Apple in No Hurry to Launch iPad3

By Paul Thomson :: 2:01 PM

The rumors that we could see an iPad 3 by year’s end, in time for Christmas, are most likely false. According to an analyst with JP Morgan, while prototype working iPad 3 models are in circulation within Apple and its suppliers, the company is not rushing to get the gizmo produced and out the door.

Part of the slowness in release date, aside from Apple sticking to their regular release schedule, is that there has yet to be a viable alternative to the iPad 2 in the current tablet market. Apple is really facing no competition right now.

Recent tablet offerings from RIM and Motorola have been lackluster and have failed to move consumer sentiment and demand away from Apple’s flagship tablet. As other tablet makers falter in the same way, Apple has a good hold on the market to carry them well into 2012 and release the iPad 3 sometime in the early to middle part of the year.

The only possible competitor could be new tablet offerings from Sony – and while they have enjoyed some good early press (including ours), all bets are off on how the marketplace reacts when they come out. One thing holding everything back is the lack of iOS. Android’s operating system, when it comes down to it, while a good one, has a very hard time up against Apple’s iOS.

So, if you were expecting a shiny new iPad 3 wrapped up under that Christmas tree this year, sorry – Santa is going to have to wait for them just like the rest of us.