Apple (AAPL) finally set the record straight on its latest iPad device, with a majority of pre-launch predictions falling flat as usual. The new model, dubbed the “New iPad,” will begin shipping on March 16.
Apple’s new tablet device will look very similar on the outside to the current iPad 2 and its predecessor iPad. The device will continue with a 9.7-inch screen and a near identical footprint that is just a touch thicker and a hair heavier. All that talk of different sizes did not come to pass, perhaps a sign of good news for consumers with current devices covered with their favorite cases.
Once beyond the physical shape of the device, Apple upgraded just about every aspect of the tablet.
The screen now sports a Retina display, which while not a 3-D screen as some had predicted, provides a much sharper picture than the previous model. Apple claims the screen sports four times the number of pixels as the iPad 2.
Supporting this richer screen is a bolstered chipset dubbed the A5X that includes quad-core graphics, and provides double the performance of the current A5 chip.
Apple also reinforced the camera capabilities of the New iPad, with a 5-megapixel camera that while 3-megapixels short of that on the iPhone 4S, can now record video in 1080p. The backside camera also now includes a flash. The front camera remains of VGA quality.
Apple also surprised some by stating that battery life while in cellular mode will be same as the previous model’s 3G-only mode, which was 9 hours.
Pricing for the New iPad will continue to begin at $499 for the Wi-Fi model with 16 gigabytes of memory, with $100 increments for a doubling of memory up to 64 GB. Apple also cut the price of the still available iPad 2 to $399 for the 16 GB model.
For wireless folks, the most impactful news on the new device was the inclusion of LTE connectivity for those willing to pay an extra $130 for a cellular-equipped model. Those LTE models will sell for $629, $729 and $829, depending on the amount of embedded memory, and will include different models to run on Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility’s LTE networks.
The differences are due to the 3G network used by both carriers, with Verizon Wireless relying on CDMA and AT&T Mobility relying on its alphabet soup of GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA. Another difference is the band support required to run on their respective LTE networks: band 13 for Verizon Wireless, and band 17 for AT&T Mobility.
The Verizon Wireless model will also support quad-band GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+, though those capabilities will be reserved for international roaming. Also, none of the new devices will include support for cellular voice services.
Neither carrier has released data pricing plans for the new device.
Apple is also providing models to run on Canadian operators Rogers, Bell Canada and Telus Mobility, which are expected to be the same as the one used by AT&T Mobility.
Perhaps highlighting the lack of pizzazz in the new model, Apple’s stock was relatively flat following the news.
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