It’s been a while since I’ve seen any really juicy iPad rumors, but today’s there’s one that’s a phoenix from the ashes:

Apple will release a new 4G LTE-enabled iPad tablet later this year according to Hong Kong-based research firm CLSA. The firm cites channel checks in stating that Apple’s iPad 3 will launch ahead of the holidays this year. CLSA also alludes to a Retina Display being on board alongside the new 4G LTE radio.

Wow. This was the great sounding rumor leading up to the iPad 2 announcement back in March – that we’d see more than one new iPad release this year, with the iPad 3, or iPad HD with that retina display upgrade, around the holiday season of 2011. It’s very nice to see this one back in circulation.

How awesome would that be, to see an iPad 3 sporting 4G and retina display and a release in time for the Christmas season? Very awesome indeed I’d say. Although if this proves true, and the iPhone 5 also gets released in the same timeframe, it could be one heck of an expensive holiday season for hard-core Apple fanboys and girls.

I’m fine with no stocking stuffers at all this year if Santa wants to bring me an iPad 3. :)

Image Source: ifuni.com

Earlier this year, leading up to and following Apple’s announcement of the iPad 2, there were strong rumors that the iPad 2 was just a sort of stop-gap upgrade and that a more radically changed new iPad – iPad 3 – would be launched in the latter stages of 2011.

This week’s rumors say the opposite:

Now Digitimes’ sources are stating that iPad component makers have "not yet received any notice for next generation iPad products and do not believe iPad 2 is a transitional product."

Another big rumor for the iPad 3 was that it will sport a Retina Display. While it’s likely it will, it’s not likely an iPad with a Retina Display will appear this year. Sources told Digitimes that while Apple has been asking touchscreen panel makers to provide screens that can provide higher resolutions than the current iPad 2 screen, the project is still in the "initial planning stage" and thus unlikely to appear in 2011.

We’re still only in April, so there’s some time for this rumor to shift again before the end of the year. The one argument I saw put forward for the late 2011 release of an iPad 3 (or iPad Pro, or iPad HD) was the idea that Apple might want to shift the annual refresh cycle period for the iPad to the year’s biggest holiday season. Having said that, I would think the iPad 2 will do quite well in that period if the timing is not right for another new iPad generation this year.

Rumor News Via: TUAW