John Paczkowski over at AllThingsD cites a report originally from AppleInsider suggesting the iPad 2 "will feature the same 1024×768 resolution display as its predecessor."
That really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but I foresee many a blogger and pundit "dinging" the iPad 2 for not having a Retina Display when it comes out. Not because they've done the math and realize how difficult it would be, but because criticizing Apple gets more pageviews.
Let me quote my friend and colleague Richard Gaywood from that above article and remind us all that "it's important to stress that these are only rumors and that 2048x1536 is an incredible number of pixels -- 3,145,728 of them, in fact. That's only 17 percent less than the 27" iMac or 27" Cinema Display, and it's 52 percent more pixels than a 50" 1080p television screen!"
I recently started using a Retina Display iPod touch, and yes, I do notice the iPad's screen a bit more, but not nearly enough to keep me from using it, and only when I first switch from one device to the other. It's not as if the iPad has a bad screen. If Apple hadn't come out with the Retina Display, I doubt most people would be clamoring for a big change on the iPad at all.
The rest of the improvements will be modest but not unimportant, including a faster processor and more RAM (512 instead of the current 256). There are expected to be modest cameras front and back, rumored to be only 0.3 megapixels in the front and 1 megapixel in the back. These camera aren't for heavy lifting, they're mostly for FaceTime.
Paczkowski calls these changes "evolutionary" as opposed to "revolutionary," and he's right -- then again, the iPad 1 is still miles ahead of anything else that has actually shipped. Apple is unlikely to do anything in the next version of any device that weakens the battery life statistics when compared to the previous device.
Perhaps we'll see a Retina Display in the iPad 3, but quite honestly, I'd gladly take a bit more RAM and a bit more battery life, and -- sure, throw in those two "better than nothing" cameras too -- I'd still think the iPad 2 is going to be a huge continued success. Many people who bought version 1 will upgrade. Many who held off because they didn't want to buy a "1.0" device will take the plunge. Expect waiting lines on opening day.
Keep your iPad 2 display hopes reasonable originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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