The game changing tablet from Apple, iPad, is getting an upgrade. Less than a year after its launch, many clones have tried to shake the iPad's dominance without much success. Google has been the forerunner in the competition with its Android 3.0 Honeycomb UI. Motorola Xoom, its flagship device was launched on February 24 with dual-core NVidia Tegra 2, 1Ghz processor along with 1Gb RAM and a vibrant 10.1 touch display.
In-spite of all the hardware machismo and eye candy of Honeycomb, the ease of use trophy still goes to the iPad, which manages to hold its own in front of its swanky new opposition.
The key for Apple in this launch will be to adopt a few technologies, which were badly missed in the original iPad (notably Adobe Flash) along with giving it hardware upgrades, so that it is not out-gunned in performance.
Here are some educated guesses on what might be in store:
Cameras: The addition of dual-cameras for Facetime is almost a given. All leaked images of new iPad accessories suggest the inclusion of dual cameras. In the recently launched MacBook Pros, Apple has introduced HD Facetime cameras. We may see them featured in the iPad 2 as well.
Processor and RAM: The competition has been bumping up their hardware in an attempt to compete with the iPad and compensate for the lack of apps on their devices. A minimum dual-core 1Ghz processor based on the A9 Cortex family is expected, but recently a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor has been reported. In addition to the processor upgrades we expect to see a minimum of 512MB RAM.
Retina Display: Ever since the iPhone 4 was launched, everyone expected the iPad to get a similar high-resolution screen in its upgrade but it is highly unlikely. It will be extremely expensive to include such a display on the large 10.1 display. So, we may definitely see a higher quality display, but it may not be as good as the iPhone 4.
USB/ SD Card slots: Recently some leaked images on the web suggested the inclusion of a USB port or an SD card slot. Apple has never adopted a universal connection system so the inclusion of a USB is uncertain. Reports even suggest that Apple has dropped the SD card slot due to engineering issues. We will have to wait and watch on this one.
Who knows Apple may pull a rabbit out of the hat and include the newly launched Thunderbolt connector we saw on the new MacBook Pros.
Storage: The iPad currently tops off at 64GB, which might not be ideal for users who want to carry HD movies. We might see Apple bumping the iPad's memory to 128GB, which will put it near the MacBook Air territory.
Operating System: iPad 2 is expected to launch with iOS 4.3 but many will be disappointed as all the early builds of the software do not indicate any major UI changes. In the SDKs and beta versions of iOS 4.3, Apple has focused on under-the-hood changes, which make the iOS smoother while adding features such as tethering and added Airplay support. For those who are in love with the carousels and widgets found in Honeycomb, the iPad2 may leave you dissapointed.
4G: The next iteration may be going 4G with Apple already adopting Verizon's network for the iPhone. Verizon has a solid LTE network in place and it would be a wise move to release a 4G version specially because Motorola has announced the Xoom would be 4G upgradable. This rumor is strengthened by the fact that Apple has been working with Qualcomm the supplier of LTE chips and in all likelihood the iPad 2 and the iPhone 5 will feature Qualcomm's LTE technology.
Recently Chinese manufacturers reported shortage of displays, which has caused production issues for all tablet manufacturers including Apple so the initial models may not be produced in hordes.
Overall we should not expect any game changing upgrades from Apple. The upgrades should be sufficient for Apple to maintain its dominance in the tablet market as currently they hold the strongest ecosystem just as Microsoft did in the PC market in the 90's. We can also expect a mellowed launch as the announcement may be missing Steve Jobs presentation pyrotechnics, as he is out on medical leave.