As ever the iPad 2 release date, specifications and price are closely guarded secrets, but that doesn't mean there aren't some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider surrounding the next iPad.
More storage
A full 64GB gives iPad owners plenty of room for music, videos and apps, but how is it that a device this large still has less storage than the pocket-sized 160GB
iPod Classic that came out in 2007? We expect Apple to push capacity to 128GB next time around, even if they do decide to mark it up five times the actual cost of the memory.
4G connectivity
If Apple wants to continue to position the iPad as a netbook alternative, 4G will become a necessity. Apple’s sweetheart deal with AT&T may pose a problem, since the company has yet to roll out any 4G service areas, but if plans to begin deploying it in 2011 hold true, Apple might just be able to offer it in the next-gen iPad next spring. On the other hand, if the contract ends, Apple might be able to produce a WiMax version and sell it on networks like Sprint.
Regular SIM tray
Was there ever any need to shrink the iPad’s SIM card a few millimeters and sacrifice standardization in a device the size of a book? Absolutely not: Using the oddball micro SIM was one more attempt to keep 3G iPads on AT&T instead of wandering off onto other GSM networks through unlocking. Let’s hope Apple stops letting its worse half call the shots, and gets it right next time around.
Flat back
Ever set your iPad on a table you know, like you would with a book? It wobbles and spins around like a dreidel in December. We get the whole curvy design Apple was going for, but let’s face it, it’s just plain impractical. Make it flat so we can actually set it down on a coffee table without watching it break dance.
iPad 2 specs: cameras and a better screen
Gizmodo reckons that FaceTime support's a given, and that means a front-facing camera like the iPhone 4. We'll be amazed if the iPad second generation is camera-free.
iPad 2 specs: retina display
Will the gorgeous screen from the iPhone 4 make its way to the iPad? The Apple Blog thinks so: "You can be sure that Apple's Retina Display, or something very close, will make its way to iPad".
Then again, such a screen would massively increase the number of pixels, increasing the demands on both the iPad's processor and its battery, so a nine-inch Retina Display probably isn't imminent. A seven-inch might be possible, though, but that depends on
