A new report from Bloomberg says that Apple’s next iPad has indeed begun production, as was reported by supply chain news source Digitimes earlier this week. The new iPad will have a sharper screen, according to the new report, but also “LTE access,” something we’ve yet to hear much about in early iPad rumors.
Bloomberg says that its info comes from three people “familiar with the product,” and assured its Twitter followers that “its [sic] more than just a rumor.” In addition to LTE capabilities and an improved display, Bloomberg’s report also claims that the new tablet will sport a quad-core processor. But the claim is still likely the most reliable one put forward to date regarding the iPad 3′s abilities and potential release date, which Bloomberg pegs for sometime in March.
Putting LTE in the iPad 3 is a bit of a surprise, but it could be a key factor in making the iPad 3 an attractive upgrade for existing iPad 2 owners. Apple is deploying LTE tech in the iPad ahead of the iPhone because of the tablet’s larger battery, according to one of Bloomberg’s sources, which makes it better equipped to handle the power requirements of current LTE radios.
Another source also noted that the iPad’s display will make images “look like printed material,” which sounds a lot like what the iPhone’s current Retina display tech provides. Video performance is also apparently greatly improved thanks to additional graphics processing, the same source added.
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
- 2012: Data, spectrum and the race to LTE
- Forecast: global mobile subscribers, 2010–2015
- Social media reactions to the iPhone 4S
