iPad 2 rumors have been making their way through the internet pretty much since the day after the current iPad debuted but lately they’ve picked up considerable speed. Leaks have come from supposed manufacturers and suppliers, of course, but given the time of year and Apple’s refresh cycles for iOS devices to date, we could be seeing an iPad 2 announcement as early as January/February and a release in April. Either way it’s coming. We all know it’s coming. (We’ve even discussed whether or not you should get an iPad now or wait for iPad 2 next year). But what will it be like?

Based on rumors to date, I’m going make some guesses… after the break.

Size and weight

Steve Jobs downplayed the value of 7-inch tablets on a recent Apple conference call which means a) Apple will never make one or, b) Apple is about to make one. Take your pick. I pick the former, at least for now. Apple is making a big deal about how competitors can’t match the iPad’s aggressive pricing so are opting for smaller screens. Jobs also — rightly — pointed to how 9.7-inch screens allow for a fundamentally different software experience than 7-inch devices, which are closer to the 3.5- to 4.3 smartphones. So, the raw size of iPad 2 will probably be the same, as will the aspect ratio (more on that later). It will no doubt be thinner, however. Even if it’s by 1mm, Jobs needs to say it’s the thinnest iPad ever when he introduces it or the keynote just won’t seem complete.

That leaves weight. Amazon has thrown down the gauntlet on form factors, claiming sunbathing lady readers can’t hold up an iPad in one hand. It’s comparing unitaskers to multitaskers but never mind that for now — it’s a consideration. However, Apple manufactures iPad out of glass and aluminum and both of those are heavier than the plastic on plastic Kindle. They’re also heavier than the plastic used for the Galaxy Tab (which I’ve said before reminds me of my 1980s Hasbro toys, absent the ability to “transform and roll out).

Making iPad 2 thinner will probably shave down the weight a little. There are rumors Apple is experimenting with carbon fiber as a lighter alternative to aluminum but what can they do to make the glass lighter?

Speaking of which, switching to chemically hardened glass like the back plate of iPhone 4 would be interesting as a design choice, and case makers would no doubt benefit, but a sheet of glass at that size just seems too breakable on a device like iPad.

While iPhone 2G to iPhone 3G was also a significant design change, iPod touch 1 to iPod touch 2 was less so and that’s what iPad feels like at the moment — too early in the product cycle for anything radical.

Slimmer trim, flatter back, a look that better matches iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 no doubt, but the size and weight probably won’t change too much.

Display

iPad has a 9.7-inch LED backlit, IPS panel at 1024×768, which works out to 132 pixels per inch. That’s astonishingly less than iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4’s Retina Display at 326 ppi. Will Apple go Retina Display with iPad 2? I don’t think they can.

2048 x 1536 at 9.7-inch just doesn’t seem affordable given current technology. Nor does it seem necessary. When you use an iPhone or iPod touch, due to their smaller size you need to hold them closer than you need to hold an iPad. Retina Display (pixels too small to be seen with normal vision) is relative to distance held, so an iPad would need a lower pixel density held at a further distance to still qualify it as a Retina Display. So could they go 1.5x? I doubt it. If Apple doesn’t pixel double the current display in both directions — like they did with iPhone 4 — it would be a nightmare for developers.

So I don’t think Retina Display is likely for iPad 2, nor do I think a change in aspect ratio to 16:9 is likely either. The so-called “wide screen” 16:9 ratio has always been a compromise and it wouldn’t be a good one for iPad. Yes it’s wider than the current 4:3 iPad ratio and the 16:10 ratio of some MacBooks but what content really uses 16:9? Not books. Not web pages. Not email or calendars. Not most things you’d use an iPad for, not even movies. Movies are typically much wider than 16:9 so would still require letterboxing. Only HD TV shows are consistently 16:9. If you’re making a unitasking TV viewing tablet, sure, 16:9 is the way to go. If you’re making a tablet that’s meant to do several types of media well, I’d argue the extra height (in landscape mode) of 4:3 is far more valuable.

iPad 2 will likely get the new bonded screen of iPhone 4, so reflectivity will be reduced, and perhaps a better, brighter, more colorful panel, but that’s probably it for the next generation.

Wireless and cellular

I won’t hold my breath for LTE in iPad 2. Apple released the original iPhone 2G with EDGE-only support so they’ve shown themselves to be immune to early cell technology adoption. Verizon and AT&T are both pushing for LTE networks but 2012 seems like a target Apple would rather aim for.

A CDMA version, especially one using the new GSM/CDMA hybrid chipset from Qualcomm is certainly a possibility. If Apple announces a CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon in early 2011 as almost all recent rumors suggest they will, it seems reasonable they’d do likewise with iPad 2 in a similar timeframe.

Not only would this give Apple access to the huge Verizon (and perhaps more modest Sprint) customer bases it would keep the product line simple for users. (Whether or not Verizon and AT&T allow them to switch between the two networks, the way users in multiple GSM carrier countries can switch today, is separate question.)

Capacity

iPad, like iPod touch, is currently capped at 64GB. Increases in NAND Flash density could see that bumped to 128GB in iPad 2 provided Apple can get the chips at a reasonable enough cost to keep the current price points intact. An ultra-cheap 16GB model — or even a 2010 iPad at $399/16GB — would be attractive if $599 and $699 shifted to 64GB and 128GB respectively. (The new MacBook Airs provide 128GB and 256GB Flash options, albeit at a significantly higher price point). Content gluttons would love it but Apple has shown with the Apple TV that streaming and rental content are their future and that means they may not invest in making iPads with bigger local storage.

If iTunes.com ever becomes a reality, with full on streaming, subscription, and digital locker features — so we can get the content we want, when we want, and where we want it — we probably don’t need 128GB of storage on an iPad.

Unfortunately, I don’t see either iTunes.com or 128GB options happening for iPad 2.

Processor

Apple’s first in-house system-on-a-chip, the Apple A4, debuted with iPad and has since moved through the line to iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV. While Apple doesn’t disclose the speed of those other implementations, they did announce iPad’s A4 as 1GHz. Teardowns have further revealed that the Apple A4 is built from an ARM Cortex A8 CPU and a PowerVR SGX GPU.

While those are decent enough, both have been around since iPhone 3GS and both now have successors on or hitting the market. The multi-core ARM Cortex A9 and most recent PowerVR SGX would both help push a whole new level of apps on iPad. We’ve heard rumors for a while now that Apple has advised developers to start thinking about multi-core processing for their apps. That’s a good sign.

I’m hoping iPad 2 is where the next generation Apple SoC debuts with next generation silicon inside.

RAM

Unlike chipsets, Apple has always been completely mum about the RAM in their devices. The current iPad has an anemic 256MB of RAM which is readily apparent by how often Safari has to reload tabs or apps shut down under the new iOS 4.2 multitasking system. iPhone 4 has 512MB, a significant improvement but iPod touch 4 stuck with the dismal 256MB.

More than any other under-the-hood feature, iPad 2 desperately needs more RAM to hold more web pages, background more apps, and throw more pixels around on the screen. 512MB is what the 2010 model should have had and by the time iPad 2 rolls around, Apple should be looking at 1GB. Again, they’ll probably choose to keep costs down rather than boost performance up, and they’ll need to maintain that $499 entry level pricing, but scrimping on RAM has begun to effect user experience and that’s something Apple sometimes does value more than margins.

That said, no matter how much 1GB feels like table stakes in the 2011 tablet market, 512MB is still like the safe bet.

Camera(s)

All rumors and supposed checks with manufacturers and supply chains point to Apple sourcing a camera, if not both front and back facing cameras, for iPad 2. Given their investment in FaceTime — which now runs on iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and Mac — that makes a lot of sense.

Will it be one or two cameras then, and will they be high quality like iPhone 4 or low quality like iPod touch 4? I’m guessing we’ll get 2 cameras simply because both iPhone and iPod touch have 2 cameras. Sure it’s almost comical to imagine someone walking the streets with a 10-inch iPad taking snapshots, but 2 cameras allow for the flexibility to easily FaceTime both you and what you’re looking at. (No “intimate moments” jokes, please.) It would also let Augmented Reality apps work better on iPad.

But for those reasons, FaceTime and AR rather than photography, I see iPad 2 getting a lower quality camera than iPhone 4. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love the 5mp sensor but if Apple’s going to cut costs somewhere, a 720p video camera like iPod touch is a place they could easily do it. (And maintain room to offer a better camera with iPad 3.)

Sensors

iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 both got gyroscopes in 2010. iPad 2 should get the same in 2011. It makes gaming and location services better and Apple’s shown they can do it. This is probably one of the closest things I can point to as a lock.

Battery and Power

The current iPad gets a phenomenal 10 hours of video playback under optimal conditions. It seems almost impossible for Apple to top that but again Steve Jobs is likely to want the bullet point in his keynote so if there’a any way for Apple to hit 11 or 12 hours — and be thinner! — they will.

Connectors

Recent rumors of USB not withstanding, Apple has shown a continued aversion to any iPod, iPhone, or iPad port other than their own, now ubiquitous, 30-pin dock connector. They’ve included USB (and sometimes FireWire) on Macs, even flirted with HDMI on the latest Mac Mini, but they’ve also begun to introduce technology like AirPlay which may make HDMI as redundant to Apple’s future plans as the optical drive.

Likewide SD card slots. Apple puts them on MacBooks now but not iOS devices. Jonathan Ive has said they didn’t put anything on the original iPad that wouldn’t be used by most people most of the time. That’s why Apple provided a camera kit, ugly dongle though it may be, rather than SD card slot for iPad. Has iPad usage evolved to the point where most people would use an SD card slot most of the time? Probably not.

As many complaints as we get about Apple not providing USB, SD, or HDMI, we get just as many if not more about Apple still requiring iPad’s to tether to iTunes to activate, update, and sync. Could Apple take that wireless as well, with AirSync?

Apple TV’s recent iOS 4.1/4.2 update shows iOS can handle on-device software upgrades, but Apple TV is permanently plugged in and doesn’t require any media, apps, or other content to be backed up. If Apple is going to require power and/or backup before updating or syncing, neither of those functions will be going wireless any time soon. (Cloud backups of 64GB iPads just isn’t realistic with current on-device radios, bandwidth and bandwidth caps, and power sources.)

So while the future is clearly wireless, that future isn’t here yet and Apple hasn’t been the type of company to patch future holes with past technology.

Conclusion

We’ve already heard about device testing, and any week now we should get “little birdie” reports on the device codename and design verification stages. Maybe a case prototype will surface or blurry cam shot or two. Any of the above will help us further predict what iPad 2 will look like.

Until then, until Steve Jobs puts sneaker to stage and introduces it, these are my best guesses. What are yours?

Imagining iPad 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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REMINDER: This is for apps NOT HACKS. To qualify, it has to involve an icon you tap to launch a program and has to have come out or been significantly updated in 2010.

The 2010 TiPb Awards are underway and right now it’s time to vote on your favorite Jailbreak app of the year. These are for full blown programs that run on your iPhone or iPad but Apple wouldn’t allow into the App Store.

With iOS 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and iPad this year Jailbreak devs had an entirely new software and hardware playground at their disposal and boy did they not disappoint. But there can only be one 2010 TiPb Award winner! Choose your favorite in the pole above and then let us know why you chose the favorite you did in comments below. (And if you don’t see your favorite here, add it as a write-in as well!)

• BiteSMS
• Display Recorder
• TLert
• My3G
• MyWi

Ready, set, vote!

Vote now for your favorite Jailbreak app! – TiPb Awards is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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According to another purported email response from Steve Jobs, the AirPlay feature introduced in iOS 4.2 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad should be updated in 2011:

The question:

Hi, I recently updated both my iPhone 4 and iPad to 4.2. I think my favourite feature is airplay. This is seriously amazing and makes sharing content seamless. I just purchased Apple TV and was wondering are you ever going to make airplay video work for videos in safari and 3rd party apps? I hope to get a response.

The Steve Jobs reply:

Yep, hope to add these features to Airplay in 2011.

Sent from my iPhone

While most of us wanted AirPlay to support anything that used the standard iOS video controller, the current implementation is severely limited, providing audio-only streaming options for the most part, with video available only from the built-in iPod app (and Video app on iPod touch and iPad), and YouTube app. For third party App Store apps, audio support is likewise there but Apple hasn’t provided a sanctioned API for developers to add video support yet.

This limitation has been removed for developers in the lab via one line of code and for Jailbreakers via AirVideoEnabler, so it would be outstanding to see Apple fix it out of the box for everyone.

Unfortunately, 2011 is a ways away still, and kind of puts the kibosh on rumors of an iOS 4.3 update in December (unless that’s really only to support subscription newspapers for iPad).

VIdeo of AirPlay in action after the break… If you’ve tried out — or have been waiting to try out — AirPlay streaming to Apple TV, let us know your thoughts!

[MacRumors]

Steve Jobs: Apple to add AirPlay video to Safari, App Store apps in 2011 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Digitimes are running an interesting iPad 2 rumor, this time claiming that Apple has another camera component manufacturer in place for the next iteration of the iPad. A few weeks ago we heard that PC Board manufacturers had been appointed. Now Digitimes claim rumors point to Largan Precision being the sole supplier for the camera lens. Largan Precision currently supplies a  lens for the iPhone 4.

Largan Precision has declined to comment on market rumors indicating the company will be the sole lens module supplier for Apple’s upcoming iPad 2 tablet with shipments to kick off in the first quarter of 2011, according to a company filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE).

At this stage, we do not know anything definite about the next generation iPad. It is widely expected to have at least one camera on board. This will more than likely be a front facing camera to enable FaceTime; who would bet against Apple providing both front and rear cameras for augmented reality applications as well as normal camera functionality.

What would you prefer, one camera or two?

[Digitimes]

Apple rumored to have selected camera supplier for iPad 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple’s iPad launched in 11 more countries today, namely Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. While many of you snuck them out of the US or other countries early on, many more are just getting them for the first time. Did you get a new iPad today, are you planning on getting one over the holidays? Let us know in the comments!

Either way, if you’re wondering what to do after you get your shiny new iPad just keep reading after the break for TiPb’s advice on getting updated, apps, accessories, tips, and help!

[List of countries via MacRumors, thanks Jarl-otto for the picture!]

• Get updated: Chances are your new iPad came with iOS 4.2.1 but just in case the shipments went out early and you got iOS 3.2 instead, make sure you plug it into iTunes see if there’s an iOS 4.2.1 software update waiting for you. Download it and let iTunes do its thing. We don’t recommend using an iPhone or iPod backup to restore from — it can make things glitchy. Set it up as new iPad now and save yourself some headaches later. (And hey, if you like tips like this, check out our tips section for more!)

• Get up to speed. Our iOS 4.2 for iPad walkthrough is a must-read. If you’re in a rush and just want to get started now, now, now, each walkthrough begins with an “everything you need to know in 10 minutes video” so click, watch, and get going!

• Get apps and games. There are 10s of thousands of iPad specific apps in the iTunes App Store and you can also run iPhone apps in pixel-double mode. We’re keeping track of them in our Apps section which is full of the latest news and reviews.

• Get accessories. Every Apple device looks the same and every Apple Store sells the same stuff. If you’re wanting something different — a splash of color, a bit of style, a new look, check out our accessory reviews for all the pros, cons, and ratings.

• Get talking. If you just want to talk about your new iPad and all those apps and accessories, or if you need help getting started (or to trouble-shoot bugs), or advice and recommendations, we have the best community on the web waiting for you (yes, you!): TiPb Forums. We’ve even got a Jailbreak Forum if you’re curious and want to more about taking your iPhone into expert mode.

Still not enough? Check out the other posts. We’ve got contests and give-aways, polls and award votes, bug fixes and how tos, and much, much more. Bookmark TiPb now and come back often, we want to hear from you!

iPad launches in Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The Marware Eco-Flip case for iPad is a portfolio case which offers your iPad both style and protection. The padded outer layer of the case is an eco-leather material which is water resistance and beautiful to the touch. The inner microfiber layer of the case has a soft suede feel and cradles your iPad snugly inside. It also offers vertical and horizontal stand options as well as a keyboard lift. If you are looking for a vertical flip case then Marware has your covered.

The iPad slips easily and snugly into the inner fold of the Marware Eco-Flip case and the cover stays in place thanks to a smartly placed elastic strap. To open, just slip off the elastic and flip back the cover. If you want to use it as a tablet, reverse the elastic and the cover stays out of your way. If you want to stand it up vertically or horizontally to watch a picture slideshow or movie, leave off the elastic and keep the cover angled open.

Inside you’ll find several great features. My favorite is the hand strap. It allows you to easily hold your iPad with one hand and without effort. It is securely kept on your had due to the two elastic straps and is comfortable due to the inner microfiber material.

There’s also a small flip-out stand on the inside of the case which places your iPad at a 30 degree angle. This makes using the keyboard on the iPad much easier.

The only slight drawback to this case is that I find the vertical flip of the case to be more cumbersome than the booklike opening of its sister, the Marware Eco-Vue. This is a personal preference though as both cases are equally beautiful and equally well designed.

Overall, the Marware Eco-Flip case is one of the most beautiful and useful cases that I have reviewed to date. If you are looking to get someone a gift or a case for yourself this case will not disappoint you. Marware thought of everything when they designed the Eco-View case. Absolutely impressive.

The Marware Eco-Flip case for iPad is available from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Pros

• Brilliant design
• Exceptionally well made
• Hand grip on back
• Flip top used as a vertical and horizontal stand
• Has a mini stand for keyboard use
• Your iPad screen is protected while closed

Cons

• The vertical flip is more cumbersome

Rating

Gallery

Marware Eco-Flip case for iPad – accessory review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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According to Gfk’s recent survey, iPhone users remain the most satisfied and claim they’ll stick with their iPhones instead of jumping ship to another smartphone platform. Out of all the users surveyed, only 25% of them plan to stay loyal to their current smartphone platform while 56% of those surveyed plan to keep their options open when buying their next smartphone. Out of those users who say they’re staying loyal to their current smartphone platform, Apple users made up 59% of that number. Microsoft phones showed the lowest user loyalty base at only 21%. RIM, Nokia, and Android fell between the 24-35% ranges.

Lead analyst, Ryan Garner had this to say about smartphone loyalty -

“Loyalty with a handset is a lot more complicated these days in that people buy into experiences at the high-end level,”…”If a phone doesn’t do what it says it will do or what the owner hopes it will do, the maker will lose loyalty.”

Most smartphone users rely on owning a smartphone that’s not only user friendly but reliable and stable. Those are the types of things Apple has managed to nail. Not to mention Apple having the most extensive choice of applications available via their App Store. These things all combined could be what keep Apple users loyal. I know a huge factor for me is the amount of money I’ve already invested in the platform through purchasing applications. If I switched platforms, those applications would be rendered useless to me. So to all the members of the TiPb community, what is it that keeps you loyal to the iOS platform?

[via Reuters]

When it comes to smartphone loyalty, Apple’s iPhone wins is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Epic Games has announced that the long awaited iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad game, Infinity Blade, will be in the App Store on December 9. The game will be available for the iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, as well as third- and fourth-generation iPod touch devices at a cost of $5.99.

Infinity Blade will be the first full game to utilize Epic's Unreal Engine 3. Epic Citadel, already available in the App Store, is a short demonstration level showing  the power of the Unreal Engine on iOS devices. If you haven’t seen it, it is free and definitely worth a look. [Free - iTunes Link]

Infinity Blade is an RPG (Role Playing Game). You are a Knight in a giant 3D Castle environment, in search of a God-King, battling various enemies to gain new weapons and powers in your quest.

So mark your calendar, this is one great looking game, my iPad is twitching with anticipation, who's getting this one when it hits?

[Joystiq]

Infinity Blade to hit App Store on Dec 9th is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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