Apple Announces New iPad with Retina Display, A5X Processor

As expected, Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced the next iteration of the iPad during his keynote at the company's San Francisco press event.

The tablet, which Apple is referring to as "the new iPad" rather than the expected "iPad 3," features the same form factor as the current line of iPad hardware, though the screen and processor have seen a significant upgrage.

The new Retina Display features a resolution of 2048 by 1536, which works out to a pixel density of 264 ppi. Existing apps will upscale automatically, but Apple has rejiggered its official lineup to take advantage of the high resolution and is encouraging developers to folow suit with their existing and future projects.

Under the hood, the new iPad features a A5X processor with quad-core graphics, allegedly four times as fast as the fairly new Tegra 3 chip that's being used in other tablet lines.

The new model also features 4G LTE support across with models for several US carriers, as well as a much improved iSight camera that features auto-exposure, auto-focus, a 5 megapixel backside-illuminated sensor, and support for 1080p stabalized video. It's effectively the same camera that's in the iPhone 4S, but a decided step up from the cameras offered in the iPad 2 and other popular tablets.

The 16GB Wi-Fi model will retail for $499, while the 16GB 4G model will go for $629. Upping either model to 32GB and 64GB will tack another $100 and $200 onto the pricetag, respectively.

Pre-orders for the new iPad begin today. The tablet launches March 16 in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, and March 23 elsewhere.