For Apple fans and many others who follow the tech industry, Apple’s event in San Francisco to reveal details of the new iPad was highly anticipated. This is nothing new, as the brand has secured such a following that each release seems to cause a ridiculous frenzy both online and in stores. Do the specs of the latest and greatest iPad match all of the rumors that were swirling prior to yesterday’s event, or are there deviations? Keep reading to find out.
Before we get into its features, let’s discuss the new iPad’s name. No, it’s not the iPad 3, nor the iPad HD. If not those, then what could it possibly be? As silly as it may sound, Apple is calling its newest tablet the “new iPad” or just “iPad”. The choice is rather odd, considering we already had an iPad when the original was released. The iPad 3 would have been logical, or maybe the iPad 2S or HD. It should be interesting to see if the newest moniker causes some confusion for shoppers looking to purchase the tablet when it becomes officially available on March 16.
As for the design of the new iPad, it’s pretty much the same as its predecessor and measures in at 9.5 inches tall by 7.3 inches wide by 0.37 inches thick. The tablet’s weight checks in at approximately 1.5 pounds. Color choices are either black or white.
Moving on, if there’s a highlight to the new iPad, it is without a doubt its display. You would expect as much, considering that it’s practically the most vital aspect of the tablet when it comes to not only visuals, but also interactivity. The new Retina display is described by Apple as the “best display ever on a mobile device.” It’s still 9.7 inches in size, but the display’s 2048 x 1536 resolution features quadruple the pixels found on the iPad 2 and a million more pixels than an HDTV. Text is sharper and colors are richer, making the new iPad perfect for reading virtual books and magazines, viewing photos, watching movies, browsing the Web, playing games, and much more.
Beyond the incredible display, Apple also improved the processor in the new iPad, giving you a dual-core A5X chip. A quad-core graphics processor is also onboard to help maximize the new display’s potential. The new 5-megapixel iSight camera is another improvement worth mentioning, as it allows to record HD video in full 1080p in addition to its photo-snapping capabilities. The front-facing camera, meanwhile, remains unchanged. The new iPad’s 4G LTE support is sure to be another attractive factor for potential tablet shoppers who value speed. While the Siri personal assistant found on the latest iPhone has not been included in the new iPad’s set of features, you do get voice dictation that will help you send a text, write an email, search the Web, and handle certain tasks in third-party apps.
The new iPad is now available for pre-order directly from Apple’s website. Those who pre-order will receive the tablet on March 16, which is a good idea to avoid the long lines that will surely form outside of stores. The Wi-Fi model comes in your choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB and retails for $499, $599, and $699, respectively. The Wi-Fi plus 4G model comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions and retails for $629, $729, and $829, respectively.
Now that you know what the new iPad does have, let’s discuss some of the previously rumored features that never came into fruition. For starters, the notion that the new iPad would get an A6 processor was squashed. The same holds true for a 128GB version to provide more storage. What about the design? The fact that the new iPad remains virtually the same is not all that surprising. Sure, some may have liked to see a bit of a changeup, but as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” On that note, perhaps a lighter iPad could have been warranted, but when you consider its improvements in terms of the display, processor, and cameras, Apple was probably limited in its weight-cutting efforts.
The aforementioned omission of the Siri virtual assistant was undoubtedly unwanted news for some iPad followers, but the inclusion of voice dictation should lessen the sting a bit. Regarding the operating system, predictions of a new iPad running iOS 6 were debunked, as the tablet will come with iOS 5.1 instead.
So, with the new iPad’s specs and release date finally revealed, is it worth spending your hard-earned cash on? If you don’t have an iPad, then it definitely is. Heck, it’s worth a shot even if you owned the original. Simply put, you won’t find a better tablet on the market. Yes, it is pricy, but you get what you pay for. iPad 2 owners, on the other hand, should probably stay put with their devices unless they find the new iPad’s screen and 4G to be too tempting to pass up.
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