New apple ipad 3 Rumored Specs
The latest rumor coming from “supply chain partners” is that Apple won’t be replacing the iPad 2. Instead we’ll have three iPad-branded tablets on the market by the end of January.
The move is thought to be in response to the popularity of Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which has already sold millions of units in the short time it has been on sale. Apple is expected to position the iPad 2 as a competitor to the Kindle Fire by giving it a budget price, while still offering a larger screen than Amazon’s device. If true, that’s a very clever move on Apple’s part, especially if they can get near a $199 price point.
Apple is set to unveil its next-generation iPad - which will come in two versions - at the iWorld scheduled for January 26, 2012, according to sources at its supply chain partners. The new models will join the existing iPad 2 to demonstrate Apple's complete iPad series targeting the entry-level, mid-range and high-end market segments, the sources claimed.
The move is thought to be in response to the popularity of Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which has already sold millions of units in the short time it has been on sale. Apple is expected to position the iPad 2 as a competitor to the Kindle Fire by giving it a budget price, while still offering a larger screen than Amazon’s device. If true, that’s a very clever move on Apple’s part, especially if they can get near a $199 price point.
The iPad 2 will be competing directly with Amazon's kindle Fire in the price-sensitive market segment, while the new models will focus on the mid-range and high-end segments respectively, the sources said.
Apple officials declined to comment.
- The iPad 3 could be 4G and use Qualcomm’s LTE Gobi 4000 chip, according to CNET. Apple uses Qualcomm to supply the 3G chips in its iPhones. Digitimes says the new tablet is also expected to use a quad-core A6 processor, an upgrade from the A5 in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.
- A “retina display”-level screen is expected to finally arrive on the iPad with Apple’s next launch. The 9.7-inch display is expected to boast a 2048×1536 resolution, according to DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim.
Instead of the previously-rumored 7.85-inch, the upcoming iPad models will still feature 9.7-inch screens but come with QXGA resolution (1,536x2,048 pixels), the sources indicated. Dual-LED light bars are designed for the new iPads to strengthen the brightness of the panels, the sources added.
Sharp will be the major panel supplier for Apple's next-generation iPad series, while Samsung Electronics and LG Display are also responsible for a part of the orders, the sources said. Minebea, from which Sharp sources backlight units (BLUs), has accordingly entered the supply chain for the new iPads, the sources pointed out.
Apple continues to contract Samsung to manufacture its quad-core A6 processors, which will be used in the next-generation iPads, the sources revealed. The existing iPad 2 is based on the dual-core A5.
Samsung is also among the CMOS image sensor (CIS) suppliers for one of the versions of the new iPad that comes with a 5-megapixel lens, marking the Korea-based vendor's first time to grab CIS orders from Apple, the sources noted. Sony is the other CIS supplier for the other model with a higher 8-megapixel lens, the sources added.
In addition, Simplo Technology and Dynapack International Technology have both secured orders for batteries with a capacity of as high as 14,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) used in the new iPads, according to the sources.
