New iPad unveiled

The new iPad was unveiled this evening and, as with all such major announcements, the rumour-mill was churning ahead of the event. SEAN BACHER and ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK separate the facts from rumours during the launch.

The Internet was awash with rumour and speculation about the new iPad, unveiled in San Francisco today. Some insisted it would be called the iPad 3, others the iPad HD. Some said it would be using a new processor, while many argued it would use an upgraded version of the A5.

Gadget covered the event, separating the facts from the rumours as they were being announced.

As the launch event proceeds and more information emerges, we will update the list to confirm or debunk each rumour:

Rumour: It will be called the iPad 3. Rumours of ‚iPad 2S‚ have been laughed off.

Fact: It’s officially called the new iPad.

Rumour: It will be available in both 9.7‚ and 8‚ formats. A 7‚ format has been laughed off (Steve Jobs hated that form factor).

Fact: It will only be available in the 9.7″ format.

Rumour: It will be ever-so-slightly thicker (less than 1mm) than the iPad 2, to accommodate a better screen, among other new features. More tapered edges will camouflage this.

Fact: The new iPad is 9.4mm thin, and weighs 1.4lbs, The iPad 2 was 8.8mm and weighed 1.35lbs.

Rumour: It will use a new Apple A6 quad-core processor, enabling it to handle more processor-intensive applications. Alternatively, it will use a ‚remix of the A5, called the A5X, with enhanced graphics capability, to balance battery life with display demands.

Fact: It will not use the A6 processor, but instead the A5X quad-core graphics chip.

Rumour: It will use an upgraded 8MP rear camera, very similar to the one used in the Apple iPhone 4S.

Fact: The new iPad will use an 5MP iSight camera which includes a ‚hybrid IR filter‚ , autofocus, white balance and face detection.

Rumour: It will feature an HD camera.

Fact: The iPad’s camera will be able to record at a resolution of 1080 pixels.

Rumour: The screen will feature a Retina display, giving it a boost in resolution. Some say it will be double that of the iPad 2, i.e. 2048×1536. That’s less than Retina display resolution, but still dazzling.

Fact: The new iPad’s display will offer a resolution of up to 2048X1536 pixels, giving it a higher resolution that a standard 1080 HDTV and doubling that of the iPad 2.

Rumour: It will support 4G networks.

Fact: The iPad is a 4G (LTE) device, supporting up to 73Mbps. It also supports HSPA and HSPA+ so it will work on both 4G and 3G networks.

Rumour: It will include Siri.

Fact: Hints of Siri can be found with voice recognition. Initially, it will support U.S., British and Australian English as well as French, German and Japanese.

Rumour: It will be launched along with Apple iOS 5.1.

Fact: iOS 5.1 is available today.

Rumour: Apple won’t kill off the iPad 2, but keep producing it and selling it at a much lower price.

Fact: The Apple iPad 2 will remain in production, but its price will fall by $100, starting at $399 for the 16GB version.

Rumour: It will have a much better battery, able to offer as much as 20 hours operating time.

Fact: The iPad battery allows 10 hours use, and 9 hours on 4G.

Rumour: The iPad will use a smaller dock connector, meaning that it won’t work with existing iPad accessories.

Fact: The third generation of the iPad uses the same 30-pin connector found on the iPad 2.

Rumour: The iPad will offer more storage space, with 128GB being the standard.

Fact: There is no 128GB version.

Rumour: It will include NFC (Near-field communications),

Fact: There is no NFC in the new iPad.

Rumour: It will include a Thunderbolt port.

Fact: The new iPad does not include a Thunderbolt port.

Rumour: Besides allowing for swiping your fingers up and down the screen, it will support gesture control.

Fact: The new iPad cannot be controlled via gestures.

Rumour: It will be launched along with Apple TV.

Fact: New Apple TV announced. But it is just an update of the existing $99 device with new features and a new user interface.

Rumour: The entry-level price of a Wi-Fi-only version will be $80 higher than the $499 of the iPad 2 at release.

Fact: The new iPad prices are as follows: The 16GB WiFi only version will retail for $399 and $499 the 3G model with 16GB of storage space. The 32GB version will cost $599 and the top of the range 64GB model will retail for $699. The 4G versions will cost $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB.

Rumour: It will be available in US stores from 16 March, UK from end of March, and South Africa end of April.

Fact: Devices will arrive in Apple stores in the U.S., UK, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Singapore and Austria on the 16th of March. There was no mention as to when the new iPad will be available in South Africa.

For more detailed iPad specifications not covered by our rumours, visit: http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/

Follow us on twitter: Gadget on @GadgetZA, Arthur Goldstuck on @art2gee, and Sean Bacher on @seanbacher.

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