Ahead of iPad 3 Release Date 4G LTE Connectivity Rumors Continue to Swirl

LTE iPad 3 Japan

LTE iPad 3 Japan

Apple is expected to unveil and announce iPad 3 release date at a keynote event on March 7th. Over the past few months, a number of reliable sources have claimed that the iPad 3 would be released with not only hardware upgrades, but 4G LTE connectivity as well.

4G LTE roll out plans in the US are still underway and carriers are working towards proving the next generation fast networking to its subscribers. According to iMore’s sources iPad 3 will indeed feature 4G LTE connectivity:

4G LTE networking has been another mystery surrounding the iPad 3, with a compatible Qualcomm chipset becoming available, but international LTE coverage is still slim, and in some cases a year or more away. It sounds like Apple has 4G LTE lined up for iPhone 5 this October, but we’re still not certain if the iPad 3 will get it earlier.

The report notes that the source is same as the one who informed them about Apple’s iPad 3 media event scheduled for March 7th.

The same source that originally told iMore Apple would be holding their iPad 3 event on March 7 has now let us know that the announcement will in fact include 4G LTE networking. We’d heard previously that 4G LTE would be coming to iOS in 2012, but not whether it would make the cut for iPad 3, or whether Apple would save it for iPhone 5 in October.

4G LTE has only become popular over the last year in the United States and is not yet available on every network. If Apple is to include LTE networking, they are going to have to roll out the iPad 3 on Verizon which is currently the only network offering 4G LTE, then transition to others over time.

If Apple chooses not to include 4G LTE, they would have ot wait an entire year until they could include the technology in the iPad 4, although a few reports suggest that LTE model may make an appearance a few months following the initial WiFi only release. Apple’s media event is going to be Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco and will begin at 10AM PT/1PM ET.

{via Mac Rumors}

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