New report claims next Apple tablet to be Apple iPad HD

An insider who has previously reported reliable information to CNET is telling the site that on March 7th, Apple's third-generation tablet will be introduced as the Apple iPad HD. Instead of being named the Apple iPad 3, the Cupertino based manufacturer will be highlighting the biggest change between the iPad 2 and the new iteration of the device which is the expected 2,048 x 1,536 Retina display.

The report is confirmed by Venture Beat, but that site goes further and says that by using "HD' at the end of the tablet's name, Apple is planning on shipping the unit with a faster dual-core A5X processor instead of a previously rumored quad-core A6 processor. The A5X was previously pictured in a prototype of the device. Last week, we passed along the word that accessory makers like Belkin and Griffin were using the Apple iPad HD name on their products.

Besides the upgraded display and faster processor, the new version of Apple's wildly successful tablet is expected to offer an updated camera, possible LTE connectivity and Siri. The pixel density of the new iPad has been speculated to come in at 264ppi and that would be below the 300ppi that none other than Steve Jobs used as a "Mendoza line" for determining a Retina display panel. However, the theory is that a tablet is held further away from the eyes than a smartphone is, giving some leeway for the iPad HD to promote itself as containing a Retina display.

To further confirm that the next Apple iPad is launching soon, Apple Insider says that it has learned that shipping giant DHL is expecting to receive a huge shipment from Apple this week, coming from China.

source: CNET,VentureBeat via AppleInsider