The Wall Street Journal is running a story claiming the iPad 3 will debut in early 2012 instead of Q4 2011. Apparently, “people familiar with the situation” have told the WSJ that iPad 3 will sport a retina display with a 2048-by-1536 pixel resolution. If true, that would be four times the number of pixels on the original iPad’s 1024-by-768 pixel display and would be unbelievable!
If this report is true I can't say I'm surprised. I never believed Apple would release another iPad so soon after the iPad 2. So far they are on a schedule where they release new products about once per year (although they're a little late on the iPhone 5) and I don't see them changing that schedule.
Apple Inc. is working with component suppliers and its assembler in Asia for the trial production of its next generation iPad from October, people familiar with the situation say, as it looks to stay ahead of the competition in the fast-growing tablet computer market. The next generation iPad is expected to feature a high resolution display – 2048 by 1536 compared with 1024 by 768 in the iPad 2 – and Apple’s suppliers have already shipped small quantities of components for the sampling of the iPad 3. Suppliers said Apple has placed orders for a 9.7-inch screen device.
If this report is true I can't say I'm surprised. I never believed Apple would release another iPad so soon after the iPad 2. So far they are on a schedule where they release new products about once per year (although they're a little late on the iPhone 5) and I don't see them changing that schedule.