But no Android-powered tablet will ever command the same level of attention as a new iPad device, and the iPad 3 is testament to that fact. Already there’s speculation a plenty about what Apple’s third-generation tablet will entail and one of the most persistent claims from sources close to the launch is that the iPad 3 will feature a Retina Display.

A 9.7-inch IPS Retina Display that’ll reportedly produce a display resolution of 2048x1536 pixels – that’s double what the iPad 2 can currently muster. 

Also expected to be making an appearance inside the iPad 3 is a Samsung-built ARM-based quad-core A6 processor, 1GB of RAM, LTE-support, an updated camera front-facing HD camera, Siri and, unfortunately, pretty much exactly the same chassis as the iPad 2 – although the iPad 3 is said to be 1mm thicker on account of the Retina Display.  
 
iPhone 5 (June)
Most people, including us, expected the iPhone 5 to launch last year. Of course it didn’t and instead we got the Siri-packing iPhone 4S in its place. During the run up to the iPhone 4S’ launch we saw ‘leaked images’ of handsets purported to be the iPhone 5 as well as the usual hyperbole concerning the specs and hardware of the device. In the end we got the iPhone 4S, which while being a great device, was essentially a reboot of the iPhone 4.

2012, therefore, has to be the year that Apple releases the redesigned iPhone 5, right? According to reports, Apple will release the iPhone 5 this year – and sooner than expected too. News of the ‘summer release’ comes via a source inside Foxconn – Apple’s partner in crime in China. The source claims that the design of the iPhone 5 has been finalised and is ready to hit production.

‘The conservative lines of iPhone 4S - basically a remodel of the previous year's iPhone 4 - will be radically redrawn for next year's iPhone 5,’ reports The Daily Mail.

But that’s not all. iLounge claims that Steve Jobs’ ‘refusal to upgrade to a bigger screen is going to be the first thing to go.’ The new iPhone 5 will have a four-inch screen, putting it on a par with many Android rivals.

'Our most reliable source has spoken: expect body changes for the next iPhone,' closed iLounge.

The iPhone 5 is expected to feature a quad-core processor manufactured by Samsung for Apple. It will be known as the A6 and will be based on ARM architecture, just like the A5 CPU before it. According to contrary reports, Apple attempted to distance itself from Samsung by approaching Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). This ended in tears, according to reports, as TSMC could not meet Apple’s standards, forcing the company to go crawling back to Samsung.

According to CNET the A6 chipset will be the first to feature ‘3D stacking.’ 3D stacking, in a nutshell, means that more layers of components can be stacked on top of each other, which means more transistors, hence more power and efficiency that will translate into a much slicker user experience.

LTE, according to reports, will also be present. ‘The next generation device is expected to receive a major overhaul in terms of design and aesthetics, says Redmond Pie, complete with a thinner case, a slightly larger screen and compatibility with the world’s faster, 4G LTE networks. This should really come as no surprise however, as the iPhone 4S featured the same design as its predecessor and it is highly unlikely that the design would make it through to the next release.’
 
Apple iTV (late 2012)
After successfully taking over the PC, smartphone, tablet and music business, Apple now has its sights firmly set on owning the world of TV. And in true Apple-style, the company plans on doing this be reinventing what we normal people generally perceive as a television set.

Not much is known about Apple’s TV set other than its name, which is reportedly iTV. We’ve also heard plenty of rumours about it featuring Siri as well as access to Apple’s iTunes and App Store. One Canadian source, who claims to have seen the device, says it’s like a 42-inch iPad.

The most recent leak regarding Apple’s iTV comes via Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail. ‘The product reportedly integrates Siri, Apple’s voice-recognition software that acts as a personal assistant on the latest iPhone, into television sets to help viewers make programming choices,’ stated The Globe and Mail.

It added: ‘Viewers can then control the TV by voice or hand gestures, all from the comfort of a couch. An on-screen keyboard, meanwhile, can also be activated in a similar manner, allowing viewers to surf the web, conduct video chats and use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook – all without any physical interface.’

Latest rumblings suggest that Apple is looking to release its iTV in the second quarter of 2012. This date, however, has been highly contested by analysts and supply chain expects, which claim that six months isn’t really enough time to finish up production, plan a marketing schedule and secure partnership deals. These are valid points, indeed – but what if Apple has already done these things?

If it has then a late-Q2 release date could very well be on the cards.

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