It sure doesn’t feel like it was that long ago when I got myself an iPad 2. But following this report from Bloomberg News, about iPad 3 manufacturing now being in full swing, talk about Apple’s third-generation tablet is starting to heat up.
Personally, I didn’t think that the iPad 2 offered enough changes to warrant getting one if you already had the first iPad (I didn’t have the first iPad and was pretty much borrowing my cousin’s for work reasons so I felt justified in getting an iPad 2). And given that I unceremoniously “lost” said iPad 2 after I promised my sister that I would give my niece an iPad if she got perfect grades, I’m strongly considering getting an iPad 3. But what about folks who already have a first-generation iPad or an iPad 2? The answer, of course, largely depends on the new features of the iPad 3. More specifically, it depends on whether said new features represent enough of an improvement to warrant a switch for current users of the first two iPad models.
Given how tight-lipped Apple has been about future releases, there isn’t much to go on about the iPad 3 at this point. But if Bloomberg’s anonymous sources are to be believed, then the iPad 3 has some key improvements going for it. These new features should help given how the iPad 2’s specs already looked underpowered even during its launch. At the top of the improvements mentioned in the Bloomberg article is how the iPad 3 will have a chip that has not one, not two, but four cores. That’s certainly enough processing power to ensure that the latest iPad entrant won’t be a laggard specswise to the high-end Android tablets coming from Apple’s competitors. A more powerful processor would especially have an impact on owners of the first-generation iPad since it could portend to the release of new features that won’t run as well on the device’s older processor. So that’s something worth looking out for if it pans out.
Another new feature mentioned is an improved display. The new display likely won’t meet Apple’s prized 300 dpi “Retina display” but it’s apparently good enough for images to “look like printed material,” according to an unnamed Bloomberg source. Personally, I’m a sucker for nice displays (one reason I love my Samsung phone) so that would definitely be a plus for folks such as myself. If you’re satisfied with the display of your current iPad, however, then it obviously won’t be as big of a deal for you.
The third new feature in Bloomberg’s trifecta of iPad 3 features is the addition of long-term evolution or LTE capability, which is the new wireless standard being pushed by companies like AT&T and Verizon. Basically, that means you can piggyback the iPad 3 to a wireless service via such carriers and enjoy Internet speeds that are much faster than what you currently see with 3G. Personally, I mostly use tablets with Wi-Fi and I’m not too keen on having another data plan on my tab so this isn’t that big of a deal for me. Then again, it might be for other folks.
Now while those new features are nice and all, they do portend to one reality about Apple’s latest tablet if they end up being true. The iPad 3 is going to use up a lot more juice. Given how Apple prizes battery life, the company must have something up its sleeve right? Well, according to Bloomberg, the iPad 3 will come with a bigger battery to deal with the extra power requirements.
Now, all these might end up being just unicorns and fairy dust, but given that the source is a reputable news organization, there’s a higher chance that, these will pan out. So are the aforementioned features worth chucking an older iPad for? As with many things, it all depends on you. Of course, there will always be people who just have to get the latest gadget from Apple. If you’re one of those folks, I’m frankly surprised you even read this far into the article.
