The New iPad 3 is Here!

After months of rumours, the new iPad is finally with us. While it hasn’t been given the name iPad 3 or iPad HD, that doesn’t make this new iteration of the device any less impressive in comparison with the iPad 2. The big draw is of course the high-definition Retina display that boasts four times the number of pixels of the previous edition. This new display offers unprecedented levels of clarity and promises great things for the future of apps on iOS devices.

While the apps you already own will look stunning, we’ll be seeing an increasing number of apps taking full advantage of the increased processing power and image quality.

While games are obviously going to look better than ever on the new screen (and you can see a couple of the exciting new games on the way on the next couple of pages), what really makes the new ¡Pad stand out is its suitability for the creative industries.

With new apps already released for the device that are focused on editing and enhancing photos as well as creating your own pieces of art, the iPad‘s massively improved display makes it ideal for crafting stunning images and exporting them in high resolution. As a tool for creative thinkers and professionals, the new iPad is something very, very special indeed.

Screen

9.7-inch Retina display with 2,048 x 1,536 resolution and 44 per cent better colour saturation. There are four times the number of pixels compared to the iPad 2 screen. The pixels have also been lifted from the plane on which signals are sent so that messages don’t get crossed; that basically means you get an even crisper image.

Connectivity

4G LTE, capable of 73 megabits per second. 3G world ready. Compatible with the most bands ever on a mobile device. Personal hotspot can be shared with up to five devices. Bluetooth 4.0 also included and shows a lot of potential, so keep an eye on that.

Processor

A5X chip is a dual-core processor with quad-core graphics. This is what powers the four times higher resolution display compared to the iPad 2. It’s believed to have 1GB of RAM too, which is twice the performance of its predecessor.

Camera

The back-facing camera now has a five-megapixel sensor, backside-illuminated, five-element lens, hybrid IR filter, autofocus and white balance, face detection, 1080p video recording and video stabilisation. As such it now earns the moniker of an iSight camera.

Battery

The battery is a 42,5-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery with up to ten hours of power for everyday use, or nine hours using 4G. This is impressive given the increased demands of the display, which also makes the battery nearly twice as powerful as the iPad 2′s.

Weight

652g (1.441b) for the Wi-Fi version; 662g (1.461b) for the 4G version. iPad 2 is 601g for the Wi-Fi version and 613g for the 3G version.

Memory

Comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB varieties with both the Wi-Fi and 4G versions.

Some interesting stats:

• 50 MB size limit for Apps, up from 25 MB limit before;

• 172 million iDevices sold in 2011;

• 315 million iOS sold in total;

• 3.1 million pixels on the screen; 

• 585,000 Apps on the App Store;

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