Rumours Of iPad3 Soar After Apple Invitation

Apple has sent out invitations to a major event on March 7, fuelling speculation it is about to launch its iPad 3.

Rumours about the unveiling of the latest creation by the technology firm have been doing the rounds for some time.

But the invitation has sent them to fever pitch – although it did not actually specify that it related to a new iPad.

Instead, it teased: “We have something you really have to see. And touch…” And it flagged up the event in San Francisco next week.

It has been suggested that an upgraded Apple TV set-top box and a new audio format allowing for sharing between devices could also be unveiled.

There are reports that the new version of the iPad is already being shipped to the US and will be available for sale later in March.

Some shops in the US have already started discounting their stocks of the iPad 2 in a bid to offload them before the new model arrives.

Apple shares soared to $530 for the first time in the company's history after the invitation was reported in the US.

It is believed that the new model will have 4G as well as Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.

And there are claims it will follow the iPhone and iPod Touch in having a Retina display, which will upgrade the onscreen pixel density.

The launch will be one of the most significant since the death of Apple co-founder  Steve Jobs http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Steve%20Jobs  from pancreatic cancer last year.

The first iPad was released in April 2010. It went on to sell three million in 80 days and sold just under 15 million that year.

When the iPad 2 was launched a year later, one million people bought the product in the first 28 days.

Source: skynews