Supposed iPad 3 debug data teases A6 chip, 4G data
Apple's next iPad will feature a speedier processor and 4G LTE networking, according to photos published by Boy Genius Report of a purported debugging tool captured from a prototype device.
Do you believe photos of screenshots?
If you're one of those folks, Boy Genius Report has a tale for you this morning. The outlet has posted four shots of debugging code from a source who says they have Apple's next iPad in hand.
Still with me? Inside these shots are mentions of two--count them two--new iPad models, as well as a quad-core chip.
Before getting too excited about that two model thing, BGR says it can be inferred as one with just Wi-Fi and another with Wi-Fi and cellular networking. That second model is packing a chip that supports GSM and CDMA, as well as 4G LTE, the outlet says. Where there's actual proof about that last spec from the screenshots is entirely unclear.
Compatibility with 4G networks has been expected since before the second-generation model last year. The next iPad model is an increasingly more attractive target for it with Qualcomm's recently announced Gobi 4000 chip, as well as a report from Bloomberg last month claiming the iPad 3 would be the first device from Apple to feature the faster speeds.
As for the quad-core chip, that too was mentioned in the Bloomberg report last month. The chip in the screenshots is dubbed S5L8945X, with Apple's existing A5 and A4 chips going by S5L8940X and S5L8930X respectively. Since Apple has improved the processing speed with both iPad models, and all its iPhones, it's not a stretch to expect we'll get the same thing here. The question remains how much of a bump it will be.
Apple is expected to roll out the iPad 3 sometime in March, with a formal introduction possibly happening as early as this month. Besides a faster processor and speedier cellular networking the device is expected to feature a higher-resolution display and much improved cameras.