The Apple gadget loving world is anxiously counting down the days until March 7th, which is when we are expecting Apple to once again take to the big stage for a media event which we believe will announce the details and launch dates for the eagerly anticipated iPad 3. In the run up to the event, as always, we have been treated to an abundance of speculatory stories coming from the always inventive rumor mill about the design and technical specifications of the new tablet device. Pieces of evidence have surfaced which does support some of the claims, but until March 7th we just can’t be sure what the next generation iPad will bring.
Staying true to form, the ever persistent conjecture is not going to go away until we actually have the iPad 3 in our hands, this time with the Apple.pro website reporting on images from the Weiphone forum that have also appeared on Sina-Weibo, which is the Chinese equivalent of a micro blogging site like Twitter. The images seem to show an important cargo being packaged onto an aero plane which is reportedly a shipment of iPad 3 units being sent from the Foxconn manufacturing plant directly to the United States. The information attached to the posts through the forum and Sina-Weibo has undergone a shaky machine translation, but seems to point to the shipments heading to three destinations in the US:
Friends broke the news: Chengdu International Airport at major international cargo charter flights, cargo owners demanding security, from CTU takeoff by stop PVG Shanghai, and then directly to ORD Chicago, the JFK New York, LAX in Los Angeles, March 9, completed before transport. According to the privately disclosed the Chengdu F production for the U.S. A company’s latest products…Received friends inside information, Chengdu International Airport night cargo charter flights, said the owner of the security demanding, and in private that the Chengdu Fu X Kang new products. Takes note of the location of the United States (ORD Chicago, JFK New York, LAX in Los Angeles)
If the documents are correct, and do relate to the iPad 3 units, then it looks like the early shipments are set to hit Chicago, New York and Los Angeles by March 9th, but don’t try and get your hands on one as it seems there is increase security attached to the gadget movement, as you would expect. One of the biggest user concerns surrounding Apple product launches is whether or not the company is going to be accepting pre-orders allowing consumers to get their orders in well before launch date. For the launch of the original iPad in 2010, Apple allowed pre-orders but then removed that luxury in 2011 for the iPad 2. Sources are speculating that this time around they could begin taking pre-orders from customers on the day of the media event. This is something I am sure a lot of customers would relish, but for me personally I enjoy the queuing experience and will certainly be doing that again.
As if the excitement of having a new iPad to play with in March wasn’t enough, it looks like we could possibly see Apple also launch a second product during my birthday month. This product is yet to be confirmed but we have been treated to murmurings recently that it could possibly be an updated Apple TV unit which features full 1080p playback as well as a faster processor and possible upgraded Bluetooth support. With supplies of the current Apple TV 2 units being limited around the world, it certainly looks promising that we are about to see a refresh.
Regardless of what we are treated to in March, it is shaping up to be a very exciting month and no doubt will be a huge success for the company if every goes to plan. Let’s just hope that something slips through the rumor net and we get a "One more thing".
(via 9to5Mac)
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