Now that Apple has finally
announced a media event that clearly has something to do with the iPad, given the image from the invitation; what seems most probable for Apple to reveal?
While it is most likely the announcement of the 2nd generation iPad, that's not to say there isn't a chance of something simply related or even a couple "one more things" that could be involved. One of possible announcements that could be alongside the new iPad is the release, or at least an availability date, of
iOS 4.3.
Honestly, we still don't know much more than we did yesterday. However, we shall do one more recap before the big day arrives. If you hadn't read it already, the logical start would be to read over our
previous 2nd generation iPad rumor round-up.
The Apple A5 CPU, PowerVR SGX543 GPU, FaceTime camera, thinner, lighter, smaller display bezel, and at least 512MB of RAM are those features which remain the most logical. Some, like the higher resolution display, have been re-evaluated and are not expected until the
3rd generation iPad.
For those who may be disappointed in the lack of an improved DPI for the iPad's screen,
part leaks indicate that the display assembly is sturdier and Apple's chosen display manufacturers have been able to apply the same techniques to help reduce thickness and weight that help make the iPhone 4 smaller than its predecessor. Not only that, but the new display has been determined to employ the higher contrast and overall better viewing quality H-IPS technology.
If you're looking to feast your eyes on something at this point, a
Japanese blog has posted what many find to be the most accurate mockups to date. These creations include the rumored thinness, rear camera, greatly tapered edges, and the larger speaker.
Regardless of the likelihood being quite sketchy, the
previously speculated possible inclusion of Light Peak in the 2G iPad has been revisited due to
recent photos of the next generation 13" MacBook Pro. The photos indicate that Apple is on the verge of implementing their new universal input and output interface that they created in collaboration with Intel. Even though Intel calls the technology Light Peak, Apple appears to be branding it Thunderbolt.
What's so special about Thunderbolt? Specifically, the upcoming MacBook Pro photos and feature list show that the Thunderbolt interface will replace the mini-DisplayPort. While it is capable of replacing the USB functionality, as well as providing video capabilities, I don't foresee Apple replacing their Dock connector with a Thunderbolt port. Although, supplementing a Thunderbolt connector to the iPad's port collection could be used to replace the Dock Connector AV and VGA adapter cable setups. To put it simply, deploying Thunderbolt in Macs and iPads would result in a single set of adapter cables for all: Thunderbolt to HDMI, Thunderbolt to component, Thunderbolt to VGA, Thunderbolt to DVI, etc.
As a quick rundown, since it is a possibility to at least be mentioned, iOS 4.3 has shown features involving Wi-Fi Personal Hotspot, new touch gestures, third-party access to AirPlay APIs, mute or orientation lock setting for the hardware switch, and the ability to fully cancel an app download after it has begun -- but it won't prevent you from being charged.
Overall, it shall be exciting to see how close all of this speculation has been and if the next generation iOS tablet satisfies your wish list. I'm going to be thrilled about finally putting all of these iPad rumors to the curb and discovering how enticing the new series will be. If it doesn't offer enough, I'll be more than happy to sift through all of the deals brought on by consumers and resellers attempting to unload their 1st generation units to grab the latest and greatest.
If you have your own thoughts, dreams, and anything else related to the 2nd generation iPad or even the special event next week, leave a comment or join us tomorrow on
AppAdvice Live for plenty of discussion of the topic.
