The Wall Street Journal has a report today saying that according to its sources, Apple has already ordered major components for the iPad 3, including display panels and various chips, with a view to an early 2012 launch. Apparently initial orders are for enough parts to make 1.5 million iPad 3s. The WSJ says that it has heard from “people familiar with the situation” that Apple is moving forward with the iPad 3within this time frame because it wants to remain ahead of the competition in the tablet market. The WSJ adds that the next iPad is said to have a high resolution display of 2048 x 1536, compared to the current iPad 2’s display of 1024 x 768. According to the WSJ’s sources, Apple has already put in orders with its suppliers for a 9.7 inch screen. The report adds that some parts have already been shipped to Apple for sampling, and that Apple is due to begin “trial production” of the device in October.

Source: Apple Developing New iPad - WSJ.com
via 9to5 Mac