When is the iPad 3 Coming Out?

By Rave Uno

The iPad 2 has just released but that hasn't satiated the never-ending thirst for the release of the next and newest model. This highly awaited device is the iPad 3, which knowing Apple, will be better (and more expensive) than its current version. Read on to learn its possible release date.

The new year brings a lot of new things and technology is one sphere of life, which always has something new around the corner. There are new laptops, new mobiles, new tablets... basically a lot of new electronic devices are lined up, waiting to be released. But there's one device, whose release has the print and audio media in a betting frenzy. Rumors are flying left and right on the blogosphere, as to when this device will be unveiled. From soccer mom to nerd, from kids to senior citizens, the whole world is waiting with bated breath for the unveiling of the successor of an iconic device. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 2 years, the answer is pretty obvious. It is (drum roll please) the iPad 3!

iPad 3 Release Rumors

Let's not discuss the past (iPad, iPad 2) or the present (the endless waiting for two years) but jump straight to the future. The question on everyone's lips is "When is the iPad 3 coming out?". Unfortunately there is no concrete answer to this question. The iPad's manufacturer, Apple, is following the "silence is golden" policy and is very stubbornly, keeping mum on this subject. However, such silence simply fans curiosity (and rumors) even more. There are numerous opinions and contributions from various dealers, shops, anonymous Apple employees and iPad fans, all of which are capable of driving anyone mad.

The dominant rumor or rather, supposition at the moment, is a March release date for the iPad 3. The rough idea of events would be a special event or launch press conference in middle or late February, followed by online and in-store orders being accepted, finally followed by the release of this "King of Tablets" by the end of March. Even the launch event date is touted as February 24th, the day being the birthday of Apple's founder, Steve Jobs. There are numerous theories supporting this iPad 3 release date rumor.

Recent digging around from tech-snoops, have reported two major part and component manufacturers, Foxconn and Pegatron, gearing up for mass production of a tablet device. Financial media giant, Bloomberg and a number of Japanese blogs report, that the iPad 3 production line progress indicates a March release. Plus, the iPad release cycle itself favors the release of newest iPad version in March or April. The iPad 2 was unveiled on March 2nd 2011, with a store release on March 11. The first iPad was unveiled in March 2010 but released in April.

A second rumor about the iPad 3 release date states that, first an upgraded version of the iPad 2 will release, then the iPad 3. Sounds familiar? Didn't the same thing happen with the iPhone 4? Everyone was waiting for an iPhone 5 release but instead, the iPhone 4S was released. The same could happen with the iPad 2. So in the first quarter of the year, we could see the release of perhaps an iPad 2S with slightly upgraded hardware and hopefully, Siri-equipped. If so, expect an iPad 3 release in late fall.

What to Expect from the iPad 3

Enough haggling over possible release dates, ultimately an iPad 3 is going to be released. So what can one expect from it? The expected features of the upcoming iPad are categorized below:

The Look:

The Specs:

If the iPad 3 does release in March, it could dominate tablet sales for the first and possibly second quarter of the year. It will also be the latest huge Apple release after the iPhone 4S. But the iPad 3 does face competition price-wise from the Amazon Kindle Fire. And if Amazon decides to release a second generation Kindle Fire device, then there's going to be a market war between the two tablets. All we can do is wait and watch.

  If the iPad 3 does release in March, it could dominate tablet sales for the first and possibly second quarter of the year. It will also be the latest huge Apple release after the iPhone 4S. But the iPad 3 does face competition price-wise from the Amazon Kindle Fire. And if Amazon decides to release a second generation Kindle Fire device, then there's going to be a market war between the two tablets. All we can do is wait and watch.