Apple have just officially put an end to the speculation and confirmed the next iPad will be called the iPad, in the store its listed as iPad (third generation) similar to how iPods are referenced.
During the Apple event, there was a series of notable announcements.
- iOS5.1 will be released later today.
- TV shows in iTunes will now support 1080p.
- New Apple TV retains the same very low price of US$99 and it’s available next week.
- iWork update today in App Store.
- iMovie updated.
- iPhoto for iPad introduced.
Featuring a retina display it features twice the pixels horizontally and vertically, resulting in a crystal clear display. There’s a number of changes to the device, which we’ve compiled in a simple, easy to read list below.
“When you turn on that new iPad you’re going to see graphics, text, icons sharper than you can imagine. Everything you do is going to look stunning.” – Apple CEO, Phil Schiller
Specs
Display: 9.7”, 2046 x 1536 resolution (264 ppi)
Processor: A5x Dual-core
GPU: Quad-core graphics
Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
Networking: 4G LTE, up to 73Mbps (Doesn’t support Telstra’s 4G frequencies).
Dimensions: 9.4mm thin
Weight: 635 grams
Cameras: 5 Megapixel iSight rear-facing camera, autofocus and white balance, face detection, HD video recording at 1080p with stabilization and noise reduction.
Battery Life: 10 hours, 9 hours on 4G.
Operating System: iOS 5.1
Availability
While the announcement was today, fans now face an agonizing wait till March 16th to lineup. Pre-orders will start today. Australia is included in the initial list of shipping countries. As always, it’ll be available both in-store and online at http://apple.com.au
Price
Prices are largely unchanged in the US, while we wait for Australian pricing, here’s what we know US$499 (16GB), US$599 (32GB), and US$699 (64GB) for the WiFi only models. The 4G versions will set you back US$629, US$729, and US$829 respectively.
Overall
The announcement of a new iPad will always get gadget nerds excited, especially those with a lifelong membership to the Apple club. Today’s announcement continues Apple’s focus on innovation and iterations that will keep them ahead of the competition for the foreseeable future.
The big question with any product announcement is, should you buy it?
Personally I think the changes coming to the iPad make a great device even better. Most iPad owners have long since forgotten about the money they paid 12 or 24 months ago, so price is unlikely to worry many. This will undoubtedly be the best tablet on the market, but it is important to remember the competitors arriving later this year.
Now we wait for application developers to upgrade their apps, until that happens, applications will scale 2x to fill the screen. This means running an iPhone app will be blown up 4x and likely to appear less than perfect.
