eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Apples announcement of its upcoming tablet, the iPad 3, is right around the corner. And as one might expect, given the companys history, the sheer number of rumors surrounding the device have hit a tipping point. Just about anyone who has a stake in seeing Apple launch the new iPadfrom consumer to reporter to retailerhas some idea of what the device will offer, and what it wont.
While its easy to speculate about what Apple will include with the new iPad 3, its also useful to focus on what consumers and business users wont find in the iPad 3. Sure, there will be several improvements coming to the tablet that everyone likes, but users should expect to find some omissions that might make you take pause. After all, when has Apple ever delivered every single feature youve really been searching for all these years?
So, with Apples big event just hours away, the question is: What will Apple not include in the iPad 3?
1. Extra ports and slots
For years, consumers and enterprise users have been hoping for everything from a Secure Digital (SD) card slot to a USB port in the iPad. But time and again, Apple has balked at providing such options. Those hoping for the same in the iPad 3 will be sorely disappointed; like it or not, extra ports and slots wont be coming to Apples tablet anytime soon.
2. A smaller screen
Rumors have been running rampant, claiming Apple will be launching a smaller iPad this year. But have those who believe those rumors forgotten about Steve Jobs saying that he didnt believe 7-inch tablets made sense? Apple is content at the higher end of the tablet space, and that wont change.
3. A cheaper price
Pricing matters greatly in the world of tablets. Its why the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet from Barnes & Noble are so popular. And yet, any hope that the iPad 3 will be any cheaper than its predecessors should be tossed out the window. The iPad is designed to be a premium product on sale for a premium price. That’s not going to chance with the iPad 3.
4. The so-called HD branding
As of late, several reports have cropped up, suggesting the iPad 3 will come with HD branding to signify its use of the Retina Display. That wont happen. Apple is very careful with its branding, offering only an S at the end of its product names. Adding an HD to the iPad 3 name would devalue Apples branding, and the iPhone maker knows it.
Its Unlikely Apple Will Deliver the Same Old Design
5. The anti-glare screen
Although glaring has been an issue with the iPads screen since its launch, its unlikely Apple will address it with the iPad3. The fact is, consumers like the glossy screens. Sure, they make it harder to read ebooks outside, but thats not Apples chief concern. Its important to remember that.
6. Dual-core processor
Considering the iPad 2 comes with a dual-core processor, its highly unlikely that the iPad 3 will, as well. Apple will almost certainly bundle a quad-core processor in the iPad 3, keeping it ahead of the iPhone 4S and drawing a clear distinction between its latest tablet and that devices predecessor. Expect the dual-core tablet processor to go away.
7. A new Dock connector
Oddly, some reports claim Apple is working on a new Dock connector design that will make current accessories incompatible with the iPad 3. Such a move wouldnt make sense. Apple needs as many accessories to work with the iPad as possible, and the company knows consumers wont want to buy all new adapters to have their devices work with Apples tablet. Expect the same old Dock connector to come to the iPad3.
8. 3D, anyone? Nope
The Nintendo 3DS kicked off a 3D craze in the portable business last year. Just about everyone thought every company, from Apple to Nokia, would be planning to bundle glasses-free 3D graphics into its devices. But all those people were wrong. The iPad 3 wont be coming with glasses-free 3D; its a gimmick Apple wants nothing to do with.
9. The same old design
Although many rumors suggest Apples iPad 3 will feature the same old design as the iPad 2, this type of story seems rather unlikely. Since it started offering mobile devices, Apple has delivered major updates every other year. Considering the iPad 2 featured a nominal design change, it would only make sense, given that logic, that the iPad 3 comes with a major improvement.
10. The home button
Have you seen the announcement for the iPad 3 event? Interestingly, it seems to show an iPad that doesnt come with a home button. Such an idea isnt out of the question. For months, rumors have been swirling, saying Apple has created a new gesture for getting back to the home screen. Will the iPad 3 be the first device to come with that feature?