Massive iPad2 price drop and other iPad rumors

by Steven Mostyn - Jan 3 2012, 12:30

As the hugely anticipated arrival of Apple’s iPad3 tablet creeps ever closer, reports suggest the popular iPad2 tablet could be about to receive a monumental price drop.

Specifically, a number of online whisperers are of the belief that the $499 USD price tag currently attached to the basic iPad2 (Wi-Fi only) looks likely to receive a whopping reduction of $200 USD as Apple paves the way for the device’s successor.

In terms of possible reasoning for the steep retail drop, it’s certainly possible that any impending price gouge is Apple’s way of keeping consumers focused following the surging popularity of Amazon’s $199 USD Kindle Fire tablet.

Going one further, technology site Tom’s Guide claims that, while an accessibly low price of $299 USD will be forthcoming, it will instead be attached to a new 8GB iPad3 that shares certain core specs with the iPad2.

Shifting over to the iPad3 in order to add credence to the above… unnamed sources from within Apple’s supply chain have this week revealed a host of specification details to everyone’s favorite shadowy haven of rumor and speculation DigiTimes.

If said sources are to be believed, Apple will reveal three different models of the iPad3. The upper-tier device will sport a high-resolution 2048x1536 QXGA display, the new A6 system-on-a-chip (SoC) processor, and an 8.0 mega-pixel camera.

It will also offer up a mid-range iPad3 equipped with the same 1024x768 XGA display used by the iPad2, the A6 SoC processor, and a 5.0 mega-pixel camera.

Finally, an entry-level platform carrying the XGA touchscreen, the old A5 SoC processor, and a 0.3 mega-pixel camera will round out the line—essentially assuming the role of the aforementioned entry-level model alluded to by Tom’s Guide.

Expect to learn more—much more—during the upcoming MacWorld/iWorld Expo, which takes place in San Francisco between January 26 and January 28.

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