My thoughts on the iPad 3

[MythicFrost]

I'm thinking the increase in price is accurate, but I think that it will start with 32GB of storage, not 16GB. I think the A5X is the A5 but on at 28/32nm, and I think we'll see an updated iPad 2 offered with the A5X at the usual $499 price point, and I think we'll see the iPod touch updated at some point with that A5X as well. The quad-core A6 however, will be in the iPad 3. And I'm pretty convinced at this point that we won't be seeing a Cortex A15 either dual-core or quad-core. (But, who knows -- maybe Apple will surprise us.)

Looking forward to the March 7th event

 

[DeusInvictus7]

I'm thinking the increase in price is accurate, but I think that it will start with 32GB of storage, not 16GB.

Never thought about that...that would actually mean the iPad is $20 cheaper than it is now. Not the full $100 cheaper that everyone wanted, but that's still a bonus.

I think the A5X is the A5 but on at 28/32nm, and I think we'll see an updated iPad 2 offered with the A5X at the usual $499 price point, and I think we'll see the iPod touch updated at some point with that A5X as well.

Would the only point of this be cheaper manufacturing? I don't understand why they would upgrade the processor to a smaller die, just for the sake of it.

The quad-core A6 however, will be in the iPad 3. And I'm pretty convinced at this point that we won't be seeing a Cortex A15 either dual-core or quad-core. (But, who knows -- maybe Apple will surprise us.)

I really want this to be true. Maybe not a quad-core, but a dual A15 would be pretty beastly, and faster for most things than a quad. The only benefit for a quad is "true/full-multitasking", which the iPad doesn't really do.

Looking forward to the March 7th event

Me too!

 

[daleski75]

I too am hoping for a quad core A9 or a dual core A15. What with Nvidia pushing quad core's out like there is tomorrow Apple has to remain competitive even if they think they do not need it consumers will think they do.

 

[MythicFrost]

Never thought about that...that would actually mean the iPad is $20 cheaper than it is now. Not the full $100 cheaper that everyone wanted, but that's still a bonus.

Indeed, it'd work out quite well. I'm not sure a 2048x1536 retina display and 16GB of flash storage work well together.

Would the only point of this be cheaper manufacturing? I don't understand why they would upgrade the processor to a smaller die, just for the sake of it.

It would use less power, cost less to make, generate less heat. They could even bump up the clock speed too.

I really want this to be true. Maybe not a quad-core, but a dual A15 would be pretty beastly, and faster for most things than a quad. The only benefit for a quad is "true/full-multitasking", which the iPad doesn't really do.

Well they've found references in iOS Beta to A5X and A6, and the latter has an attribute to it called core.3, which suggests it's a quad-core, considering that the A4 was core.0 and the A5 was core.1. Both the A5X and A6 were added at the same time to the Beta.

The real benefit to a quad-core will be in intensive programs, perhaps like Adobe Photoshop Touch, allowing for more powerful functionality, and faster computations, but I think most of its use will come from games.

I see us getting a Cortex A9 A5X and A6, and hopefully at 28nm. However, I have extra hope for a Cortex A15 at least for the A6, if not the A5X as well.

 

[Buildbright]

I am going to throw some wildcard predictions.

-Better Touch Screen
-Better Cameras
-New Landmark Application
-New Gestures

 

[MythicFrost]

I think cameras definitely

 

[MacAttacka]

So are we saying a A5x 16GB iPad 2 with 32 & 64GB reserved for a pricier iPad 3? I'd go along with that including the $80 premium IF they offered a 128GB option too.

A5x make perfect sense. The A5 was a huge and expensive processor. It makes sense for Apple to die shrink it and continue to use it as a budget processor for iPad 2, Apple TV, the new iPods and even a budget iPhone 4S. Its purely a much needed cost cutting excersize.

That leaves iPad 3's true processor up to any speculation.

 

[Lukeyy19]

I was planning on upgrading to the 32gb model this time round anyway due to the fact that more pixels = bigger app sizes and my 16gb iPad 1 is full to the brim. so if they keep the iPad 2 as the 16Gb and offer the iPad 3 starting at 32Gb, it would be good.