Apple's Steve Jobs unveils iPad 2 and announced iOS4.3

 Apple CEO Steve Jobs had unveiled Apple's new Tablet device iPad 2 during an Apple event in San Francisco.


Steve Jobs returned from his medical leave to unveil the next-generation iPad. The new iPad is thinner than an iPhone 4, boasts faster processing speeds, and sports two cameras for Apple's FaceTime feature.

Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPad 2 on stage during an Apple event in San Francisco, California March 2, 2011. Jobs took the stage to a standing ovation on Wednesday, returning to the spotlight after a brief medical absence to unveil the second version of the iPad.
Photograph by: Beck Diefenbach, Reuters

Steve Jobs said below thing at a launch event,

'While others have been scrambling to copy the first generation iPad, we're launching iPad 2, which moves the bar far ahead of the competition and will likely cause them to go back to the drawing boards yet again,'

Apple has also designed its own case for the iPad 2, called Smart Cover. The case uses a magnetic hinge, folds into a stand for typing, and will wake or put to sleep the tablet when opened or closed, respectively.

The iPad 2 comes in both black and white versions, and will be available in the US from March 11.
Prices start at $499 for a WiFi-only model. There are a total of nine different iPad 2 models, with Verizon and AT&T having their own distinct 3G versions.

 iPad 2 uses Dual-core A5 chip to improve performance.


With the announcement of tablet versions of its Garageband and iMovie apps, it is hoping the new iPad will be used as a content-creation device instead of being just a deivce of media consuming.

Find below the comparison of iPad 2 with iPad and Motorola Xoom.

	iPad	iPad 2	Motorola Xoom
Processor	1GHz Apple A4	1GHz Apple A5	1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2
Memory	256MB	Unknown	1GB
Storage	16GB, 32GB, and 64GB	16GB, 32GB, and 64GB	32GB + microSD card
Display	9.7-inch 1024 x 768	9.7-inch 1024 x 768	10.1-inch 1280 x 800
Dimensions	242.8mm x 189.7mm x 13.4mm	241.2mm x 185.7 mm x 8.8 mm	249.1mm x 167.8mm x 12.9mm
Weight	1.6 lbs (3G model) 1.5 lbs (wi-fi model)	1.34 lbs (3G model) 1.33 lbs (wi-fi model)	1.6 lbs

Steve Jobs had announced about iOS4.3 also.

Version 4.3 includes a faster Safari, enhancements to AirPlay and the Personal Hotspot feature.

AT&T iPhone 4 users will also get the Personal Hotspot feature included on the new Verizon iPhone - contingent on AT&T's support for the feature, they'll be able to share their phone's 3G data connection with up to five wi-fi enabled devices.

Steve Jobs has been out on medical leave since late January and his reappearance, in trademark turtleneck and jeans, bolstered Apple shares and reassured investors and fans worried about his health.

You can see more details about iPad 2 in Apple's official website here.

FastCompany.com is saying that iPad 2 will revolutionize Education  as the New features of iPad 2 facilitate remote learning, exploration, and stylish lectures.

Apple shares rose 0.8 percent to close at $352.12 on Nasdaq.

Industry watcher DigiTimes reports that Apple is still on track to have roughly 40 million iPad tablets built and shipped in 2011. The site stated that Apple plans to ship up to 6.5 million iPad tablets in the first quarter of this year.

Apple shipped 7.3 million iPad units in its last fiscal quarter, which ended on December 25, 2010.

And, it seems Apple is giving refund for the recent buyers of first-generation iPad. Appleinsider.com has reported below thing.

Customers who bought a first-generation iPad in the last two weeks can opt to return their device to Apple, or request a $100 refund, now that the iPad 2 has been announced. Also, the company will release a new dock designed to fit the smaller form factor of the iPad 2, though no new keyboard dock has been shown.

According to research firm Strategy Analytics, market share of Apple iPads had fallen to 75% at end of 2010. It was 95% until September 2010.
This down is due to the arrival of scores of new tablet devices, mainly based on Google's open-source Android system.
Other platforms have also begun to appear, including Microsoft's Windows 7 and HP's WebOS.

Ovum analyst Adam Leach says,

"Devices based on Google's platforms will only overtake those based on Apple's platform by 2015, when we forecast 36% and 35% market shares respectively"

What do you think about this analysis?
Are you willing to see the fast growth of Google Android devices over Apple devices?
If you still like Apple Devices than open source Android devices, do you have any specific reason for liking Apple devices? You can share your thoughts thro' the comments section.


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