iPad 3 Expected to Launch in Around March-April

ipad

DigiTimes reports that Apple's next generation iPad will become available in about 3-4 months. The publication's supply chain sources indicate that the next generation iPad parts are starting to ramp up while the iPad 2 production is starting to decline.

OEM production of iPad 2 will remain high at 14-15 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 but decline to 4-5 million units in the first quarter of 2012, paving the way for the launch of the new iPads, the sources noted.

Volume production is expected to start in February and reach 9.5-9.8 million units in the first quarter of 2012.

March or April should come as no surprise to regular Apple followers. While Apple first announced the original iPad in Jan 2010, the company didn't start shipping the first units to customers until April. In 2011, the iPad 2 was announced around the same time of year.

The iPad 3 is widely expected to carry a high resolution "Retina" display.

Popular Stories

Whatsapp Feature

WhatsApp to Drop Support for These iPhones Starting May 2025

Monday December 2, 2024 2:57 am PST by
WhatsApp is set to end support for iOS versions older than iOS 15.1 from May next year, removing the chat platform's compatibility with several iPhone models in the process. From May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus models. Users with those devices won't be able to access the encrypted chat service after the specified date unless they ...
Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 27, 2024 5:05 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in early December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as...
iphone 16 pro models 1

12 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Friday November 29, 2024 5:17 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Flip iPhone Thumb 1

Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Could Reinvigorate Stalling Market

Monday December 2, 2024 4:04 pm PST by
The foldable smartphone market has stalled with customer interest in foldables waning, but that could change when Apple debuts a foldable iPhone, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a report on the current foldable smartphone market, Young says that Apple is expected to "enter the foldable market" in the second half of 2026. Apple's "dominant position in flagship smartphones" could...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Rectangle Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Already Rumored to Have These 8 New Features

Wednesday November 27, 2024 12:19 pm PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch for 10 more months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. An imaginative iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro ...

Top Rated Comments

cvaldes Avatar
169 months ago
Is this news?
No, it's a rumor.

If you want news, please consult www.apple.com.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AJH1993 Avatar
169 months ago
Is this news?

Yes, AND rumors you care about.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
169 months ago
Yes, AND rumors you care about.

Haha...

I thought that everyone knows that a new iPad is coming in March or April.....
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
169 months ago
Is this news?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
169 months ago
Cool. I guess now is probably the best time for me to sell my iPad 2 while it still holds very high resale prices & then wait about 3 more months to buy the upcoming iPad 3 with "retina" display. :D

Don't mean to sound rude, but how much do you really need the latest iPad if you can comfortably manage 3+ months without one?

Just curious :confused:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
splashman Avatar
169 months ago
Will Apple do same with iPad as with iPhone? Sell both models simultaneously?

Two questions:

1) Will Apple sell iPad2 and iPad3 simultaneously, with the iPad2 being the value choice (like iPhone4 or 3GS)? Or will they drop the iPad2 and sell only the iPad3?

Given what they've done with the iPhone, I'm thinking they'll sell both models. Lots of people would be satisfied without a Retina Display, and would prefer to pay less. And lots of folks would gladly pay more for the premium product -- especially business users, who are used to paying a lot for tricked-out laptops.

2) If Apple does sell both models at the same time, will they drop the price of the entry-level iPad2 below $499 (to, for instance, $399) and sell the entry-level iPad3 for $499? Or will they keep the iPad2 at $499 and price the iPad3 higher -- say $599 or $649?

This one I'm less sure about. We know that Apple's margin on the iPad2 is slimmer than their other products, so it's not a foregone conclusion that they'd drop the price on iPad2 like they did on the older iPhones. But given that they have precious little competition so far, they might decide an aggressive move to grab share now will pay dividends later, given the lock-in factor (music and apps).
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)