iPad 3 with LTE, Quad-Core Processor and Retina Display Set for March Launch

[SeattleMoose]

Skeptical of iPad ... At First

When the "magical" device first was introduced, I have to admit I couldn't get past the word "magical" (which still makes me cringe) and the fact that I already had a portable device in my MBP. So why bother?

Then my Mom bought a 1G. I went over to help her set it up and "the light went on". I immediately saw (and felt) how this device would most definitely fit into my life (local Wifi version only). It boils down to having to "lug" a large bulky and angular device around vs one you simply .... carry in one hand. And since most of my computer time is email and internet, all those Apps on the MBP will work just fine "at the table".

When the 2G came out I almost bit but procrastinated to the point where the 3G was on the horizon with a hi-res display. And here we are.

The 4G and 5G will both come in the next few years but I have an "expiration date" and can't put off the "experience" any longer. My CC is paid down and ready!!!!

 

[nuckinfutz]

Were scalpers bad for the iPad 2 launch, or is it just the iPhone?

Not as bad as the iPhone but the GSM iPads were perpetually out of stock.

 

[AppleHater]

Quad core?!?!??!??!!!!!!??????.....!!!!!!! That's insane.

Not very useful to have the fast processor, actually, until it becomes fast enough to work as a full PC. I guess you can play higher quality games. Wasn't it already dual-core, so how does adding another 2 cores help with app switching?

I don't think iPad is ever meant to replace PC. In fact there are things that PC can't that iPad can. It's different products for different lifestyle with many overlapping functionalities.

Regarding fast enough processing power, I still remember back in 90 PC Mag claimed 386 was plenty powerful, 486 was for handful of power users.

 

[jlc1978]

So saying that you can't tell the difference of 1mm thickness is wrong. Because we know that we will get people right here in this forum complaining about it. There will always be people griping, and we can count of many of them coming here to air their complaints, despite the fact that this site will not change the situation.

I think we are in violent agreement here - you can when you use them close to ether in time, and probably won't notice it once one device replaces the other. For those that are really bothered about it; they won't switch.

As for complaining, you can give some people a $100 bill and they'd gripe that it wasn't five $20 bills.

 

[iJays]

maybe still dual-core with more RAM so iPad 2S

 

[charlituna]

The iOS devices will continue their march towards desktop performance territory to the point where I forsee them cannibalizing the traditional Mac desktops within 5 years.

Notebooks perhaps, but desktops will likely take a tad longer if only for the form factor issues

 

[IscariotJ]

i want a 7 inch iPad.

+1

I SO have a use for a 7" iPad....

 

[jeremyshaw]

maybe still dual-core with more RAM so iPad 2S

Only if GPU performance improves, otherwise, no real reason for more RAM. Actually, if Retina=true, then better GPU, more RAM, will be necesarry.

 

[MacDarcy]

I don't think iPad is ever meant to replace PC. In fact there are things that PC can't that iPad can. It's different products for different lifestyle with many overlapping functionalities.

Regarding fast enough processing power, I still remember back in 90 PC Mag claimed 386 was plenty powerful, 486 was for handful of power users.

Perhaps this is true. The ipad might not be a true laptop replacement in every sense....but to many people it HAS replaced their laptop. And I am not just talking about casual websurfers or emailers either....for many creative types who travel alot, it has indeed become their go to device when on the road.

Photographers and videomakers will always welcome more power in future ipad updates. I got the first ipad and was bummed when Apple said the imovie wouldnt run on it. I didnt get the ipad 2, but will be buying the ipad 3...especially if it has a retina display and faster processor for future video, photography and other creative editing projects while traveling.

I don't expect it to be a total power users workstation replacement....but improvements in speed would be nice for sure.

Its all gooood.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

A15 chips, from what the makers are promising, are blazing fast and likely to easily triumph the quadcore A9s for the most tasks even with just two cores, especially for the tasks we normally use iOS devices for, such as web browsing and games.

It depends on the workload, but the A15 would be faster in most situations. ARM has stated the cores are 40% faster clock for clock and they are triple issue instead of dual issue like the A9. Finally, they have a deeper pipeline, which means they can be clocked faster, albeit with flushes being more expensive.

You're both totally right. I stand corrected.

 

[sedarby]

Not Buying It

I call BS on this whole article. No way anyone outside of Apple has seen a functional unit at this point.

 

[nuckinfutz]

You're both totally right. I stand corrected.

A15 sounds nice but it will eat up more power. I still want it in iPad 4 !!!

 

[TallManNY]

While the above statement is definitely true, I am also a bit worried about the iPad 3 being thicker.
It's less the problem of thickness per se, since the iPad is a pretty thin device already and a millimeter more or less just isn't a big deal.
It's more the problem that now that Steve is gone, compromises seem to appear that would never have been approved, when Steve was still around.
Steve's decisions may not always have been right, but he had a clear concept and he would never let that concept be watered by what he thought would be an inferior approach. He would rather have pushed back the shipping date until a solution has been found to make the iPad thinner or just as thin with a new screen than opting for the better screen at the expense of making the iPad thicker again - even if it's just one millimeter. The iPad 2 is still a cool device, it's working and selling really well. And even if sales had been dwindling, I don't think Steve would have gone for the thicker design just to push sales and make more money.

My point is that I am worried that Apple products, which have been without compromises for 14 years now, slowly start to evolve into the same crap that other companies are selling, that backsteps are taken and that unfinished stuff is released only to get things out to consumers to make them buy it right away, instead of holding things back until the product is really great - which has been one of Steve's greatest achievements.

Do I make sense?

No, compromise is part of every single device manufactured under Steve and after Steve. Steve pushed hard for less compromise, but to say that he never compromised is drinking the kool aid and asking for more. The iPad is a perfect example. Everyone knew the first one was a little heavier than one would have liked. But Steve let it out the door to start the market. The first iPhone didn't have cut and paste, don't you think they all knew that was an issue. They just couldn't solve it in first generation.

The question is will the right compromises be made now that Steve is gone. That is a valid question which we will have to wait and see. I suspect that Steve will not be duplicable and Apple will not grow as well or as fast as it would have had Steve been able to live another 20 years. We have lost a visionary leader. But it wasn't like he could really distort reality, even he had to compromise to get a product out the door.

 

[chrmjenkins]

A15 sounds nice but it will eat up more power. I still want it in iPad 4 !!!

Not necessarily. New architectures and smaller processes are all about doing more with the same amount of power.

 

[luke.mac1]

Ive just got the funds for an ipad 2.. do i buy now or wait..will it be March?

Wait or you'll turn green when the new one is released!

 

[Soura2112]

iPad not a laptop....yet

Agree with many, the iPad will not replace the laptop. Though I use my laptop 80% less since I got my iPad 1 on release day. Mainly for net, email, apps, etc. But no huge amount of pics, home video nor even close to all my music and movies on my iPad, need my macbook pro and mac pro for that. even with my ipads 64GBs. Only when I travel do I pack my iPad to the limit using almost 64GB, that's only my favorite movies and music.
Granted I don't use a keyboard with my iPad, great idea just something I don't do, so almost all major typing is still laptop or my Mac Pro. Though I can see that changing little by little as the iPad becomes more powerful.
If this rumor is true it will be a great iPad, I love retina but until I see it side by side im still happy with my iPad 1. Besides retina Apple really needs to step up the cameras in the iPad (not that I can see myself using it as a camera I just think its a great option to have, maybe FaceTime could be better with a new camera and retina)
Apple has to figure out a way to get to 4G, don't get left behind.

 

[iJays]

Only if GPU performance improves, otherwise, no real reason for more RAM. Actually, if Retina=true, then better GPU, more RAM, will be necesarry.

"Retina display" is an Apple invented term.
They can call any display retina to make it more appealing

 

[MacAddict1978]

I've been saying to my friends for some months that the iPad 3 will have the roughly the same form factor and battery life as the iPad 2; however, it will have a quad-core CPU, better cameras and a retina display. As for LTE, I think it is still too power hungry and Apple will not compromise and put that into their product until they can get a low-power LTE chipset.

That being said, I'm starting to cave a little on the quad-core CPU. I think Apple could release an iPad 2S with just the retina display and better cameras and get away with that for one more year. We shall see soon enough.



--DotComCTO

There is no compromise on LTE for the most part on an iPad. The only reason is wasn't put into the iPhone4S was that they didn't want to compromise design to stick that chip in there, and power consumption. The new LTE chips that just rolled out are much more power efficient, and are the said chips Apple stated they were waiting for. LTE is also a user option. People won't be using it all the time, only when away from wi-fi.

I'm betting on LTE... and if it does come to the iPad3, then i think it will be safe to say it will hit the next iPhone as well. The timing is better too, as now both major US carriers are rolling out LTE networks and will cover the bulk of the major markets in the country by the time the next iPhone comes out, which is the device that LTE will be much better suited for. It also gives them times to tweak software and such for the next iPhone, letting the iPad be a beta testing scenario with very little risk in the consumer experience department.

I think you should cave a lot on a quad core processor. The iPad has become the preview of the new iPhone hardware. The 4S was a bump in specs, but was anyone surprised by the 4S specs, as they used the bulk of the iPads? The iPhone's next revision is due for a major bump, and this only fits how it's gone for the past few years. It's also not a hard prediction, since Apple uses their own proprietary chip and it's hard to keep secret what's in the production lines these days.

I also predict this will be the iPad that sees RAM bumped up to 1GIG. Many people will cry then that it should have 2GIGs (as coming Android tablets will have with their new specs).

 

[jeremyshaw]

"Retina display" is an Apple invented term.
They can call any display retina to make it more appealing

That's not the point. If the resolution increased, the GPU power would likely have to increase as a result. I know the iPhone 4 merely OC'd the GPU of the 3GS a bit, though that was the intention of the post.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Agree with many, the iPad will not replace the laptop. Though I use my laptop 80% less since I got my iPad 1 on release day. Mainly for net, email, apps, etc. But no huge amount of pics, home video nor even close to all my music and movies on my iPad, need my macbook pro and mac pro for that. even with my ipads 64GBs. Only when I travel do I pack my iPad to the limit using almost 64GB, that's only my favorite movies and music.
Granted I don't use a keyboard with my iPad, great idea just something I don't do, so almost all major typing is still laptop or my Mac Pro. Though I can see that changing little by little as the iPad becomes more powerful.
If this rumor is true it will be a great iPad, I love retina but until I see it side by side im still happy with my iPad 1. Besides retina Apple really needs to step up the cameras in the iPad (not that I can see myself using it as a camera I just think its a great option to have, maybe FaceTime could be better with a new camera and retina)
Apple has to figure out a way to get to 4G, don't get left behind.

Exactly.

I bet that 99% of people who own an iPad already had some sort of computer. Even Apple thinks the iPad fits between a smartphone and laptop.

If someone's laptop dies... I don't think it gets replaced by an iPad. But it certainly could happen...

----------

I also predict this will be the iPad that sees RAM bumped up to 1GIG. Many people will cry then that it should have 2GIGs (as coming Android tablets will have with their new specs).

Plenty of Honeycomb tablets have 1GB of RAM already... is that the feature that made them so desirable?

Will 2GB of RAM be a slam dunk for all future Android tablets?

 

[jamesryanbell]

This iteration is the one that everyone has been waiting for. Retina Display and LTE make *HUUUUUUGE* differences. I bought iPad 1 and passed on 2 waiting for this one. Can't wait. If they do a 128GB version (doubtful, but I'm still hoping), that'd be amazing.

 

[iJays]

That's not the point. If the resolution increased, the GPU power would likely have to increase as a result. I know the iPhone 4 merely OC'd the GPU of the 3GS a bit, though that was the intention of the post.

look at the press release of Imagination Technologies where they source their GPU and it might answer your doubts.

 

[jamesryanbell]

"Retina display" is an Apple invented term.
They can call any display retina to make it more appealing

Of course. The point is that it's not pixelated, and that matters massively.

 

[Jasmynp]

If the iPad 3 has 4G LTE Im in. Then I may go back to my ipad, dumb phone, MBA set up. We'll see. I really like Siri.

 

[cliveren13]

Rumors anyone?

Lets not forget what this site is called Macrumors and just like you all got giddy headed over the iphone 5 and was let down alot of you here is doing the same thing while i take all this with a grain of salt ill wait and see.