Rumor: Apple’s iPad 2 Lands April 2011

[~IronMan~]

Apple has put in the request for its Asian partner Foxconn to produce and ship the second-generation iPad within 100 days with plans for a spring 2011 release, according to a Taiwanese publication.

Foxconn was notified of plans to ship the iPad by February 2011, with initial shipments of 400,000 to 600,000 units, according to DigiTimes. Sources expect the product to launch April 2011.

This timing is plausible because the original iPad hit stores April this year. Apple’s iPhones are refreshed once a year, and a similar one-year product cycle for the iPad is realistic.

Journalists and analysts have speculated that the next-generation iPad will come closer in line with the iPhone 4. Here are some features that we can expect:

• A 9.7-inch “retina” display similar to the iPhone 4’s
• A front-facing camera and a built-in FaceTime video phone app
• Expanded support for AirPlay streaming (as suggested by a Steve Jobs e-mail)

Meanwhile, here are some items on our wish list:

• A physical switch that locks screen orientation like it used to (Apple recently modified the functionality of the switch into a mute button, which nobody seems to enjoy).
• Tighter integration with the new Apple TV, allowing you to stream media from the Apple TV to the iPad (because currently you can only do the other way around). Streaming movie rentals on the road with an iPad would be pretty sweet.

What are some features you’d like to see in the next iPad? Add your ideas in the comments below.

See Also:

• Crazy Apple Rumor: iPad With Camera Coming Soon
• Ten Things Missing From the iPad
• Roundup: The First Reviews of Apple’s iPad

Photo of a first-generation iPad: Jon Snyder/Wired.com







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