iPad 3 to launch in February, analyst sources claim
updated 02:00 pm EST, Thu December 8, 2011
Date would be month ahead of usual forecasts
The next-generation iPad will launch in February, says Citigroup analyst Richard Gardner. The analyst cites "several sources" on the matter, who back up the notion that it will have twice the screen resolution of its predecessor. Gardner comments that "there do not appear to be any significant technical hurdles remaining" to producing the extremely high-resolution display.
A February launch would be earlier than typically expected, however. The iPad 1 shipped in April 2010, while the iPad 2 arrived in March of this year; a next-generation device is most commonly expected to arrive within that window. One possibility is that the new hardware will ship from factories in February, rather than actually go on sale to the public that month.
Professional Poster
Joined: Jul 2005
Two months
Two months after Christmas could leave a bad taste in some people's mouths. Though they may also be bumping it up so that in 8 months they can move the iPad launch closer to Christmas like the iPhone. Especially since the iPad is a gift that is more givable than an iPhone.