New Apple iPad unveiled with Retina Display

Apple has finally launched its 3rd-generation iOS tablet, dousing all speculations that have been going around the internet for months. Today, Apple announces the new 3rd-gen iPad.

It’s not called iPad HD, iPad 3, iPad 2 HD, iPad 2S but just “the new iPad“.

New 3rd-generation iPad specs:.

9.7″ IPS LCD Retina Display, 2048×1536 pixels @ 264ppi
Apple A5X chip dual-core
Quad-core graphics
5MP autofocus rear iSight camera
1080p full HD video recording
VGA front-facing FaceTime camera
Built-in microphone
4G LTE 73Mbps
HSPA+ 21Mbps, DC-HSDPA 42Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
Assisted GPS
Personal WiFi Hotspot
iOS 5.1

The Retina Display on the new iPad gives us a pixel density of 264ppi. The closest we’ve used prior to this is the 217ppi of the Huawei MediaPad.

The LTE models with be for North America only (sorry, no Smart LTE support). For the Philippines, we will have the 3G-world (HSPA+) model.

The 5MP camera on the iPad is now the same as what Apple used in the iPhone 4S.

As for battery life, it will still be up to 10 hours on 3G and 9 hours on 4G. It’s a bit heavier at 1.46lbs (iPad 2 was 1.33lbs) and also a bit thicker at 9.4mm compared to the iPad 2′s 8.8mm.

iPad WiFi Prices:
16GB – $499
32GB – $599
64GB – $699

iPad WiFi + 4G LTE Prices:
16GB – $629
32GB – $729
64GB – $829

Once it hits the Philippines, prices will be somewhere around:

16GB WiFi – Php23,990
32GB WiFi – Php28,990
64GB WiFi – Php33,990
16GB 4G + WiFi – Php30,990
32GB 4G + WiFi – Php35,990
64GB 4G + WiFi – Php40,990

Pre-order starts today in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan (LTE models available in March 16). Hong Kong and Singapore will get it on March 16. For the Philippines, the release date was not indicated but we’re hoping it will come by April.

In related news, the prices of the iPad 2 have dropped by Php5,000 in the Apple Online Store.