It has been officially confirmed that Sprint would be able to offer 4G LTE iPhone 5, that is, if Apple releases one during the expected Fall timeframe. Sprint’s ability to operate Apple’s 4G LTE iPad 3 came into question when the Cupertino company only released a 4G LTE iPad on Verizon and AT&T. Currently, Sprint does not have a widespread 4G LTE network and is working to release the new technology in six cities by mid-year. The network may be limited to major areas such as Chicago and New York City, which are prime testing locations for major carriers.

In a report released Tuesday by NASDAQ, it was confirmed by Sprint Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer that Sprint is indeed planning a 4G LTE network, although he did not specify whether Apple would be releasing a 4G LTE iPhone on the network, if at all this year. Currently, AT&T and Verizon have rolled out their 4G LTE networks to major parts of the United States, with reports also confirming that Verizon will be making 4G LTE phones on their network a “hard requirement”.

According to the NASDAQ report, Sprint is currently in a contract with Apple for $15.5 billion worth of iPhones, which won’t make the carrier any profit until 2015. Initially, this is what worried many who wondered if Sprint would be getting not only the new iPad, but a possible 4G LTE iPhone down the road. With Sprint’s CFO confirming that 4G LTE is on the horizon, it is now clear that Sprint is able to and will pursue LTE technology, compete with both AT&T and Verizon, and offer an LTE iPhone down the road.

{via NASDAQ – Image Credit: LA Times}

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}

As iPad 3 release date announcement nears rumors about technical specification of the third-gen iPad continue to pour in. Apple on Tuesday sent invites to the media for iPad 3 keynote event which is scheduled to be held on March 7th, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

According to a tweet posted by CNBC Apple’s iPad 3 tech specs would include a quad-core processor and 4G LTE network capability. The tweet mentioned that the keynote event would be held in New York which turned out to be false as Apple has already confirmed the venue of the event.

Rumors surrounding iPad 3 tech specs have been circulating the web since a long time and most reports and speculation seem to agree on the fact that the third-generation iPad will feature a faster processor with enhanced graphics. While most reports suggest it will be a quad-core processor, an A5X SoC image has been leaked which suggests that Apple could be looking at introducing minor changes to its custom-built processor. The company is known to be working on A6 and A5X simultaneously so it will be interesting to see the official iPad 3 specification once the device is unveiled on March 7th.

In addition to a faster processor many rumors suggest Apple will finally introduce 4G LTE networking on iOS devices with the iPad 3. Apple has not shown much excitement when it comes 4G or LTE networks as the company believes that it could cause serious strain on the battery.

iPad 3 is also rumored to have a slightly thicker back panel to accommodate larger battery so it’s highly possible that with improved battery life Apple could bring 4G LTE to the iPad.

In addition to these tech specs, iPad 3 is expected to have retina display with a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels and a much improved rear-facing camera.

A report from Nikkei Business in Japan released on Wednesday suggests that Apple is looking to bring an LTE model of its popular iPad to Japan as early as next summer. Currently, all iPads have the ability to operate on a network’s 3G data network, although many carriers have already upgraded their towers with 4G connectivity. The report suggests that carrier NTT DoCoMo has worked out a deal with Apple that would bring the device to the market with LTE connectivity.

If NTT DoCoMo does strike a deal with Apple, this would be the first time that any Apple product saw LTE technology. However, negotiations may still be in the works due to the fact that NTT DoCoMo is hesitant about letting Apple control unit volume and its refusal to allow the carrier to add its own applications to the device.

LTE provides a much better experience with faster data speeds, more efficiency, and faster connectivity. Verizon is currently ahead of the LTE competition, building out its network to support it on multiple phones. AT&T is still developing its LTE networks and Sprint has yet to announce any plans. Apple may likely be working on deals of its own with Qualcomm to purchase LTE chips for the iPad 3 and iPhone 5.

{via MacRumors}