8. iPad 3 Recap, and More Predictions
Apple is expected to unveil the next iPad in early March. What can we expect to see in Cupertino's next must-have device?
Let’s take a look at how Tom’s iPad 3 is shaping up…
| The iPad 3: Tom's Guide Edition | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Apple A6 SoC (quad-core, 1-1.5 GHz) |
| GPU | PowerVR Series6 GPU G6400 (quad-core) |
| RAM | 1 GB DDR2 |
| SSD | 16, 32 and 64 GB |
| Rear Camera | 5 MP with zoom, auto-focus and flash |
| Front Camera | 720p FaceTime HD |
| Wireless | WiFi only; WiFi+LTE (Verizon and AT&T) |
| I/O, Ports | 30-pin Connector, 3.5mm audio |
As you can see, we've filled in the gaps with some other important, albeit more minor, predictions…
RAM: The iPad 3 could finally net 1 GB of RAM, as opposed to the 512 MB found in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. Doubling the RAM will lead to, among other things, more capable multitasking and more robust applications and games.
Storage: We toyed with the idea that Apple would offer a 128 GB iPad 3, but that seems like overkill in the storage department. The iPad 3 will come with the same storage options as the iPad 2, with 16, 32 and 64 GB configurations.
I/O and Ports: We can see Apple moving away from the tried and true 30-pin connector and 3.5mm headphone jack. While additions like an SD card slot, HDMI out or a plain old USB port would be welcome, we simply can’t see it happening. Apple loves its accessories, including the Digital AV Adapter and the Camera Connection Kit.
Will the iPad 3 have a Thunderbolt port? While the standard has popped up on Apple's desktop and notebook offerings, we're not quite sure if it's ready for the iPad. While such a port could easily handle data, video and power/charging, the lack of Thunderbolt in PC's thus far keeps us skeptical.
Front-facing camera: The iPad 2’s front-facing camera is a VGA (640x480) sensor, which is lacking when compared to most 2011 smartphones and tablets. We’re expecting Apple to boost this video chat-friendly camera to a “FaceTime HD” model, which can capture video at 720p.
While we're confident that most of our predictions will come true, you can never be too sure with the folks at One Infinite Loop. When it comes to predicting hardware and software, no company has proved more elusive that Apple over the last several years. There's a chance that all of our predictions prove to be way off-base come next month...assuming it even launches next month).
- 1. Apple's iPad 3: What Should We Expect?
- 2. What will the iPad 3 Look Like?
- 3. What’s Inside Apple’s A6 Chip?
- 4. Will the iPad 3 Finally Get a Killer Camera?
- 5. A Retina Display on the iPad 3?
- 6. Will there be LTE versions of the iPad 3?
- 7. iPad 3 Pricing and Release Date
- 8. iPad 3 Recap, and More Predictions
"Apple will unveil the iPad 3 early next month."
Shouldn't this read "Apple IS EXPECTED TO unveil the iPad 3 early next month," or do you have hard evidence to back your claim? Rumor and expectations, however probable they may be, are not facts.
"The iPhone 4S still has the best-looking screen in the smartphone world because of this tech (although the Galaxy Nexus is a close second)"
So both have indistinguishable pixels but the OLED one entirely covers the sRGB gamut and has an essentially infinite contrast ratio, yet the IPS one is somehow superior? I thought I was on Tomsguide, not Engadget.
Still predicting a quad core processor? Didn't Apple already come out and say they would be putting another dual core processing in the Ipad 3?
Thanks for commenting, guys.
"Apple will unveil the iPad 3 early next month."Shouldn't this read "Apple IS EXPECTED TO unveil the iPad 3 early next month," or do you have hard evidence to back your claim? Rumor and expectations, however probable they may be, are not facts.
I have zero reason to believe that the iPad 3 (or iPad 2S) isn't coming next month, hence the statement. But I did edit it, because as sure as I am that the next iPad is coming in March, it's still speculation.
"The iPhone 4S still has the best-looking screen in the smartphone world because of this tech (although the Galaxy Nexus is a close second)"So both have indistinguishable pixels but the OLED one entirely covers the sRGB gamut and has an essentially infinite contrast ratio, yet the IPS one is somehow superior? I thought I was on Tomsguide, not Engadget.
I have eyes on both displays virtually every day. Frankly it's a 1A/1B kind of comparison...if the iPhone 4S display is a perfect 10, the Galaxy Nexus is a 9.5 or 9.75. It's so close that I wouldn't consider it a dilemma for consumers.
Still predicting a quad core processor? Didn't Apple already come out and say they would be putting another dual core processing in the Ipad 3?
No, Apple has yet to make any definitive statement on the iPad 3 hardware, as far as I know. It seems like popular thought is swinging back the other way - towards a higher-speed dual-core design - but I'm not so sure.
-Devin Connors, Tom's Guide
More cores, more pixels... Boring.
Useless too. Law of diminishing returns in full force here. Even 2 cores were too many.
Make it cheap, unbreakable, long-lasting without recharge and easily viewable in sunlight (Mirasol?) and I will buy it. For vacations.
"The original iPad shipped with the A4 SoC, a 1 GHz single-core CPU paired with a PowerVR SGX535 GPU. The iPad 2’s A5 pulled and Emeril and kicked things up a notch, packing a dual-core 1 GHz CPU and slightly more powerful SGX543. "
SGX543 is not "slightly" more powerful than SGX535, it is _insanely_ more powerful. Almost Playstation 3/Xbox 360 powerful.
"Final Prediction: The iPad 3 comes to market with a quad-core A6, likely clocked at 2 GHz. "
Absolutely unlikely. At 2 GHz, power consumption (and heat dissipation) is astronomical by mobile standards, and you can only optimize consumption in a certain range on the same process (if you make it OK for 2GHz, it is not going to work well on 1GHz, and vice versa). Transformer Prime is only 1.3GHz by the way, and for a reason.
"The iPhone 4S still has the best-looking screen in the smartphone world because of this tech (although the Galaxy Nexus is a close second)"So both have indistinguishable pixels but the OLED one entirely covers the sRGB gamut and has an essentially infinite contrast ratio, yet the IPS one is somehow superior? I thought I was on Tomsguide, not Engadget.
Unfortunately, as much as I like the technology, OLEDs still have very low maximum brightness compared to LCDs.
"Final Prediction: The iPad 3 comes to market with a quad-core A6, likely clocked at 2 GHz. "Absolutely unlikely. At 2 GHz, power consumption (and heat dissipation) is astronomical by mobile standards, and you can only optimize consumption in a certain range on the same process (if you make it OK for 2GHz, it is not going to work well on 1GHz, and vice versa). Transformer Prime is only 1.3GHz by the way, and for a reason.
I corrected the prediction, and thanks for the clarification. The 2 GHz figure came from a reference design a while back, and we never followed up on the speed once the TF201 came out. Whoops!
Also, peevee: Use the edit button...no one needs to make four posts in a row, dude.
-Devin Connors, Tom's Guide
I've been using apple since apple II, and am very disappointed in the way they are going.
1. I'll won't buy another iphone (I've bought 3) until they make one with a bigger screen.
2. I won't buy a ipad (never bought one) until they make one with a SMALLER 7" screen.
3. I'm disgusted with the huge slow down that the iOS 5 brought to my iphone 4.
and, ALL of them, iphone, ipad, STILL have the two main problems: no search back in calendar more than one rolling year! and search will not bring you to the string you searched for IN the document, just TOO the document! I have a lot of data on my iphone, including lots of LARGE documents, that I do not want to try to scroll through to find any string I need to find. apple= idiots.
A Series6 GPU sounds very unlikely to me. AnandTech said in Jan "The only SoC announced to use Series 6 so far is ST-Ericsson’s Nova A9600, which is not scheduled to arrive until sometime in 2013. Given the fabrication ramp-up schedule for most SoCs, any Series 6 equipped SoC is still a year out if not more"
Can't wait for the iPad 3. But then again, maybe we've all just been brainwashed by Apple Marketing!
Free iPhone 4S
Well, since we have no idea about when an iPad 3 will be released and what it might feature, it's I think impossible to offer any informed opinions. Whether or not any of the rumors, which have been all over the map, will bear any resemblance to the facts we cannot know. You'll just have to make your best guess, as we all will, and either decide that the current iPad is atractive enough to cause you to buy now, or through a payday cash advance, or that you want to wait until the next model of iPad is released, whenever that happens, and see.