Apple Confirms iPad 2, Invites Media to Special March 2 Event

Apple has issued invitations to a press event set to go live next Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Following countless rumors and speculation from both high-profile publications and less prominent tech blogs, the iPad 2 is finally confirmed.

And by the hand of Apple itself, via invitations sent out to select members of the media today, confirming a March 2 event at one of the Mac maker’s favorite venues - the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California.

The invitations are a March 2 calendar-themed artwork accompanied by the following message:

Please join us for an invitation-only event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco on March 2 at 10:00 a.m. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Please arrive early. RSVP to rsvp_media@apple.com.

The image shows a portion of what appears to be the current generation Apple iPad, with the March 2 sheet partially peeled away for removal.

Referenced in iOS 4.3 betas seeded to members of Apple’s developer community, the iPad 2 is expected to feature dual cameras, FaceTime support, additional ports and connectors, and a slimmer design akin to that of the iPod touch.

The iPad 2 release date has been the subject of debate lately, with analysts claiming that production bottlenecks encountered by manufacturer Hon Hai Precision had delayed the tablet’s launch.

It remains to be seen whether Apple will merely ‘introduce’ the next-gen iPad on March 2nd, rather than make the product immediately available. The former hypothesis seems more likely at the moment.

A flurry of purported iPad 2 images and technical specification leaks are expected to emerge in the week preceeding Apple's Wednesday event.

Softpedia cautions that Apple fans should take these tidbits with the usual grain of salt until the Cupertino giant makes the proper introductions.