The iPad 3 to be Thinner and Lighter
Apple's next generation iPad should be thinner and lighter, but 20 to 30 percent pricier, according to the Taiwan Economic News.
Currently, a third of an inch thick, many people believed the iPad's thickness was hard to improve. But thanks to a newly designed battery unit, the iPad 3 should impress consumers once again with its slimness.
The technology used to design the new battery pack will also extend battery life to the new devices, meaning it should last over 10 hours –
the iPad's 2 currently battery life capacity.
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The media outlet added that two suppliers namely Simplo Technology Co. and Dynapack International Technology Corp. could begin the production of these batteries as early as year's end and switch to mass production by the first quarter of 2012.
No mention was made on what price the new device would fetch, but rumors that the iPad 3's 8-megapixel camera, a more ample 4-inch display and more powerful processor may easily elevate its cost, currently selling at $499 for the 16GB version.
In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple would launch a 9.7-inch iPad 3 early in 2012 and start production in October.
Apple's iPad currently dominates the mobile tablet industry with approximately 69 percent of the total market share, according to Gartner (April 2011). The industry is expected to reach $49 billion by 2015 ,according to Strategy Analytics.
