Was the news that the iPhone 5 won’t see production until September almost too much to bear? If so, brace yourself. DigiTimes is claiming that Apple’s shipment requests for the iPad 2 indicate that the iPad 3 “will not appear in the short term.” Sound open to interpretation? It’s not. To put it even more plainly, “the actual products are unlikely to appear in 2011.”
If it’s any comfort, Apple may pull something of an unprecedented move and offer an upgraded version of the iPad 2. Rumor has it that an iPad 2 supporting alternative communication formats (remember whispers about multiple versions of the iPad 2?) could hit the market, and that Apple will hold off on an iPad 3 release to capitalize on these sales.
Aside from keeping all of our internal clocks on time, why would Apple release the iPad 3 in 2012? Retailers can’t keep the iPad 2 on shelves and the frantic demand for Apple’s latest tablet hasn’t died down since its launch last month. At the same time, before this year you could (and some did) set your circadian rhythm to Apple’s product roadmap, especially when it came to such popular devices. But timing appears to be off in Cupertino, whether or not it’s intentional.
As a consolation prize, however, there are some new spec rumors about the iPad 3. While a Retina Display may be out of the picture once again, Apple is speculated to be considering using an “AMOLED planel or Full HD resolution support” for the coming tablet. From the sounds of it, Apple is dedicated to providing higher image quality – which may present a conflict. AMOLED technologies largely fall under Samsung’s control, a manufacturer that just happens to be one of Apple’s only real competitors in the tablet market. That said, it hasn’t stopped the Korean company from selling Apple $7.8 billion worth of parts in the past.
IPad 3 production is anything but underway, so don’t hold your breath for any finalized details. Time to exercise that patience, and in the meantime, cling to your iPad 2.
