Reports claim Apple's third-gen tablet to be named 'iPad HD'
Apple is said to be stepping away from its usual numerical naming convention in favor of the more descriptive 'iPad HD' when it unveils the expected next generation tablet on Wednesday.
Citing inside information from a developer who has previously provided "reliable information" on upcoming Apple products, CNET claims that the much rumored device will not take on the "iPad 3" moniker as many have speculated, but will instead be called to highlight the most prominent and talked-about feature of the upcoming tablet: a high resolution "Retina Display."
A corroborating report from VentureBeat claims that Apple will indeed depart from its traditional naming scheme, and notes that the "HD" title is further proof that the tablet will not ship with a new A6 processor but will instead be equipped with a modified A5 chip, seen in a purported prototype photograph as the A5X.
Further fueling the rumors was a purportedly leaked list published by Gizmodo last week that detailed "iPad HD" products from accessory makers Griffin and Belkin.
The "HD" tag could be akin to Apple's "S" naming convention it took with the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S, which marked incremental updates to the smartphone that weren't substantial enough to warrant a complete number change. For example, the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4 featured redesigned exteriors, while the respective follow-up "S" models merely boasted internal component upgrades.
Apple's next generation tablet is expected to be launched at a media event scheduled for Wednesday, and is widely thought to sport a Retina Display, thicker chassis and extended battery life, among other improvements.
Perhaps the most widely discussed feature of the new iPad is an improved screen that has reportedly been pictured and even put under the lens of a microscope in hopes of confirming a higher pixel count than existing iPad models. At a resolution of 2,048-by-1,536 pixels, the rumored display would have a pixel density which is indeed double that of the current iPad 2, and could arguably be called a Retina Display.
Illustration of Retina Display resolution on an iPhone 4S. | Source: Apple.com
While a higher resolution display seems to be all but confirmed, other features are under debate like LTE capability, a more powerful A6 processor and Siri voice assistant implementation.
Answers to the mountain of rumors may soon be answered as AppleInsider learned that DHL is preparing for a huge Apple shipment from China this week, possibly signaling the arrival of the next-gen iPad.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
A whole year and they can't come up with a new model?
Oh, shut up. "Can't come up with a new model" my foot. Pretending the iPhone 4S wasn't a new phone doesn't get you any respect anywhere on the Internet.
A whole year and they can't come up with a new model? S and now HD? Sounds like fragmentation.
Then you should get your ears checked.
A whole year and they can't come up with a new model? S and now HD? Sounds like fragmentation.
smells like teen spirit
Apple is said to be stepping away from its usual numerical naming convention in favor of the more descriptive 'iPad HD' when it unveils the expected next generation tablet on Wednesday. ...
If they do, this will be the first time they have used that moniker won't it?
Also, it's trashy ... also also, what will they do next year if they call this new (standard) resolution "HD"?
Quadrupling the number of pixels does not sound like an S upgrade to me. If it was an S-type upgrade I suspect they would have used S. But I don't think they are using HD either. My money is on "Quad Pro".
I say it will be called iPad 3
2013- iPad HD 2
2014- iPad 4k
2015- iPad 4k2
Pretty soon they'll sound like Canon cameras.
So how will the developer's identify the apps that are written for the new iPad HD?
[name of app] HD 2: Electric Boogaloo!
The "HD 2: Electric Boogaloo!" suffix will be required on all iPad 3-specific apps.
a) even 1080p HD severely under-states the rumored resolution of an iPad retina display, and
b) it would completely overshadow the more Apple-unique 'Retina Display' marketing term that's caught on rather well over the last year.
Just doesn't make sense.
I have no idea if this rumor is true or not, but it makes sense. I can see Apple calling the new iPad an iPad HD, if they don't go with the iPad 3 name. Calling it an iPad 2S would have been retarded, so any name besides 2S is fine with me.
To be honest, I don't give a crap if Apple decides to call it the CrapPad, tens of millions of people will still be buying it. The super, crazy, hi-res, never before seen on any consumer device display is obviously the most significant feature in the new iPad, so I wouldn't be surprised if they name it the iPad HD, as that will be the standout feature.
or perhaps, RetinaPad? HD 3 SuperPlus? QC S....yes, S!
But anyways, who said that Apple is even going to release this "rumored" iPad product on Wednesday anyways? For all we know, it could be the iSlate tabletop computer or some other touch-device, Apple has not specified that the event is for a "new" iPad. Come on, the iPad 2 just came out!!! I read a report last week that several Airlines have ordered hundreds of thousands of iPad 2's for delivery next month. The iPad 2 is new!! If there is such a thing as "iPad 3" even being developed, it probably won't be out until sometime in 2013. Apple is certainly not planning to release a new tablet right now -- all of this stuff is pure rumor and hearsay.
Why would Apple go with a generic and beaten-to-death marketing term like HD, when...
a) even 1080p HD severely under-states the rumored resolution of an iPad retina display, and
That and HD applies to anything greater than SD, so 721x481 is actually HD.
b) it would completely overshadow the more Apple-unique 'Retina Display' marketing term that's caught on rather well over the last year.
Welp, that's it. The third iPad will be called iPad RD (retina display).