Apple-iPad-3-invite

By this time tomorrow, we will (hopefully) know everything there is to know about Apple’s newest tablet. For today, however, we’re just going to have to satiate our desire for the next big thing with some good ol’ fashioned rumors. We’ve already covered most of the “iPad 3″ speculation in our comprehensive rumor roundup. But with a slew of new “confirmed” information flowing out of the tech blogosphere in the past 48 hours, we thought we’d fill you in on the latest and greatest iPad rumors before Apple goes and spoils all our fun at its big iPad event, which kicks off at 10am PT/1pm ET tomorrow.

iPad HD, not iPad 3

A purportedly trustworthy developer tells CNET that Apple will eschew the standard numerical moniker for the next iPad, and instead call the device the “iPad HD.” This makes sense, the theory goes, since there is little doubt that the next iPad will feature a 2048×1536 resolution “Retina” display, which is twice the resolution of the previous two iPad models. The CNET report corroborates speculation from Gizmodo, which cites parts listings from accessories makers Griffin and Belkin, both of which show the iPad HD name.

Release date: March 16

According to 9to5Mac, Apple’s newest tablet will go on sale on March 16, just nine days after the official announcement. This information comes via a reliable “Apple Store source.” March 16 is also the grand opening of Apple’s two newest retail locations, one at the famous Harrod’s department store in London, England, and the other in Houston, Texas. 

4G LTE guaranteed

Tech blog iMore says the same source that correctly revealed that the date of the iPad event would be March 7 now tells them that the iPad HD will, in fact, support 4G LTE connectivity. This backs up a report from Bloomberg, as well as one from the Wall Street Journal, which says the next iPad will be available with a LTE radio on Verizon and AT&T, the only two Apple-approved carriers that currently have an LTE network up and running.

Design nearly identical to iPad 2

This rumor has been around for a while. But we now have some seemingly concrete evidence to back it up. China-based gadget blog MIC Gadget was able to get their hands on both the front and back panels of what they say is the iPad HD. Based on the plethora of photos and a video, it looks as though the next Apple tablet will have an almost identical design to the iPad 2 — and might even be a bit thicker, thanks to a bigger battery required to power the new high-definition display.

For more details on the iPad 3 iPad HD, check out our complete rumor roundup here.