With Bloomberg today publishing an extensive article about the imminent arrival of the iPad 3 in March, I think we can safely say that this is now much more than a rumour. So many reputable news outlets and Apple experts are now confidently stating that we can expect the next iPad in March, that I’d say it’s almost a done deal. And Bloomberg actually has some very juicy details too, some of which we’ve heard before, and some of which we haven’t. According to Bloomberg’s sources, Apple’s manufacturing partners started production this month, and are on schedule to reach full volumes in February. Bloomberg says that according to two of its sources, the iPad 3 will have a quad-core chip, which enables you to switch quickly between apps. Talk of the next iPad being quad-core has been floating around the past couple of weeks.

Bloomberg’s sources also said that Apple has been working on making the next iPad long-term evolution (LTE) compatible, with such carriers as Verizon and AT&T rolling out their own LTE networks, which provide customers with faster access to data. Bloomberg says that Apple is bringing LTE to the iPad first, before the iPhone, because the iPad has a larger battery and is therefore able to handle the power demands of the new LTE technology.

Bloomberg’s very talkative source also told them that the iPad 3’s display will have a better resolution than the iPad 2, and will have more pixels than even some high-def TVs! The source says that the pixels are so small that they make the images look like printed material. You can also expect videos to start playing almost instantaneously on the new iPad thanks to the additional graphics processing power.

According to the source, manufacturing is already in full swing, with factories in China currently running flat out for 24 hours a day. They’ll take a break to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January, and then reach a production peak in February. iPad 3, here we come!

Source: iPad 3 with LTE, Quad-Core Processor and Retina Display Set for March Launch - Mac Rumors
IPad 3 Said to Have High-Def Screen, LTE - Bloomberg