The Wall Street Journal has published a report confirming that the iPad 3 will feature 4G LTE networking technology for both AT&T and Verizon customers. Apple’s next-generation iPad is expected to be announced on March 7th, and the device is rumored to feature an A6 quad-core processor and Retina display.
Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. will sell a version of the coming iPad that runs on their newest fourth-generation wireless networks, according to people familiar with the matter, as the battle to cash in on big investments in mobile broadband heats up.
Both companies are banking heavily on LTE to attract new subscribers and to get existing subscribers to upgrade to more lucrative monthly smartphone and tablet contracts. Apple’s new iPad, which will work on those LTE networks, would give the country’s two largest carriers a device that could help drum up demand for the faster service, in the way the original iPhone dramatically increased demand for 3G wireless data plans.
The Journal also reaffirms that the iPad 3 will launch in the first week of March. Carriers will assumedly be able to use the device’s launch as a litmus test for how well their networks can handle LTE data traffic. The iPad 3 will be able to switch between 3G and 4G frequencies when needed, according to the report.
