Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Sprint to carry iPad 2, possibly a 4G version, report says

By
iPad 2 white gaming (Apple)
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The iPad 2 is coming to Sprint in October, according 9to5Mac. But it’s not just any iPad 2; this version was designed specifically to work on Sprint’s network.

Now, you might be asking yourself, “Why does Sprint need its own iPad? Can’t they just carry the same CDMA-compatible iPad that Verizon offers?”

Recommended Videos

Sure, they could, since Sprint’s 3G network is a similar wireless signal as Verizon’s. (AT&T, on the other hand, uses a GSM signal, which is the standard across much of the developed world.) The fact that Apple created a Sprint-exclusive model suggests that Sprint’s iPad will be compatible with the carriers 4G WiMax network, which would make it the first iPad model capable of connecting to the faster wireless signal.

(Technically, Sprint does offer 4G access to any iPad through its 4G WiFi product. But that’s just a work-around, not a true 4G iPad, per se.)

If true, the debut of a 4G compatible iPad alone would be big news. Seeing as this information comes just as Apple’s release plans for the iPhone 5 are beginning to come into focus, and the news just becomes part of the evidence file in support of the theory that Sprint will get the iPhone 5, as well.

While we’re certain Apple will release a 4G-capable iPad sometime in the future, it seems highly un-Apple-like to suddenly re-release a current-generation product with an entirely new feature that only works on one wireless carrier — a wireless carrier that, to date, doesn’t carry a single one of its mobile products.

No, that’s not Apple’s style. Apple’s style is to first introduce a 4G-capable iPhone, which will land on all carriers at once, or at least on the carriers that currently sell their product (AT&T and Verizon). Then will come the 4G iPad. Not the other way around. And definitely not in the cockamamie maner described above.

Does that mean Sprint isn’t getting the iPad 2? Of course not — it seems increasingly likely that they will. But we’re still highly skeptical that the device will be 4G-compatible, at least for now.

The iPhone 5, on the other hand, could very work on 4G. It seems more likely, however, that it will work on LTE technology, not WiMax, as that’s the network AT&T and Verizon are pushing out every day. Rumor has it that we’ll see the next iPhone on or around October 7, so start saving your pennies now, people. Mother Apple is about to give birth once again.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andrew Couts
Andrew Couts
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
The one thing stopping me from buying a new iPad
Three 2021 iPads are stacked on a table.

Want an iPad? Apple wants you to be paying attention to the new iPad Pro -- and for good reason. It's the thinnest product Apple has ever created, which is impressive considering it packs in a laptop-level M4 processor, a gorgeous display, and a number of new software tricks. But the announcement concealed something far more important: the dustbinning of the 9th-gen iPad. The last of the "retro" iPad designs, the 9th-gen is now finally retired from the stage, and for me, it means this is my last chance to grab a quick and reasonable upgrade for my 7th-gen iPad.

I figured I could grab the 9th-gen for a decent discount now that it's on the way out -- and to Apple's credit, I absolutely could. But a realization began to sink in as I shopped, and I came away without making that final purchase.

Read more
The best iPad Pro cases in 2024
rear shell of M4 iPad Pro.

When it comes to tablets, the market is pretty much dominated by Apple’s iPad lineup. And one of the absolute best ones you can get is the iPad Pro, which is the top-of-the-line iPad that boasts plenty of power and performance for your most complex tasks.

The latest iPad Pro (2024) packs in the powerful new M4 chip, a gorgeous OLED display with the option of an anti-reflective coating on certain models, and support for new accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro. It’s also one of Apple’s thinnest products ever, so you’ll definitely want to protect it.

Read more
Apple’s next iPad mini could steal this iPad Pro feature
An iPad Mini 2021 displaying the homescreen with a number of apps.

Earlier this month, Apple introduced the iPad Pro (2024) and iPad Air (2024). This fall, Apple will likely update the original iPad, which was last updated in 2022.

But what about the often-overlooked iPad mini, whose current version is actually a year older? We may be waiting a while longer for new iPad mini hardware, but when it does finally arrive, it should be well worth the wait.

Read more