Rumors of an iPad 2 Plus launch this year have been talked about everywhere since it came out this week, but the guys from This Is My Next said sources told them that Apple could be scrapping the iPad 2 Plus name and call it the ‘iPad HD.’
The iPad HD would be a variant of the iPad 2, in keeping with Steve Jobs’ “year of the iPad 2” proclamation this year. The device was said to feature a 9.7-inch touch screen with 2048 x 1536 resolution. The report said that the new device is geared toward more detailed and serious users.
According to This Is My next, “folks who work in video and photo production possibly — and will be introduced alongside something like an iPad version of Final Cut or Aperture. This product is specifically said to not be the iPad 3, rather a complimentary piece of the iPad 2 line. Think MacBook and MacBook Pro.”
Apple was reported to launch the new tablet computer on the basis of its concept of MacBook Pro, where “Pro” is used for high-end purposes compared to the MacBook, which is a general purpose laptop.
While early rumors of a Retina display would be featured in the iPad 2, the device still shipped with the same 1024 x 768 resolution of the original iPad.
With the iPad HD’s professional target market, we can expect this to be released with a much higher price tag. Whether this a professional iPad is needed remains to be seen.
Do you think Apple need to produce a ‘professional’ iPad and should they plan for a 2011 release date?
