iPad 3 - What We'd Like & What We'll Probably Get

Later on today, 6pm GMT time to be precise, Tim Cook will take the stage at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in San Francisco, California and announce the launch of the iPad 3 and possibly an updated Apple TV (not The Apple TV but an updated version of their streaming set top box). Below is a list of what we€™d like and what we€™ll probably get;

Retina Display

The iPad 3 will have an iPhone 4 like Retina display but what does that actually mean? Well in simple terms it will have a display double the resolution of the iPad 2 taking it from 1024 X 768 to 2048 X 1536 which is more pixels than most Macs and PCs can handle. This is pretty much all but confirmed however it will mean a slightly thicker device and slightly bigger battery to power it.

Processor

The current iPad2 has one of Apple€™s custom dual core A5 chips in it running at 1Ghz which is very capable for what most people use the iPad for. It was hoped that the new one would have their quad core A6 chip giving the iPad 3 some serious horsepower. However some pictures have been leaked to the internet that shows a circuit board with an A5X chip on them (see below). But a number of publications and IOS 5.1 beta code indicate a quad core processor. I would expect to see a an A6 processor in their flagship IOS device and think that the A5X will show up in the updated Apple TV. Let€™s see what Tim says this afternoon.

Cameras

There is no doubt that the camera will be updated as leaked iPad 3 parts show a significantly larger camera sensor. This is obviously a good thing as the current camera in the iPad 2 is pretty bad and produces grainy pictures especially in low light settings. It also makes sense that a device with a high resolution display will have a higher resolution camera than its predecessor. Not to mention the incremental camera upgrades that Apple introduces with each new model.

4G LTE

Although I am skeptical on this one there is evidence to support claims that the iPad 3 will include 4G LTE capability; the Wall Street Journal says the iPad 3 will be able to switch from 3G to 4G, numerous sites have reported Verizon are installing 4G devices in Apple Stores, an online debugging tool recently found entries for a prototype iPad 3 on a 4G network and Qualcomm have recently released LTE chips that consume less power.

Form Factor

The form factor will basically be the same as the iPad 2 with maybe a millimetre more in thickness to accommodate the Retina display. This is a good thing because it will not alienate all those accessory makers who have products out there tied to the existing form factor.

Siri

Siri is Apple€™s voice controlled assistant and although the processor is powerful enough to power Siri it may be hindered by the fact that it needs certain noise cancelling technology to work correctly. Whether or not that technology will be available on the iPad 3 is unknown but the processor has the horse power to handle Siri.

Pricing

It€™s more than likely that the price points for the various iPad 3 models will mirror their iPad 2 counterparts with the basic Wi-Fi model starting at £399 going up to £659 for the 3G Wi-Fi. They may offer the current iPad 2 models at a lower price for a limited period to use up existing stocks but at present is you shop around you can already find the basic Wi-Fi model for £359. Until Tim Cook takes the stage and reveals all nothing is confirmed and they may still thrown a curve ball and introduce some startling new piece of tech that we didn€™t expect. Check back here tonight for a summary of what is in the new iPad 3.