I wrote this on Quora but for reference here it is. PS I freakin' love Quora.
http://www.quora.com/What-can-one-expect-in-iPad-version-2
- The iPad 2 is in production right now. The number of current iPad shipments are falling and the iPad 2 is scheduled to ship to Apple in January and be available around Feb/March time. 16 million iPads were shipped in 2010. Between 2-3 million are expected to stay in the channel at the start of 2011 which will satisfy demand as production is gradually stopped. "Apple has shifted iPad production from an estimated 2.1 million units in November to just 1.6 million in December in order to prepare for the launch of revised new tablet, expected to be announced in January."
- A USB port. No, really. A tweet from a well connected source seems to believe this is happening. What gives this a sense of credibility is that the source is Eldar Murtazin, Editor in Chief of Mobile-Review. "Talked with colleague which working with some [original design manufacturer] vendors connected with Apple," he wrote. "He is research guy. According to his sources, iPad2 will have usb port." See the tweet for yourself here: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/7…
- Three models will be available. 1 X Wifi. 1 X UMTS 3G. 1 X CDMA with a build ratio of 3 : 4 : 3. Between 60% to 65% of current iPads shipments are the UMTS 3G model.
- Large speaker with a metal grille on the back side of the device.
- Strengthening the anti-smudge and anti-reflective treatments in order to compete against the Kindle and bring in new customers.
- No active-matrix organic LED display. A report by Digi-Times stated that Apple passed on the display because of constrained supplies. The insufficient supplies have allegedly led Apple to stick with a backlit LED display for the iPad 2.
- As many as two cameras. Apple are aggressively pursuing FaceTime within its entire mobile arsenal before making good on a promissory to open up the standard to the rest of the world.
- Smaller measurements. While the screen will stay the same, the new tablet will be 3mm smaller, reportedly measuring 239mm by 186mm. The current iPad was criticised for its wide bezel measuring 242.8mm by 189.7mm
- The back of the iPad 2 will be flat like an iPod touch. This would also resolve criticisms that the iPad's curved back is impractical.
- It's gonna be awesome. Count me in.
