(Credit:

Apple)

The iPad 3 will reportedly come in three versions to handle Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G.

Citing intel from its own sources, 9to5Mac said yesterday that the new iPads will be codenamed J1, J2, and J2a, backing up previous information that it received.

The J1 is likely the Wi-Fi-only model, the blog's Mark Gurman speculates, while the J2 and J2a are probably the cellular versions, offering the necessary mix of GSM, CDMA, and LTE to run on both 3G and 4G networks around the world.

The J1 and J2 codenames have been linked to Retina Display reports, 9to5Mac added, an additional signs that the next iPad will sport a higher-resolution screen.

Related stories

• Apple sends out invites for March 7 iPad event

• The curious case of the missing iPad 3 home button

• iPad 3 could already be winging toward an airport near you

As usual, the iPad 3 will likely be available with three different storage capacities. The current iPad sells as 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB models.

Since Apple increased the maximum storage for the iPhone 4S to 64 GB, 9to5Mac sees a 128 GB iPad as a possibility. However, a 128 GB iPad with 4G LTE capability strikes me as a pricey proposition, and might have a tough time finding customers.

Apple yesterday sent out invites for a March 7 event in which the company is expected to pull back the curtains on its next iPad. A recent report claimed that iPad 3 shipments left China on Sunday headed for airports in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Putting the two bits of information together, 9to5Mac believes pre-orders would start on March 7 or a few days later, while the new iPad itself will officially hit stores one or two weeks after the launch event.

Another item rumored to debut at Apple's March 7 event is a refreshed Apple TV, according to 9to5Mac and other sources. Codenamed J33, the latest version of Apple TV could tempt buyers with a variety of new features, including Bluetooth 4.0 remote control, 1080-pixel resolution, and even support for Siri.

Updated story 10 a.m. PT with rumors on Apple TV.

Comments