this is also unlikely to be cheap.

This resolution would however allow existing iPad apps to be upscaled x2 in the same way that iPhone apps are upscaled on the iPad.

Not sure which way to call this one. Personally, I'm still skeptical.

#5 - Better speakers

Absolutely. The iPad's speakers are ... well, to put it mildly ... plain awful.

Highly likely the next iPad will have better speakers.

#6 - Multi-core processor

Why not? The iPad could do with more power, especially if it's going to have that high-resolution screen.

#7 - More storage

Absolutely. Next ...

#8 - SD Card slot

I keep hearing rumors that the iPad will have an SD Card slot. Also, the mockups and case designs that are turning up have SD Card slots in them.

So, would Apple put an SD Card slot in the iPad?

I don't think so, and here's why. Apple will sell you a 16GB iPad for $500. If you want 32GB that'll cost you an extra $100. A 64GB version will add another $100 to the price. But what if that 16GB iPad had an SD Card slot in it? Well, then I could bump up the storage by 64GB (taking it to 80GB in total) for as around $50 by buying an SD Card.

Apple might be disruptive, but it's not disruptive to its own pricing structure. 

Thoughts? What would you like to see on the next iPad?

Topics: Apple, Hardware, iPad, Mobility, Processors

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66 comments
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  • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

    Good points adrian - what about USB support and other peripherals?
    ckirk@...
    Reply Vote

    • mini display port

      @ckirk@...
      instead of hdmi, it will have an mini display port, like all macs. from appleinsider.com:

      "Apple's mini DisplayPort connectors function as 'dual mode' ports supporting HDMI output, so the inclusion of a mini DisplayPort on iPad 2 would enable both output to HDTVs via HDMI as well as, potentially, connection to a full resolution monitor such as Apple's 27" LED Cinema Display. A third potential advantage to using mini DisplayPort is that the standard supports video input, as Apple has implemented on the 27-inch iMac. If supported, this would enable iPad 2 to be used as a very high resolution external display by any Mac with mini DisplayPort output."
      banned from zdnet
      Reply Vote

      • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

        @banned from zdnet Not gonna happen: think AirPlay.
        minardi
        Reply Vote

  • iPad 2 - The fact!

    Apple will continue to maintain silence on it because it makes them "mysterious". Apple's marketing department will continue to feed rumors to sites like ZDNet to maintain interest on V2 of their copy of a 10 year old MS technology.

    So the iPad 2 fact is that we are going to be deluged by what are little more than Apple advertisements on ZDNet for the next 5 months.

    Thanks AKH!
    NonZealot
    Reply Vote

    • Are You THAT Stupid??

      @NonZealot iPad 2 is going to be out next month or early March...where are you getting the 5 months thing from?????

      Why do you bother even posting here? Oh, that's right you own an iPhone and a Macbook.

      CUE THE DOUBLE STANDARDS.
      Ron Burgundy
      Reply Vote

      • Cyberslummer?

        We were wondering where you've been!
        John Zern
        Reply Vote

      • Right on my cyberbrother!!

        @Ron Burgundy
        nonzealot is just a zealot!!!
        Ron Bergundy
        Reply Vote

      • LOL!! Looks like Ron Bergundy just outed himself

        @Ron Burgundy
        [i]Right on my cyberbrother!!
        @Ron Burgundy
        nonzealot is just a zealot!!![/i]

        You obviously need to be more careful when using multiple ZDNet logins to make it look like people are agreeing with your posts!!

        HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
        NonZealot
        Reply Vote

      • Actually, NZ look at the screen names

        @Ron Burgundy vs Ron Bergundy!

        I think the second one is the "parody" guy. I think he was "cyberspammer" the first time.

        I thought the same thing till I saw that names.

        Still is funny, though! :)
        John Zern
        Reply Vote

      • @John Zern: Doh!!

        Good catch, I missed that. :)
        NonZealot
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

        @NonZealot Cyberspammer, Ron Bergundy, SonofaSailor, Trickytom3<br><br>They are all a bunch of stalker homos.

        Note the post was flagged...proving my point.

        This site is the sewer of IT news.
        Ron Burgundy
        Reply Vote

      • Your conclusion is correct but not your reasoning

        @Ron Burgundy
        [i]This site is the sewer of IT news.[/i]

        Correct conclusion.

        [i]Note the post was flagged...proving my point.[/i]

        The fact that your post was flagged [b]and not removed[/b] is the correct reasoning for why this place is the sewer of IT news. Homophobic posts like yours would have been removed from any self respecting news site.

        Well, that and the fact that ZDNet is obviously just an arm of Apple's marketing department.

        ZDNet is the Jerry Springer of IT news. It should be used for entertainment purposes only.
        NonZealot
        Reply Vote

    • mysterious?

      @NonZealot <br>man, you are so clueless, it isn't funny anymore. why would any company on earth with an existing product in the market that they want to sell now and here, announce a new better version of that said product three months in advance? <br><br>that would just be plain stupid (and is called the osborne effect). well, newsflash, apple isn't stupid. they will announce a new version of the ipad exactly the moment it is ready to sell. and i know what you're thinking: but the iphone! and the first ipad! months in advance! yes, but apple didn't have anything in that product category to sell so they couldn't cannibalize their own sales, only those of their competitors. clear, obvious? not to you, maybe.<br><br>and the speculation thing, i know this concept is hard for you to comprehend but the blogosphere is doing it because it gets them guaranteed hits, because people are really interested what apple will be doing next. unlike the offerings of their mediocre, copycat "competitors". hits are the money of the interwebs and it is simply true that no one cares about the xoom.<br><br>man, it is getting really tiresome explaining all that 101 to you.
      banned from zdnet
      Reply Vote

      • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

        @banned from zdnet it was sarcasm on NZ side, btw. You have to agree that it does make them "mysterious". It has always been Apple's MOA. Many companies release their prototypes designs to claim teir turf, but not Apple. Your "cannibalization theory" is way too simple, especially when so many competitors already presented their products. Believe it or not some of the specs in these competing products are better than in iPad.
        pupkin_z
        Reply Vote

    • Want some cheese with your wine? (nt)

      No Text
      Bruizer
      Reply Vote

  • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

    SD Card Slot? LOL!!!!!!!
    sure they will give users the ability to kill their 32gb 64gb or higher storage devices including a sd card slot.
    love ifans they are so funny
    bnlf
    Reply Vote

    • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

      @bnlf

      That's not entirely true - all they have to do is make sure the SD slot is inaccessible to any program but iPhoto, and prevent developers from taking advantage of it in third party apps.

      Technologically, it's absolutely possible. Politically, it might not be the brightest idea because it'll make the case for jailbreaking and Cydia even more compelling.

      Joey
      voyager529
      Reply Vote

      • RE: iPad 2 - The rumors!

        @voyager529
        Then what would be the point of it anyway?
        Droid101
        Reply Vote

  • Don't Need A USB Slot or SD Card

    It's a CLOUD DEVICE...

    If you want to get a USB slot or SD card get a crappy Microsuck tablet.
    Ron Burgundy
    Reply Vote

    • Some people prefer not to use the Cloud

      @Ron Burgundy

      Cloud computing is a disaster in the waiting, which I will have no part of.

      I'll stick to my <S>"Microsuck"</S> Windows tablet TYVM.
      The one and only, Cylon Centurion
      Reply Vote
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