The iPad 3 is just a few weeks away and there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the much anticipated new features in the tablet. There have been a few confirmed features that were published in the Wall Street Journal, but here is a list of what one can expect.
One of the most hyped and near certain features of this version of the iPad is the Retina Display. This display will offer double the resolution of the iPad and the iPad 2 at a mammoth 2048×1546 pixels; much more than what you can get from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. This resolution is almost equivalent to Apple’s 27-inch iMac display. A more useful analogy would be comparing this display with that of the iPhone 4S. In comparison, the iPad 3 will have the clarity of the iPhone, only three times bigger.
Another feature that is very likely to be included on the iPad 3 is 4G support on both AT&T and Verizon. The device is expected to run Apple’s home brewed A6 quad core processor, which will put it at par with the latest Android phones expected to be announced at the MWC this month. Rumour has it that if the quad core chip is not included on the iPad, it will be definitely included in the iPhone 5.
The inclusion of a quad core processor, built in 4G capability and a retina display will also result in higher battery consumption, therefore the battery is also expected to be beefed up. Experts predict the battery will be at least 50% bigger to provide the same level of performance as in the current iPad models. Change can also be expected in form factor, which analysts speculate will be 1 mm thicker than the iPad 2 to accommodate the larger battery.
Apple is likely to release two versions of the iPad 3. One is expected to be Wi-Fi only and the other a Wi-Fi plus cellular variant. The device will also feature both CDMA and GSM radios seeing that it will work on both Verizon and AT&T, resulting in global connectivity with 4G, 3G, CDMA, GSM and Wi-Fi all in one tablet. The underlying operating system will obviously be iOS 5.1.
Most of these features are only speculations as to what the iPad 3 might offer. Whether it is included on the actual device remains to be seen since there is no definitive information about the device’s specifications.
