Rumor has iPad 2 low key, MobileMe cloud big

Apple's March 2 event may end up focusing more on the MobileMe media locker than on the iPad sequel, a rumor maintained on Tuesday. A purported Apple employee urged fans not to "get your hopes up too high" and cast the immediate sequel as more of an evolution. The Cult of Mac contact nonetheless said it mirrored expectations and would faster, carry more RAM, sport dual cameras and "likely" have dual-mode 3G to handle both EVDO and HSPA.

The third-generation iPad was the one that would be the truly exciting model, the tipster said, supporting beliefs that it would be a rapid turnaround model due late this year.

Attention would instead be focused on the cloud service. Supporting earlier claims, MobileMe would at least store media bought from the iTunes Store. The source couldn't say whether or not the service would also allow music the customer owned from other sources, such as third-party downloads or CD rips, but talk had at least surfaced of the possibility. Recent tips have alluded to Apple successfully convincing labels that the service was a backup and remote access for the user rather than a second sale.

Apple as usual has been quiet on the subject of most of its plans for March 2, but it recently acknowledged that the North Carolina datacenter was meant for iTunes and MobileMe and would be ready in the spring. The iPad update if as predicted would still make it competitive with rivals and could undercut Android 3.0 tablets like the Xoom.

By Electronista Staff

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industry, iTunes, Android, Motorola, MobileMe, Apple, iPad, Xoom