iPad 3: Is it Worth it?

Last year, when Apple announced the iPhone 4S, I analyzed the specs and drafted an opinion based on my understanding of the technology. In the end, I decided the 4S was not worth the price because the specs were marginal, the look of the device was identical to its predecessor, and Apple is usually guaranteed to release a new product for every line, every year. The time for a new product has come, and many are pinpointing the release of an iPad 3 on March 7th. When I read rumors that the iPad 3 was going to be released, I thought to myself, "probably just a repeat of the iPhone 4S." I immediately disregarded any interest and erased the product from my mind. My interest could not be contained, and my curiosity won the best of me. So I started to dig for rumors and specifications.

The original iPad touted a 1 gHz single-core processor, 1024 x 768 display, and 3G accessibility. A year later, Apple released the iPad 2 with a 1 gHz dual-core processor, 1024x768 display, 3G accessibility, and added cameras to the front and rear of the unit. The rear-facing camera came under much scrutiny for Apple's use of a 1 megapixel camera unit. When the iPad 2 released, I was unimpressed and wondered how so many people would pay another $600, just to have a dual-core processor, FaceTime integration, and a slightly revamped look. This led me to believe that Apple had either released the first iPad early and without all features, or released the second prematurely without a good enough spec boost.

Through researching rumors (usually produced by reliable sources), I was able to find the supposed spec changes and make comparisons to the current available model. The iPad 3 (rumored) will possess an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, 2048 x 1536 display, a quad-core A5X processor, and 4G LTE capabilities. This would be a dramatic improvement to the iPad 2. The display would allow for true HD movies, and may incorporate 1080p sharing with Apple's iTV. The 8 megapixel camera would match the specs of the iPhone 4S, and capture images in a high enough quality to make the iPad 3 your primary camera. A quad-core CPU would ensure that multiple tasks could be completed without lag. Finally, being 4G LTE equipped would mean the unit could reach download speeds up to 10x faster than prior devices.

Comparing these products, I have determined that the iPad 3 is an acceptable upgrade and worth purchasing. Many part images and specs have leaked to the public, and the iPad 3 appears to resemble its predecessor. But the look of the unit is far from being an issue when one takes the specs into account. The 4G LTE capability is enough for me to consider buying it, while the physical components make it seem like an actual upgrade. We as consumers have a choice as to whether or not we buy every subsequent device from Apple. This has allowed the company to marginally improve their items and still break prior sales records. All that remains is a question to those who have owned an iPad 1, and currently own an iPad 2. Would it have been worth skipping the iPad 2 to save a little cash?

Sources:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/02/ipad-2-vs-original-ipad-whats-changed/
http://www.macrumors.com/