iPad 3 Release Date: iPad 2 Update or Low Cost Model to Release Before iPad 3?
Industry insiders project that Apple will release a new iPad by March 2012; however, the current iPad may not be a next-generation tablet.
The DigiTimes technology website reported from its sources that Apple may release an iPad 2 update during the fourth quarter of 2011 that extends through March of next year.
The iPad 2 update is expected to be a thinner tablet with a longer battery life.
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Japanese sources revealed that manufacturers in China are speeding iPad production due to the Lunar New Year, which takes place from Jan. 22 to Jan. 28, and are aiming to have the first iPad devices ready by the end of January.
Ticonderoga Securities Analyst Brian White suggested that Apple plans to release a low cost iPad to rival the Kindle Fire tablet that releases on Nov. 15.
“Our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company’s market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment,” said White in a statement.
The Kindle Fire will retail for $199 while the iPad 2 currently starts at $499.
Despite its high price, the iPad dominates approximately 83 percent of the tablet market. The low cost alternative could possibly be called the "iPad Mini."
White also believed the "real" iPad 3 will release after the proposed iPad Mini.
“We believe this lower priced iPad could be priced in the mid-to-high-$200 range,” White said.
“We expect this will be followed by a much more powerful, feature rich standard-priced iPad 3 in 2Q12,” White added.
