Report: iPad 2 may ship by the end of February 2011

By Aemon Malone December 7, 2010

You may want to reconsider if you’re set on a putting (or asking for) an iPad under the tree this holiday season: you might be better off giving (or receiving) an Apple gift card. According to a report in Digitimes, Foxconn, a China-based manufacturer of iPads and iPhones, has been instructed to ship between 400,000 to 600,000 units of the iPad 2 “within the next 100 days.”

The report cites sources within Foxconn, but neither Foxconn nor Apple have yet to confirm that the iPad 2 will indeed be shipping sometime around the end of February. Digitimes reports that Apple had hoped to send the iPad out the door in January, but was delayed due to ongoing firmware testing.

What can we expect from the second generation iPad? It’s widely suspected — but not yet confirmed — that there will be two cameras in the style of the iPhone 4, one of which will be front-facing to enable Apple’s FaceTime video chatting.

There’s also well-founded speculation that the forthcoming iPad will support both GSM and CDMA networks — the iPad currently only runs on a GSM network. The CDMA support makes sense as the iPad is currently offered through Verizon, but — as Verizon’s network runs on CDMA technology — its iPad version requires an external MiFi hotspot for 3G access.

Will Apple deliver by February’s end? The timing of the release does seem uncomfortably close to the holidays. And according to the Digitimes report, Apple may also have close to two million original iPads left in inventory by the end of the month — that’s a lot of potentially obsolete hardware sitting around.

The rumor itself of the impending iPad 2 release may be more troublesome for Apple as it stands to lose holiday sales of its current model on account of it. We may see Apple move to address the speculation in the coming days.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Mobile

This iPad just got a rare discount — save $100 at Best Buy

Call of Duty: Mobile on the iPad (2022).

The standard Apple 10.9-inch iPad rarely sees a deep discount but that’s the case over at Best Buy at the moment. Normally priced at $449, you can buy one for just $349 for a limited time. A hefty saving of $100, this is one of the better iPad deals at the moment and worth checking out if you want a new tablet or you’re keen to buy someone a great gift. Here’s what the Apple 10.9-inch iPad has to offer.

Why you should buy the Apple 10.9-inch iPad
The Apple 10.9-inch iPad is a pretty good tablet for anyone who wants something straightforward and useful. It has an attractive 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone support so it looks great with whatever you’re doing, whether you’re browsing the internet, watching videos, or playing a game. It’s powered by the A14 Bionic chip with a 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU which is why the Apple 10.9-inch iPad easily joins the best iPads list for anyone seeking a great mid-range example. It’s easily capable of playing many games through Apple Arcade as well as being snappy when it comes to looking up YouTube videos and similar.

Mobile

Best iPad deals: Save on iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad Mini for the New Year

iPad Pro 2020 Screen.

There's a tablet out there for almost everyone, with designs available to accommodate anything from kids to creative professionals. The Apple iPad is one of the most popular tablet lineups, with the best iPads offering a wide range of options and capabilities. If you’re in the market for a new iPad, there are some great iPad deals worth shopping right now. In fact, not only are iPads some of the best Apple deals currently taking place, but some of the best tablet deals as well. We’ve rounded up what we feel are the best tablet deals to shop at the moment. They include iPads, iPad cases and covers, and iPad accessories, so read onward for more details.
Apple iPad 10.2 (9th Gen) 64GB Wi-Fi -- $249, was $329

Apple's A13 Bionic chip is no M1 or M2, but it still offers 64-bit architecture and neural engine support for excellent performance. In other words, this 10.2-inch iPad is incredible value. It has a 10.2-inch Retina display, 64GB of storage, supports Touch ID and Apple Pencil (1st Gen), and it's size, plus all-day battery life make it an excellent choice for anyone with an on-the-go lifestyle.

Mobile

Apple accidentally revealed a big iPad Pro display upgrade

The iPad Pro (2022) sitting in the Magic Keyboard.

iPad Pro 2022 Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Apple is already past its usual upgrade cycle for the iPad Pro after the previous model was released in October 2022. Latest reports hint at an announcement now set for "early May" this year where Apple will unveil the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, even though a proper event seems unlikely. Despite Apple's suggested lack of fervor, these purported new iPad models are expected to bring significant changes, especially to the display.