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Rumored iPad 3 Specs Point to Quad-core CPU, LTE Support

- By - Source : BGR

We've already seen a ton of new products since the year began, mostly thanks to CES, which always brings a flood of new gadgets. However, among the most anticipated devices for 2012 is the iPad, which Apple is rumored to be announcing sometime this month. As usual, the company is remaining tight-lipped about the as-yet-unconfirmed iPad 3, but, as usual, there are plenty of rumors about the device. Things have ramped up this week with the apparent leaking of specs for the device.

Boy Genius Report has posted what purport to be iPad 3 specifications from a source that claims to have an iPad 3 prototype on hand. The photos show the iPad hooked up to a development tool called iBoot but also give away some of the specs we can apparently expect to see when the device is officially launched. If these photos are to be believed, the iPad 3 will boast a CPU with the model number S5L8945X. Considering the model numbers of previous iPad CPUs (the iPad 1's single-core A4 was S5L8930X, while the dual-core A5 was S5L8940X) we're inclined to think this might be a quad-core Apple A6. iBoot also refers to models J1 and J2 (iPad3,1 and iPad3,2), which are said to represent the iPad 3 WiFi and the iPad 3 WiFi+GSM/CDMA/LTE.

Though we had expected Apple to host an iPad 3 launch event this month, rumors are now saying that it's unlikely the company will hold an iPad 3 event in February. The latest chit-chat from the rumor mill is predicting a March launch, with the event itself taking place in the first week of the month and the tablet shipping sometime mid-month.

Hit up BGR for the full set of photos.

Follow @JaneMcEntegart on Twitter for the latest news.           

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shardey 02/03/2012 7:13 PM
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-17+

Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Old story.
Old Story Who?
Macrumors

jellico 02/03/2012 7:23 PM
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sporkimus 02/03/2012 7:24 PM
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amk-aka-phantom 02/03/2012 7:29 PM
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-8+

I swear these images look like a typical Linux shell to me...

Well, this is not very informative. Will it have USB host? What kind of camera? Will it have microSD?

Oh wait, I can answer all that myself. No, 8MP, no.

:D

scook9 02/03/2012 7:32 PM
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-5+

Wonder if the cameras will suck on this one as well.....that was my only real complaint with the iPad 2 (and that I prefer Android - not a fanboy, just a preference)

chickenhoagie 02/03/2012 7:41 PM
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-1+

jellico :
Not a big Apple fan, but I must admit the iPad is a nice piece of tech! I would love to have an iPad 3 with 4G service!So, my preferences are as follows:Desktop/Laptop - PCTablet - ApplePhone - AndroidPretty much, I've got it covered.


if only the ipad 3 would come with android os..that'd be nice. kinda like a hackintosh:P

LuckyDucky7 02/03/2012 8:00 PM
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--2+

I doubt this piece of 'news' for the sole reason that Apple isn't known to be a forerunner in how fast a particular piece of technology runs.

We don't have any quad-core Android tablets as far as I am aware; putting that power in an iPad is a waste of profit for Apple (plus, the iPad has no need for that kind of power in the first place considering its target demographics).

wing2010 02/03/2012 8:03 PM
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--3+

It must have a quad-core CPU. By the time it actually be released, how many quad-core tablets are available in the market?

salgado18 02/03/2012 8:11 PM
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molo9000 02/03/2012 8:24 PM
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-4+

That's pretty much what people expect. Not big news.

amk-aka-Phantom :
I swear these images look like a typical Linux shell to me...



That's because iOS is a unix-like system, like Linux.

eklipz330 02/03/2012 8:46 PM
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-1+

i wonder if it has the same beast GPU.
this if u like ios

the transformer prime if u like android

kindle fire if your short on money

every other option should be obsolete

heezdeadjim 02/03/2012 9:57 PM
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-1+

I'm not seeing how they are getting "quad-core" out of the "S5L8945X" code.

30 (one core) to 40 (two cores) is a 10 unit difference. this is 40 to 45 (5 units). Half numbers in the computer world tend to be revised or "slightly better" versions of the previous number (nVidia 280 vs. 285 GTX). Maybe Apple goes by some different code cues, but I highly doubt this will be a quad-core or 2048x1536 rez some are rumoring it to be.

sarcasm 02/03/2012 10:47 PM
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-0+

jellico :
Not a big Apple fan, but I must admit the iPad is a nice piece of tech! I would love to have an iPad 3 with 4G service!So, my preferences are as follows:Desktop/Laptop - PCTablet - ApplePhone - AndroidPretty much, I've got it covered.



I have an iPad 2. So far the only good use I have for it is for my daughter to watch netflix on. Otherwise, it's a non-productive luxury item for the couch potatoes. Cant really do any real work on it. (You can, but trying to do an Excel sheet with 50,000 entries for work wouldn't be easy)

zorky9 02/03/2012 10:49 PM
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-4+

LuckyDucky7 :
We don't have any quad-core Android tablets as far as I am aware;


Asus Transformer Prime

rantoc 02/03/2012 11:37 PM
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--3+

Knock Knock.
Who's there?
No one.
No one who?
No one alive from the factory!

Vladislaus 02/03/2012 11:48 PM
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--2+

LuckyDucky7 :
I doubt this piece of 'news' for the sole reason that Apple isn't known to be a forerunner in how fast a particular piece of technology runs. We don't have any quad-core Android tablets as far as I am aware; putting that power in an iPad is a waste of profit for Apple (plus, the iPad has no need for that kind of power in the first place considering its target demographics).


The Asus Transformer Prime is a 5 core tablet.

soldier37 02/04/2012 4:02 AM
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With the res the Ipad 3 will have I sure want one, its close to my desktop res of 2560 x 1600 but thats on a 30 inch screen. I cant imagine the that res on a 10 inch with a quad core in my hands. I'm sold.

danwat1234 02/04/2012 4:34 AM
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--1+

Wake me up when ARM Cortex-a15 comes out

jacekring 02/04/2012 8:55 AM
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here's a new rumor I just heard (made up).

The iPad 3 will come with an 12 core processor, 8 gigs of 2000 mhz ram, have a battery life of 25 years. Withstand temperatures of upto 7000 C (they made this change because of the guy who put the ipad into the lava on youtube).

chronicbint 02/04/2012 10:28 AM
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doive1231 02/04/2012 11:02 AM
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-1+

Tablets are good for saving energy. My 250W desktop doesn't get used till evening or if there's a nice film on.

stonedatheist 02/04/2012 12:46 PM
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-2+

Vladislaus :
The Asus Transformer Prime is a 5 core tablet.



Will people stop calling it a quint-core? Even though it technically has 5 cores, it is functionally a quad-core. sheesh

shaggy981 02/04/2012 3:49 PM
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heezdeadjim :
I'm not seeing how they are getting "quad-core" out of the "S5L8945X" code.30 (one core) to 40 (two cores) is a 10 unit difference. this is 40 to 45 (5 units). Half numbers in the computer world tend to be revised or "slightly better" versions of the previous number (nVidia 280 vs. 285 GTX). Maybe Apple goes by some different code cues, but I highly doubt this will be a quad-core or 2048x1536 rez some are rumoring it to be.


I would assume they are saying it is a quad-core because the step between 30 and 40 was a step between two different base ARM core types whereas the step that they would be making here is not a newer base ARM core just that they added more of them, so they add more power without going to a new design. The base ARM core they use can support up to 4 cores I believe and they just decided to use only two for the A5 and will add two more for A6 and the A7, or whatever it is called, will be a new base ARM core

heezdeadjim 02/04/2012 4:09 PM
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shaggy981 :
I would assume they are saying it is a quad-core because the step between 30 and 40 was a step between two different base ARM core types whereas the step that they would be making here is not a newer base ARM core just that they added more of them, so they add more power without going to a new design. The base ARM core they use can support up to 4 cores I believe and they just decided to use only two for the A5 and will add two more for A6 and the A7, or whatever it is called, will be a new base ARM core



See I can see that happening Shaggy. 40 and 45 would still be the same processor...but slightly better (just add more cores). I didn't know how the numbering system for the ARM cpu's worked...and this makes plenty of sense now...

MarioJP 02/04/2012 10:42 PM
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doive1231 :
Tablets are good for saving energy. My 250W desktop doesn't get used till evening or if there's a nice film on.



Only 250W that's nothing how about 1kW now that's something to brag about =P

kentlowt 02/06/2012 6:48 AM
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an iPad is good for taking up on stage to adjust monitors with on our digital mixer. I need a faster one with more memory so it doesn't lag when making adjustments.

MarioJP 02/06/2012 7:00 AM
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I wonder how good an ipad is compared to a real mixer. Can the ipad replace a mixer?

fb39ca4 02/06/2012 7:24 AM
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i dont get how the model numebr translates to quad core cpu

del35 02/07/2012 11:46 AM
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Copybcats...Asus already has a quadcore tablet and it transforms into a netbook... Didn't think I would find use for a tablet but I am finding uses. Mine has become a portable scanner and e-reader that can surf the web and check email. My Samsung phone does alot of these things better though.