4G

If there is anything Apple should borrow from the Galaxy Tab 10.1, it’s the device’s 4G connectivity. The iPad is designed to be a mobile device that will allow customers to connect to the Web wherever they are. Why not provide them with the very best option to do that-4G?

Now that the iPhone 4S has a dual-core processor, it would only make sense for Apple to take a page or two from its many competitors’ books and bring the quad-core chip to the iPad. Having the iPhone 4S’ processor running in the iPad 3 makes no sense. And for users who want more functionality with the iPad 3, having the extra juice a quad-core chip offers is just right. Right now, Apple rivals Acer, Asus and HTC are preparing a new class of tablets that include quad-core chips.

Apple has always been a leader in product design. But last year, the company seemed to take a break from offering a flashy new design by launching an iPad 2 and iPhone 4S that looked nearly identical to their respective predecessors. This time around, Apple should look at Sony and the artful things it has done with its S1 and S2 tablets, and try to best them.

Arguably one of the finest improvements to the iPhone 4S was the addition of Apple’s virtual personal assistant Siri. In the iPad 3, Apple has little choice but to bring Siri to the tablet. The virtual personal assistant is the future of operating system interaction, and iPhone 4S customers would be lost without it on their iPad 3s.

Although Apple doesn’t like to admit that the Kindle Fire is a threat to its business, the device really is. And with a 7-inch display, it’s making it clear to Apple that offering an iPad with a screen that’s smaller than its current device’s 9.7-inch option might not be a bad idea.

Although the Cisco Cius and RIM BlackBerry PlayBook didn’t quite catch on the way they should have in the enterprise, they’re solid role models for Apple. They prove that the enterprise is at least thinking about tablets, and they help the company determine which features those devices possess that could make the iPad 3 more enterprise-friendly. They’re an important part of Apple becoming even more enterprise-friendly.

Although Apple was able to sell more than 15 million iPads last quarter, despite a starting price of $499, the company should look at the Kindle Fire’s strong sales to make a case for selling a cheaper iPad this year. Whether Apple decides to offer a cheaper iPad 3 or keep the iPad 2 on store shelves at a discounted rate doesn’t matter. But Apple must offer a cheaper iPad this year to start cutting into the Kindle Fire’s sales.

One of the finest iPhone 4S features is its Retina Display. The display’s pixel density is greater than what the naked eye can see, making for a crystal-clear picture. The iPad, however, lacks Retina Display support. Here’s hoping Apple brings the Retina Display to the iPad 3 to take advantage of its outstanding technology.

Apple has been including Thunderbolt ports in many of its computers. The I/O technology is widely believed to be the future, thanks to its ability to work with displays and data-transferring accessories. It might be a long shot for Apple to bring Thunderbolt to the iPad 3, but if it did, the company could quell unrest over its lack of USB support.

When the iPhone 4S shipped, it came pre-loaded with iOS 5. Now, there’s hope that Apple will launch the iPad 3 with iOS 5.1. There’s no telling just yet what iOS 5.1 will offer, but Siri support for other devices might be one of its features. Look for Apple to offer iOS 5.1 in the iPad 3.