14 DAY TRIAL // There are now just enough reasons to speculate that a third-generation iPad will hit by the end of the year, which would mean Apple is cutting its annual refresh cycles in half, at least for the tablet computer.
What T3.com and TechRadar have is more of an iPad 3 wish list, rather than actual evidence that the tablet is indeed coming later this year.
But they do cite the relevant people in the tech industry, as well as resurrect a number of reports with information that would add up to corroborate a September launch.
[admark=1]The most credible information seems to come from an old blog post by Apple pundit John Gruber, of the Daring Fireball.
Gruber, very connected and knowledgeable in all things Apple, weighed in on the HP TouchPad's potential summer release, saying "If my theory is right, they're not only going to be months behind the iPad 2, but if they slip until late summer, they might bump up against the release of the iPad 3."
His post emerged shortly after an unnamed Apple employee was quoted as saying that the iPad 2 was a bit of a rush job, and "the third generation iPad is the one to make a song and dance about."
And so the speculation begins:
· Apple is now believed to prepare an iPad 3 with a Retina display, a brand new processor (though Apple just recently introduced the A5), better cameras, an NFC chip, more storage, a Thunderbolt port, and an SD card slot.
· If the iPad 3 doesn’t boast a Retina display, it will most certainly have an HD screen at the very least, the rumor mill goes, and evidence of that comes from a DigiTimes report that said Apple was asking panel makers to provide screens that are capable of displaying higher image quality.
· Finally, a carbon fibre case is rumored. Indeed, if Apple wants to grab the spotlight yet again, it will have to do so with a tablet that does everything better tenfold, and that includes portability. The company is also known to have hired a person who knows their carbon fiber - senior composites engineer Kevin Kenney.
The price is also being debated. If released this year, the iPad 3 would have to be something like an iPad Pro, therefore its price would be slightly higher, the rumor goes.