UAE techies are waiting for iPad3

Following months of speculation, rumours are rife that Apple’s iPad3 will be unveiled on March 7 at an event in San Francisco.

DUBAI - Tech junkies in the UAE believe it’s a product worth waiting for.Following months of speculation, rumours are rife that Apple’s iPad3 will be unveiled on March 7 at an event in San Francisco.

Retailers and iPad fans, meanwhile, are looking forward to its launch. “Apple has been the dominant tablet player in this region and we expect a huge demand for the iPad3 as this will definitely be an improvement on the iPad2. The new product will be incorporating the LTE technology (Long Term Evolution, often called 4G) which allows users to get super high speed data access. The sales of iPad2 have been a major contributor in boosting our revenues last year, accounting for about 15 to 18 per cent of all IT sales,’’ said Ashish Panjabi, COO of Jacky’s Electronics.

Sharon Jennings, a British national said: “I am looking forward to the launch. I use the iPad2 and it has helped me at work. I will wait at least 3-4 months after its launch to buy it once I know what the experts have to say about the product.’’

Biju Nair, an IT technician living in Dubai said he won’t be buying the product as soon as it hits the stands. ‘‘This time around, the product will be facing stiff competition from Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet. The Kindle has a major price advantage over the iPad. The Apple tablet is undoubtedly the best in the market, but I prefer to wait and watch.”

According to reports, iPad3 will feature a retina screen, with four times the previous number of pixels in the display and could also have 4G capabilities for high speed networks.

Tech experts have said that the iPad3 may come with a larger battery, a smaller dock connector, and more storage among several other new features.

Ken Amana, a Nigerian said: “I think it is more of a status appeal. Most people buy an Apple product because it looks cool. I use the iPhone 4S and it took me a good month to figure out most applications on the phone.”

‘‘Apple’s been largely credited for ‘inventing’ the category especially since iPad has by far the best user experience. Most of the iPad users are well acquainted with the product features as Apple ensured that the device was intuitive enough for people of all ages to use,’’ said Panjabi.

He added: “Despite the difficult economy in the past two years, customers were willing to pay a premium for an iPad and iPad2 were sold out as soon as they reached our outlets. It has always been a case of demand outstripping supply as far as iPads have gone, and most of Apple’s competitors have been struggling to create enough demand for their tablets.’’

news@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE