You've probably already heard that there's a new iPad on the block, but between all the information about release dates, prices, carriers and what not, you might have missed some of the most important stuff - the actual new features of this lovely tablet. In the gallery below, we're offering you a breakdown of all the new features of the tablet.
By the way, it's worth noting once again that the new iPad is actually called... iPad, and not iPad 3, or iPad HD. But we'll call it either "the new iPad" or "iPad 3" just to make things clearer. Anyways, enjoy the gallery, and feel free to share your thoughts about the new features in the comments below!
iPad 3's new features
iPad 3's new features
1. Retina Display
Probably the most exciting new feature found with the new iPad is its Retina Display. The resolution is now incredibly high - 2048x1536, up from the iPad 1 and 2's 1024x768 px res. This is currently the highest resolution on any tablet out there, and by the looks of it, things will probably stay this way for a while. Of course, everything on the iPad will look much better now, including text, pictures, video and apps. Additionally, the screen has gotten a 44% increase in color saturation.
2. A5X processor
Well, the new iPad didn't get a real quad-core A6 SoC, but that doesn't mean the silicon wasn't improved at all. Although it stays in the dual-core realm, the A5X sports a new quad-core GPU, so the graphics performance of the new chip should be its main strong point. Actually, Apple claims that the A5X will be about 4 times faster than the Tegra 3. Too bad we can't compare them appropriately, as we can't have them both running with the same configurations.
3. 4G LTE
Life is so much better with 4G LTE. Apple knows that and hasn't hasitated one bit whether to incorporate this new-generation connectivity technology. However, since many carriers out there use different bands for their LTE networks, the new iPad will come in different versions for each carrier. In the U.S., the iPad 3 LTE will be available in two flavors - AT&T and Verizon. Of course, for those who aren't blessed with LTE yet, the tablet will also be equipped with global HSPA+ support, so you should get fast 4G (HSPA+ style) speeds pretty much everywhere such a network is available.
4. New camera
The camera has been vastly upgraded in the new iPad. Now, the device features a 5MP shooter with pretty much the same setting as on the iPhone 4S - it has a 5-element lens, back-illuminated sensor, etc. And we already know that this technology produces some very good-looking images. Plus, the iPad 3 will now be capable of recording 1080p video, with all the additional goodies such as image stabilization and noise reduction.
5. Bluetooth 4.0
Apple didn't make a big deal of it, but the new iPad also comes with Bluetooth 4.0, up from 2.1 that we had in the previous iPad. Although this doesn't really mean much today, it sure will tomorrow, when Bluetooth 4.0-capable devices start to emerge. Among the most important improvements in the Bluetooth technology with this 4th iteration is its new low-energy protocol, which will make it suitable for use in a number of other types of gadgets, like heart-rate straps, pedometers and wrist-watches.
