iPad 3 Release Retina Display Confirmed: 5 Other Guaranteed Features [PHOTOS]

The buzz around Apple’s new version of the hugely successful iPad (dubbed iPad 3), which is expected to be launched next month, have reached a fever pitch and, according to the latest report by MacRumors, iPad 3 is guaranteed to come with Retina Display. That’s great news for iPad fans – if the report turns out to be true. Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of other 5 new features we are certain iPad 3 will boast of.

MacRumors said it has secured an LCD panel which has purportedly been made for iPad 3. Incidentally, Hong Kong based parts supplier Truesupplier claims that it is an “OEM Apple iPad 3 LCD Screen Display Replacement.”

And though the 9.7-inch panel could not be powered up, MacRumors said it has examined the panel “under a microscope in an effort to determine whether it is indeed an ultra-high resolution Retina display.”

“When comparing the iPad 3 display to one from an iPad 2 under a microscope, the difference in resolutions becomes readily apparent, with the iPad 3 display's pixels appearing to be one-quarter the size of those on the iPad 2,” the site reported.

MacRumors compared the purported iPad 3 panel with an iPad 2 panel and found that each cluster in the former was occupied by 16 pixels (4x4), while each cluster in the iPad 2 panel comprised of 4 pixels (2x2). This means the purported iPad 3 panel boasts of “twice the resolution in each direction.”

“Extrapolating out, the iPad 3 screen should carry a full resolution of 2048x1536, exactly twice the linear resolution of the iPad 1 and iPad 2 which is 1024x768,” the site concluded.

And, though MacRumors acknowledged that it hadn’t directly sourced the screen from Apple, it said it was confident that it was indeed an OEM part for iPad 3.

However, ZDNET was quite skeptical about whether the panel was real or fake or whether it was indeed for iPad 3 and not for some other device.

As for us, we have no way to check the veracity of MacRumors’ claim but we’re quite certain that iPad 3 will indeed boast of a higher screen resolution, if not Retina Display, as though the 1024x768 pixel resolution display of iPad 2 is good for viewing basic images and videos, yet, its on-screen clarity and sharpness cannot be compared with the display of some recent rival tablets that boast of higher resolution and pixel density.

Moreover, if iPad 3 boasts of true HD display, it will allow users to see not only more detailed images, from PDFs to X-rays and MRIs, but also it will allow iPad 3 to handle richer 3D architectural renderings (iPad 2 can support 3D objects with only up to "50,000 moderately textured polygons," according to Apple’s own admission).

Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of 5 new features we’re certain iPad 3 (if that’s what the new tablet is going to be named) will boast of. Check them out.

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Siri, the voice-controlled intelligent assistant exclusive to the iPhone 4S, has become the most popular feature of the iPhone 4S, prompting the handset to become the best selling iPhone ever.

After received the orders, Siri almost can do everything for the user, including writing and sending texts and e-mails, scheduling meetings and reminders, playing music and more.

And, even though Siri is far from being perfect, the personal assistant has been growing and becoming smarter and smarter. According to Tech in Asia, Siri will support Chinese language from March. And Japanese language support will be added soon also. Apple has also said other languages such as Korean, Italian, and Spanish will be supported later this year.

Without doubt, Apple will include the virtual assistant in the iPad 3, as it will attract the potential customers.

Moreover, Siri would be better suited on the iPad than iPhone as it will unleash the full potential of iPad. Many corporate executives are becoming more and more dependent on the iPad because of the flexibility the tablet offers, and coupled with Siri, the iPad can do more - it can not only remind employees of meetings or help them perform research but also set timers if they're working on a deadline.

And beyond the boardroom, an iPad with Siri could have a tremendous impact on education. Imagine a student holding an iPad, which can read aloud a selection from a new iBooks textbook, or remind the student to study for an upcoming test, and so on.

The camera system on the iPad 2 is now considered low-end, as it only video records up to 720p HD and its mediocre camera requires tapping to focus. In comparison, many rival tablets now sport a 5-megapixel or at least a 3-megapixel shooter with full-HD video recording capability. No wonder, iPad fans are expecting the tech giant to improve the camera system in iPad 3.

Jeremy Horwitz, the editor-in-chief of iLounge, had reported in early January that the camera of iPad 3 will be far better than its predecessors.

He elaborated that the camera in the upper left corner might become bigger, "but not so huge that anyone would think they were different at a distance."

"The new camera hole is silver-ringed," which is similar with to iPhone 4S's rear camera system without the LED flash, according to Horwitz.

RepairLabs, which recently also got hold of an purported iPad 3 rear shell, from "industry insiders in China," also reported that "the camera is different," because of the mounts on the iPad 3 casing,” although the report didn't specify how different the new camera will be.

In fact, as early as last year, Apple tested the waters for 1080p video sales through its iTunes service, AppleInsider reported.

"Thus far, 1080p HD content has largely eluded users of Apple products, with HD versions of videos on the company's digital download service maxing out 720p (1280 x 720) and chief executive Steve Jobs balking at adoption of Blu-ray on Macs due to licensing complications and other challenges that he said threatened to translate into a 'bag of hurt.' But that could begin to change later this year, as a handful of feature films being submitted to the iTunes Store for a release in the September and October timeframe are being sent with documentation for an optional 1920 x 1080 resolution, according to people familiar with the matter," the site had reported.

Will iPad 3 sport a faster processor? The New York Times reported that the iPad 3 is already being tested inside of the company and the new device will boast of a faster processor, citing an unnamed Apple employee.

iMore also suggested that the new tablet will be powered by a quad-core A6 processor, which will allow the device to run much faster.

According to BGR, a quad-core processor A6 will reportedly be packed in the iPad 3, citing an unnamed source, who claims to have an iPad 3 prototype.

The source also provided BGR with photos, suggesting the iPad 3's model number is S5L8945X, whereas the A4 model was S5L8930X and the A5 is S5L8940X. If the photos are correct, the new processor will probably be a quad-core model, which will make the next generation iPad much faster.

4G LTE is one of the most anticipated features in iPad 3. And why not? Why should Android tablet users only enjoy the benefits of the high speed technology?

4G LTE is the latest, fastest and most advanced network with lightning speed, up to 10 times faster than 3G. With the help of 4G LTE, the users can even instantaneously download all kinds of materials, including , movies, games, apps and more.

In order to get more market share, the leading electronics manufacturers has started to deploy 4G technologies, following Verizon and AT&T have launched 4G LTE networks and Sprint has used its new 4G WiMax network.

Some of the tablets now supporting 4G network are Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, Motorola Droid Xyboard, Motorola Xoom, HTC EVO View, HTC Jetstream, and Acer Iconic Tab A501. They are all Android tablets.

If Apple doesn’t want a rebellion on its hands, it must include 4G LTE option in iPad 3. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the iPad 3 will sport 4G LTE technology, allowing the new tablet connect with the much faster network on AT&T and Verizon, "according to people familiar with the matter."

Even Tim Cook had given up 4G before, that's only because the thicker chip "would force design compromises we're not willing to make," the HuffPost reported.

However, the situation has changed now. 9to5Mac reported that Qualcomm had issued a press release, announcing the commercial availability of their Gobi 4000 chips for 4G LTE and HSPA+ capable devices. According to the report, the new chip was shipping to OEMs at that time, suggesting the next generation iPad might be 4G LTE-capable. In other words, a compatible Qualcomm chipset - thinner and smaller one – is now available.

Not surprisingly, several sites claimed the iPad 3 will support the 4G LTE network such as iMore and MacRumors.

Meanwhile, CNET also reported Verizon as saying that almost every smartphone will run on 4G LTE. It suggests that it's feasible for the iPad, albeit the fact it's a tablet, to support the technology also.

The new iPad is definitely going to feature a better battery, especially in the tablet is going to boast of Retina Display, a more powerful processor and 4G LTE.

A rear shell, purportedly that of iPad 3, also suggests that the iPad 3's battery might be bigger and better. "The width of where the logic board sits on the iPad 2 appears much larger than that of the iPad 3," the RepairLabs reported.

To accommodate the Retina Display and a larger battery, the report also claimed that the thickness of the device will increase, but not by so much - by only 1 mm.

However, we don’t expect to see Apple bump up the battery’s power by much, unlike the suggestion of Taiwan-based DigiTimes.