iPhone, iPad to Receive Major Facelifts in 2012: Report

Dennis Faas's picture

Recently, Apple announced it would revamp its popular MacBook Pro line of laptop computers. Now, a new report suggests the Cupertino-based company will provide similar updates and upgrades for all of its major products, including the MacBook Air, iPad tablet computer, and iPhone, in 2012.

The new MacBook Pro has much-improved hardware, including faster processors and larger hard drives. Luckily for Apple fans, the new MacBook Pro's price point hasn't changed, even though the new hardware upgrades offer considerably better performance than before.

iPad Updates, iPad 3 Expected by Late 2012

Similar updates are coming within the next year or so for a number of other Apple products. Tech blog Digitimes reports that the updates are also coming for the MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone and even iMac in 2012. (Source: pcworld.com)

It's likely that the iPad will receive the first facelift. Rumors suggest that there are currently two iPad prototypes -- called J1 and J2 -- currently being developed by manufacturers TPK Holdings and Wintek. New versions of the iPad will reportedly feature new display panels and LED light bars.

The new additions, however, will not be enough for Apple to call the J1 or J2 the iPad 3. Instead, it would appear the next version of the iPad will be released later in 2012.

"Sources revealed that internally, Apple does not view the new iPad product as iPad 3, but rather an upgraded iPad 2, and the real iPad 3 will not be launched until the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest," Digitimes said in its report. (Source: com.au)

MacBook Pro's Future in Doubt

Digitimes believes it may be some time before the iPhone and iMac get their updates -- in fact, we may not see serious upgrades to these two products until this time next year, the report suggests.

On a different note, the MacBook Pro's update may be one of the line's last overhauls. It's said that sales of the line are relatively low of late, which may not only mean an end to upgrades, but even to the entire MacBook Pro itself.

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