According to a report on 9to5 Mac today, Apple is gearing up to launch the iPad 3 as soon as February 24, 2012, to celebrate what would have been the late Steve Jobs’ birthday. The news comes via Focus Taiwan and the Chinese Economic Times newspaper, which states that Apple has this very special anniversary celebration in mind. According to the newspaper,its information comes from Taiwanese manufacturers in Apple’s supply chain, who say that the first iPad 3 shipment could break the four million unit mark. As 9to5 Mac notes, if the iPad 3 actually does go on sale on February 24, that must mean that Apple will be holding an event to launch it fairly soon. Other clues that point to a February launch are reports that Apple’s preferred iPad manufacturer, Foxconn, has told its workers that they can only have five days leave during the Lunar New Year in 2012, and case manufacture CatcherTechnology has also told its employees that they will have to do overtime during the Lunar New Year celebrations. 9to5 Mac concludes on a hopeful note by saying that Apple has a track record of releasing products on Steve Jobs’ birthday in previous years, such as the Thunderbolt MacBook Pros this year, and the new Safari 4 beta in 2009.

Source: Report claims Asian suppliers scramble to meet special iPad 3 launch date: Jobs’ Feb. 24 birthday anniversary | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence

You gotta love all these rumors, I doubt that this one is true, let's see if it's going to come out on the 24th of February that means that Apple (if they stay true to the way they usually release things) will have to announce and show it in January and start taking preorders for the upcoming release. That means that a majority of people that just bought an iPad 2 for Christmas will be really upset, as a matter of fact it MIGHT be within the 30 day return window and Apple would get a lot of them back. You can accuse Apple of a lot of things but being stupid is certainly not one of them. I see NO upside to Apple doing this, Steve's birthday or not, just my 2¢.

Would be very cool though, you have to admit!

Feel sorry for the Chinese workers if that's the case. No chance to go home to far flung family villages in five days, given poor travel options for those on limited incomes. New Year's is a big deal for Chinese families, like Christmas is for many other cultures.

Originally Posted by Kaykaykay

Feel sorry for the Chinese workers if that's the case. No chance to go home to far flung family villages in five days, given poor travel options for those on limited incomes. New Year's is a big deal for Chinese families, like Christmas is for many other cultures.

Oh. Okay, then.

Not so cool....

Another thing rumors like these are not good for Apple, there are a lot of people who want to buy iPad2's right now but if the new one is going to be out in less than rwo months well they may consider not pulling the trigger (I know I would wait).

That is why one does his research and learn. Knowledge is power. Even I know that Apple typically releases every year. So I think that the 3 will be out in the Spring, April, May...

I'd wait, too, but because of Apple's production track record, not this rumor.

Originally Posted by b00bie

Another thing rumors like these are not good for Apple, there are a lot of people who want to buy iPad2's right now but if the new one is going to be out in less than rwo months well they may consider not pulling the trigger (I know I would wait).

I think that Apple probably love the rumours, people all over the world discussing their brand and what's coming next, all the advertising money in the world can't buy you that......and if it's wrong information, who are the only people who can't be blamed, why, it's Apple as they have said nothing.

The Archangel

Originally Posted by Gabriel1

I think that Apple probably love the rumours, people all over the world discussing their brand and what's coming next, all the advertising money in the world can't buy you that......and if it's wrong information, who are the only people who can't be blamed, why, it's Apple as they have said nothing.

The Archangel

Well there's a saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity, but something of this nature MIGHT make people put off a purchase....