Apple's upcoming iPad may sport a next-generation retina display with an image resolution that is substantially better than the company's two previous tablet devices, according to TechUnwrapped.
A tipster who was working through the SDK for Apple's upcoming mobile operating system has reportedly identified images in the Twitter framework that are double the resolution of those found in iPad and iPad 2 devices.
The 1536 x 2048 images – which were later identified in Apple's new Newsstand app as well – lend credence to the rumor that the iPad 3 may indeed be equipped with a retina display, according to TechUnwrapped.
Although many media outlets support the theory, Tech Radar's Kate Solomon questions it, based primarily on the fact that images of the same dimensions were found in some iPad app icons back in January, "and the Retina Display-less iPad 2 has launched since then."
However, ZDNet's Jason D. O'Grady points out that the iPad 2 probably didn't ship with retina displays because global inventories were low at that point in time.
So what's the big deal with a 1536 x 2048 retina display? Well, it would make the iPad 3 the third highest resolution Apple device behind only the 27-inch iMac and the 27-inch LED Cinema Display, according to ZDNet. The 2048 x 1536 panel would put the tablet device ahead of the 24-inch iMac, the 17-inch MacBook Pro and the 15-inch high resolution MacBook Pro. Not bad for a handheld tablet device.
Meanwhile, the expected launch date for the iPad 3 is far from a certainty. Some reports have suggested that the next-gen tablet could launch alongside iOS 5 this fall, while others feel that the spring of 2012 is a more likely target date.
In related news, Apple recently recalled an undisclosed number of Verizon iPad 2 devices due to a technical glitch that prevents them from connecting to the carrier's wireless network. Click here to read more on that story.
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Beecher Tuttle is a TechZone360 contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Carrie Schmelkin
