Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
These specs will blow everything else out of the water and might cut into Apple's profit margin a bit, but they would continue to corner the tablet market and make the other tablets DOA.

As a consumer I'd love that but unfortunately I don't think Apple's feeling much pressure right now to make a move like that. If the Xoom had a $400 version available maybe, but $800 at launch? Urg.
 
I just joined here to contribute something. A lot of you are saying there is not a CPU/GPU on the planet that could run off a battery, fit in an ipad, and handle a 'retina display'.

But i have seen quite a few video's where the BlackBerry playbook is outputting stereoscopic 3D at 1080p and 60fps and fireing it's own display as well.

Maybe i am missing something, and there is some clever resource friendly scaling technology going on. But if i'm not missing something, then the rettina display is only 1/3rd more pixels, not 3D, and could be at 30fps instead.

If anyone finds flaw in my logic please point it out because i would like to know where i am wrong too :)

And i am in no way saying iPad 2 will have retina display, but i do believe it is atleast technically possible.

edit:

Would just like to point out, fireing two 1680x1050 monitors:
-130mb of VRAM with all other apps closed.
-170mb VRAM usage with FireFox 4 open.

If i change to one monitor at 1024x768:
-60mb of VRAM with all other apps closd
-100mb of VRAM with FireFox 4 open.

1024x768 = 79872 pixels.
(1680x1050) x2 = 3528000
3528000 divided by 79872 = 44.

Increasing the pixel count by a magnitude of 44 only increase VRAM usage by 70mb.

So if this is anything to go by, increaseing ipads memory from 256mb to 326mb (yes i know you can't do that) would be enough to support the retina display. Unless you opened a game, where i don't know what would happen.

Just a quick overview to give some people an idea.
 
Last edited:
I'm excited to see what is on tap, but doubt I'll partake. As others have mentioned, I think I'll wait for version 3 and continue to use my version 1 supplied to me by work.
 
Here's how it goes IMO:

Apple releases iPad 2 with retina display, 512 mg ram, dual core CPU and GPU will result in better sales than the the original iPad.

Or

Apple releases iPad 2 with NO retina display, just 512 mb ram, dual CPU and gpu will result in more or less matching sales (due to apple loyalty) for the IPad 1.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

Doesnt anybody else notice that one side has few dots (pixels) while the other side has double the dots?!? I think we will get the retina display still!

Wow, great catch on the photo at head of thread and I am hoping that you are correct.

So if I have been waiting to purchase a iPad with a camera to use for Skype, should I still wait around for iPad 3? Sounds like it might be another 6 months or more? Most postings say WAIT until iPad 3 but they probably already own one? What do you think will be in iPad 3 that is not in iPad 2 if you had to guess?
 
What do you think will be in iPad 3 that is not in iPad 2 if you had to guess?

A retina display guaranteed, quad core CPU and gpu, HD FaceTime camera, rear 5-8 MP sensor, touch sensitive bezel with no more home, volume and power button. And LPS backlight technology.

Unless the iPad 2 has a retina display it's probably worth the wait. If retina is coming to 2, I sure wouldn't!
 
Wow, great catch on the photo at head of thread and I am hoping that you are correct.

So if I have been waiting to purchase a iPad with a camera to use for Skype, should I still wait around for iPad 3? Sounds like it might be another 6 months or more? Most postings say WAIT until iPad 3 but they probably already own one? What do you think will be in iPad 3 that is not in iPad 2 if you had to guess?

Meh you should wait until iPad 4, rumor has it that it will be better than iPad 3.

This is the game everyone plays. There will always be something better 8,9,12 months down the line. If the iPad 2 does everything you want it to do, then get it. If not wait until it meets your expectations. But never wait for "the ultimate update" cause it won't ever happen.
 
Sure people pick up an ipad, 5seconds to load webpage, people pick up a xoom, 0.5s , wich do you think they will prefer?



A: I see little you can do with an iOS and not on android .



B: Then lets try with the ram, how many times did webpages in a "tab" have to reload because the ipad ran out of memory and cleared that page out of memeory?


C: So according to those reviews, the xoom is "the easiest to read".

A: The Android market place is only just starting to get a grip on tablet sized screens. The Ipad already has an established app base, and users who are comfortable with using it.

B: You know, I hardly even notice that. Let alone the average user.

C: Are we talking a dramatic difference? Or just a mild one? I hardly call the existing screen on the iPad hard to read. And again, user reviews in tech magazines are hardly going to influence the greater public.

Ipads sell like mobile phones. How many people do you think actually look at what their phone's CPU speeds are? Outside of my iphone, I can't name a single CPU speed used in my phone in the last 15 years that I've been using mobile phones.

You're not looking at this how the general public will view it. You're looking at this at how the 5-10% of the geek public view it. The looks of a device, and primary figures (storage size, screen space) will be a greater influence than the secondary figures (speed, internal ram etc.)
 
And my point still is, that the iPad really only needs minor upgrades to stay competitive. Apple aren't making these devices to entice you to throw away your old one and buy a new one. Realistically, they'd expect at best that their customers will upgrade every 2nd revision on from the one that they have.

The upgrades will encourage more customers to buy into their eco system, not necessarily existing customers to just upgrade to the new/improved version. I have an iphone GS. I'm happy with it. I'll wait till the iPhone 5/Iphone 4S comes along before I upgrade again most likely.

And to those who crap on with the 'i'll wait till it has.....' rubbish, what a waste of your life.

Ipad 1 'I'll wait till it has a camera in ipad 2'
Ipad 2 'I'll wait till it has a retina display'
Ipad 3 'i'll wait till it has the fiber optic version of light-peak'
Ipad 4 'I'll wait till it has 5G mobile access'.

I mean... really.... I have my ipad 1. It's awesome without a camera. I've got it now, I'm using it and I'm enjoying life. You can wait forever to get the next generation with everything you want. Live for the now, quit being a tosser.
 
apple insider says the ipad 2 will be in our hands faster than we might have thought:

While media reports have shed considerable doubt on Apple's capacity to facilitate a full-scale launch of its second-generation iPad in the short term, AppleInsider has reason to believe that customers could be holding the new tablet device in their hands shortly after next Wednesday's press event.

According to people familiar with the matter, Apple is preparing several of its operating segments to perform functions during the second half of next week that are representative of nothing short of a large scale, consumer-oriented product roll out (not just an announcement). And with official invitations to next Wednesday's press briefing clearly indicating a focus on iPad, these people believe at least one version of the refreshed device will be in transit to retail outlets during that briefing.

It should be noted that while nothing is definitive till Apple issues a statement, these same people have consistently provided accurate information regarding Apple's future product plans and the timing related to those plans. At the same time, their predictions arrive in stark contrast to a variety of reports over the past few weeks that have insinuated Apple would for some reason choose preview a new iPad at the top of the month but be unable to ship it till the end of the month, the following month or sometime thereafter.
 
I didn't know there were rules to tablet development to begin with. You can smear lipstick on this pig but the iPad 2 is still DOA compared the rest of the lot shipping around the same time or shortly after. Apple is typically behind in hardware and it shows again. iOS5 is probably the only saving grace. New buys may continue to buy the ipad2, however, Apple's repeat business may suffer if all they're offering is a tiny bump as expected. And Apple thrives on repeat business. Fanboys need not buy this non-magical fruit-themed device.

Yes all those other iPad clones are awesome.

Seriously.. it is very exciting to see every tablet to come out or to be coming out is an iPad clone.. It is very flattering for Apple.

So I am sure Apple is going to be owned by the companies that all could do nothing but copy what they already did.
 
Looking forward to this! Extra ram and processor would be great and hoping for a improved display (resolution and glare)
 
ok, so ive heard the ipad display cost 3x more than the current, the event invitation goes from pixelated at the top to very clear at the bottom, and the banner at the event center has twice as many "dots" (pixels?) on the right. im not saying we are getting a retina display but can all these be coincidences. it just seems like Apple is setting us up here. and they just happen to send out an invitation and put up the banner with all these coincidences the day before the xoom was able to be ordered. it just seems really strange and apple always has a special feature that they put into each product. so why cant they add the high resolution display. i mean yea they might take a little profit hit but if they would sell so many more, it would offset the cost somewhat. plus all the other rumored stuff like a camera and 512 mb ram is not going to add much to the cost.

heres my guess,

-either 1.2-1.4 ghz A4 single core or 1.2 ghz dual core A5
-512 mb ram
-front and back camera. vga/1.3
-10 hour battery
-aluminum enclosure
-thinner and lighter

and the wow feature.... a high resolution display
 
ok, so ive heard the ipad display cost 3x more than the current, the event invitation goes from pixelated at the top to very clear at the bottom, and the banner at the event center has twice as many "dots" (pixels?) on the right. im not saying we are getting a retina display but can all these be coincidences. it just seems like Apple is setting us up here. and they just happen to send out an invitation and put up the banner with all these coincidences the day before the xoom was able to be ordered. it just seems really strange and apple always has a special feature that they put into each product. so why cant they add the high resolution display. i mean yea they might take a little profit hit but if they would sell so many more, it would offset the cost somewhat. plus all the other rumored stuff like a camera and 512 mb ram is not going to add much to the cost.

heres my guess,

-either 1.2-1.4 ghz A4 single core or 1.2 ghz dual core A5
-512 mb ram
-front and back camera. vga/1.3
-10 hour battery
-aluminum enclosure
-thinner and lighter

and the wow feature.... a high resolution display

You know i really hope you are right.

Unfortunately, the invitation and decoration on yeba buena center arn't particularly conclusive - the invitation particularly could very easily be the result of some quick photoshop work. Which is quite likely as apple may very well of left it till the last minute to tell the inhouse Photoshop expert what his job was for the day, as to not let him leek anything.

And the decoration.. well it's very suttle, and could be entirely random (and probably is). The iPad launch event decoration had no clues at all.

Remember the human brain loves to find patterns, even when there arn't any.
 
You know i really hope you are right.

Unfortunately, the invitation and decoration on yeba buena center arn't particularly conclusive - the invitation particularly could very easily be the result of some quick photoshop work. Which is quite likely as apple may very well of left it till the last minute to tell the inhouse Photoshop expert what his job was for the day, as to not let him leek anything.

And the decoration.. well it's very suttle, and could be entirely random (and probably is). The iPad launch event decoration had no clues at all.

Remember the human brain loves to find patterns, even when there arn't any.

and the things you said were exactly what i thought when i said why wouldnt this be accurate lol. i guess we can only hope for the best and wait a few more days but im pretty sure Apple will have something good in store for us. :)
 
and the things you said were exactly what i thought when i said why wouldnt this be accurate lol. i guess we can only hope for the best and wait a few more days but im pretty sure Apple will have something good in store for us. :)

Okay so its 4am and i'm very bored, so i look at the invitation closely.
And i find this (i am really clutching at straws here).

The word march at the top = 5 charachters
The number 2 in the middle = 1 charachter
"Come see what 2011 will be the year of." = 31 charachters

31 + 5 + 1 = 37
The year is 2011

2011 + 37 = 2048

2048 ? That just so happens to be the horizontal resolution of the supposed retina display (2048 x 1536)

See ? You really can find patterns in everything.
 
A retina display guaranteed, quad core CPU and gpu, HD FaceTime camera, rear 5-8 MP sensor, touch sensitive bezel with no more home, volume and power button. And LPS backlight technology.

Unless the iPad 2 has a retina display it's probably worth the wait. If retina is coming to 2, I sure wouldn't!

where are you getting the rear 5-8 MP camera from?
talk about absurd rumors
 
Okay so its 4am and i'm very bored, so i look at the invitation closely.
And i find this (i am really clutching at straws here).

The word march at the top = 5 charachters
The number 2 in the middle = 1 charachter
"Come see what 2011 will be the year of." = 31 charachters

31 + 5 + 1 = 37
The year is 2011

2011 + 37 = 2048

2048 ? That just so happens to be the horizontal resolution of the supposed retina display (2048 x 1536)

See ? You really can find patterns in everything.

hahaha thats pretty cool. these 4 days are going to go by so slow though lol
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

rovex said:
We're getting LPS, not IPS, on the new iPad.

What do they mean?
 
Okay so its 4am and i'm very bored, so i look at the invitation closely.
And i find this (i am really clutching at straws here).

The word march at the top = 5 charachters
The number 2 in the middle = 1 charachter
"Come see what 2011 will be the year of." = 31 charachters

31 + 5 + 1 = 37
The year is 2011

2011 + 37 = 2048

2048 ? That just so happens to be the horizontal resolution of the supposed retina display (2048 x 1536)

See ? You really can find patterns in everything.

Rumsfeld's a lizard, Oswald knew about 9/11 etc.

If it's a fair upgrade on the current model (e.g. cameras, maybe a bit quicker, possibly a bit cheaper) I'm all in.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Celtic-moniker said:
And my point still is, that the iPad really only needs minor upgrades to stay competitive. Apple aren't making these devices to entice you to throw away your old one and buy a new one. Realistically, they'd expect at best that their customers will upgrade every 2nd revision on from the one that they have.

The upgrades will encourage more customers to buy into their eco system, not necessarily existing customers to just upgrade to the new/improved version. I have an iphone GS. I'm happy with it. I'll wait till the iPhone 5/Iphone 4S comes along before I upgrade again most likely.

And to those who crap on with the 'i'll wait till it has.....' rubbish, what a waste of your life.

Ipad 1 'I'll wait till it has a camera in ipad 2'
Ipad 2 'I'll wait till it has a retina display'
Ipad 3 'i'll wait till it has the fiber optic version of light-peak'
Ipad 4 'I'll wait till it has 5G mobile access'.

I mean... really.... I have my ipad 1. It's awesome without a camera. I've got it now, I'm using it and I'm enjoying life. You can wait forever to get the next generation with everything you want. Live for the now, quit being a tosser.

To certain extent you are right. However between the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 4 the HD video camera+front camera + longer battery life and the retina display are things that you are also missing/wasting time. Yesterday I had the opportunity to record my 3rd offspring's ultrasound with my iPhone 4 HD video, this is priceless! Instead of no video at all, low res video on a 3GS and what I was able to do without paying for a camcorder and lugging it, are just the single things that they call 'magical', and they are right!!
My wife's MacBook died, we want an iPad with front camera to replace it, our home device is mainly used for skype and facetime, email, web surfing, Facebook, look at pictures, videos, Netflix, kids games, kids educational apps, iPod features, etc... More than enough if the camera is there.
More RAM, yes it will be better, 512 or 1GB, we don't care, we do need the camera and a nice way to keep it standing up when we do not hold them, your hands will be tired for video calling.
Apple is a spec whore also when trying to outpace the competitors, AA they always fid a way to identify and define what really matters about them, next week's event is going to be very interesting.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.