Six reasons iPad 2 will become a huge success for Apple

Since last Wednesday's announcement of the iPad 2, we've heard a lot of tech bloggers stating that they think the newest Apple tablet is going to be a flop. Well, maybe not exactly a failure, but not as successful as the original iPad was.

I think the naysayers are completely out to lunch, and it's not just because I am a rabid fan of Apple products. Follow along as I go through my reasoning as to why the iPad 2 is going to be a resounding success for Apple.

Newer is better (or at least that's the perception)

Unlike the innovators and early adopters who write for tech blogs, there are a lot of people who don't buy the first round of anything; instead, they wait until the second edition becomes available. I heard this a lot from people who were gazing at my iPad with lust in their eyes: "I really want to get one, but I'm going to wait until the second generation comes out."

For those who waited, they now have their chance to get an iPad that is demonstrably better than the first model. It has cameras, it has a dual-core processor, and it has graphics capabilities that are much better than what came with the first-generation iPad. Those people who waited are still in the "early majority" of consumers, so they'll still appear to be ahead of the curve in terms of being technological leaders to their friends.

I think we'll see a lot of people who were on the fence about buying an iPad suddenly deciding to pick up an iPad 2. The features of the newer tablet address many of the complaints that the tech press had about the original iPad, and for a number of people, those features will take down the last barrier to making a purchase decision. Even if the iPad 2's specs aren't a huge step forward over the original iPad, for many people the perception is that "newer is better," and that perception is all it takes for someone to make a purchasing decision.

Click or tap on that read more link to see the rest of this post.

Many networks are better than one

When the original iPad hit the stores last year, it was available only in the United States, and for a while it was Wi-Fi only. When the Wi-Fi + 3G model finally made it to market, it was only available on the AT&T network. For a lot of people on the Verizon network the iPad wasn't an option, as they didn't want to get a Wi-Fi version with a MiFi tacked on.

With the iPad 2, we'll see availability of GSM and CDMA models (as well as the Wi-Fi only version) immediately. Better network coverage by two American mobile carriers will make for less indecision on the part of potential buyers. As noted in the next section of this post, there will also be faster worldwide availability of the iPad 2, most of those devices connecting to GSM-based networks around the globe.

Greater Retail Availability

Last April during the launch of the iPad, there was one place you could buy one: at an Apple Store in the United States. As time went by, availability grew dramatically. AT&T Stores started carrying the iPad, then Verizon was selling them with mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. Best Buy had 'em, along with Target, Walmart and Sam's Club. The iPad is now sold in a huge number of countries worldwide, and the iPad 2 will only see a two-week delay before it starts appearing in overseas markets.

More instant availability in stores is going to make the iPad 2 even more of an impulse buy for people who were considering the original iPad but decided to wait.

FaceTime (almost) everywhere

Although I've heard other tech bloggers pooh-poohing the impact of FaceTime on the iPad, I think that it's going to make the new device even more popular that the original. FaceTime has made it very easy for anyone with a Mac, iPhone, and now an iPad to easily make face-to-face video calls.

So why will FaceTime on the iPad be so compelling? It's the size of the screen. Sure, those Apple iPhone 4 ads last year tugged at the heartstrings and made video calling look like something that all the cool kids were doing. In reality the 3.5" screen of an iPhone 4 doesn't have the impact of the iPad 2's 9.7" screen, even if it does have almost the same number of pixels.

Rather than having the family huddle around an iPhone 4 screen to make a FaceTime call to Dad in Afghanistan, they can now use an iPad 2 to make the call and everyone can see the screen. FaceTime's ease of use compared to other solutions (i.e., Skype, Google chat, and other video chat options) and the new portability of the application on a large-screen device like the iPad 2 are sure to make it a selling point for many potential tablet buyers.

Competition? What competition?

Earlier today, Apple stock blogger "Sammy the Walrus IV" provided an enlightening analysis over at Business Insider about the iPad's market share. While Steve Jobs noted during his talk on Wednesday that "Many have said (iPad) is the most successful consumer product ever launched. Over 90% market share and our competitors were flummoxed," a lot of people were wondering where that number came from. After all, Strategic Analytics had showed the iPad's market share to be around 75% and dropping rapidly.

I won't go through the details here, as Sammy provides a logical argument in his post, but if you look at actual devices sold and not just shipped, Apple's market share does appear to be over 90%. Now, there is a certain percentage of the population that wouldn't buy an Apple product even if it was the only available product in its class, but a lot of people want to go with the market leader. Why? Just because they know that they're making a solid and safe purchasing decision.

During CES 2011, we heard about over a hundred new tablet devices that are expected to hit the market this year. Given the number of manufacturers who are going to be creating "me too" Android tablets, the noise and confusion in that part of the market is going to be tremendous. Sure, a few larger players like Samsung and HTC may pick up market share percentage points here and there, but faced with the overwhelming variety of devices that are going to be coming out, it seems likely that the average consumer will go with the iPad 2 because it's a safe decision.

Apps make the device

Robert Scoble made a good point in a post on March 2nd: "No apps, no sale." For the iPad and iPad 2, there are already 65,000 apps available. As he points out, the highly-touted (and over-advertised) Motorola Xoom has a whopping total of 16 apps, and most of those are smartphone versions that are stretched to fit the larger screen rather than apps that have been specifically designed for the big screen. As we all found out last April, stretched apps look like crap.

As for the other platforms, HP's TouchPad and BlackBerry's PlayBook, there are no apps right now. Zip. Neither of those devices are even shipping right now. Scoble also points out that in terms of hardware specs, most of these devices are remarkably similar to the iPad 2. So what does the iPad 2 have that the others don't? A huge variety and depth of apps.

Conclusion

I'm sure that this post will generate a lot of comments. There will be those who agree with my points and believe that the iPad 2 is going to do even better than the original, and then there will be those who think that the rising tide of Android devices is going to knock Apple out of the tablet business altogether.

Whatever your feelings, we'd like to hear them in the comments. Just one thing: please respect your fellow commenters and don't make personal attacks.

RIM's chief marketing officer resigning

We won't read too much into this, but it comes at an interesting time -- with only a month left before RIM is expected to debut the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, the company's chief marketing officer has resigned. TheWall Street Journal reports that RIM CMO Keith Pardy (formerly with Nokia) will leave due to "personal reasons" after a six-month transition period is up. The publication's anonymous sources add that Pardy actually made the decision a month ago, and that the move "reflects larger turmoil" within RIM -- as opposed to any sort of knee-jerk reaction over the iPad 2 launch, we suppose. To be frank, we're a little worried about the fate of the PlayBook if it's indeed close to launch -- when we tried a prototype at the Game Developer's Conference this past week in San Francisco, the hardware was still pretty solid, but the software was a bit sparse, and what was there felt like it needed more than a few coats of polish.

AT&T going to offer mobile hotspot on iPhone 4 starting March 11th, requires usual $45 data plan

Though it was kind of implied during the iPad 2 event yesterday when we learned that the GSM (that is, non-Verizon) version of the iPhone 4 would be getting iOS 4.3 with mobile hotspot capability on March 11th, we've doubly confirmed with AT&T today that the carrier will be offering the feature right out of the gate -- a departure from the tethering delay of days gone by. Naturally, you'll need the tethering feature added to your account, a $20 surcharge over the standard 2GB DataPro plan for a grand total of $45 with a 4GB bucket. Makes the extra coin a little easier to swallow over cabled and Bluetooth tethering alone, we suppose.

Our Poll: Most Of You Really Do Want The Apple iPad 2

When Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) unveiled its iPad 2 on Wednesday, we took an informal poll to see how interested you all are in buying the device. And it looks like most of the 400 paidContent and mocoNews readers who voted plan on ordering the new iPad as soon as they can (53 percent, or 212 votes) after it goes on sale March 11. See the full results embedded below:

Coming in at second, with 25 percent or 99 of the votes, was the exact opposite sentiment: Meh. I’ll wait for the iPad 3. Ten percent, or 40 of you, plan to wait in line and nine percent—37 readers—are sticking to their first-generation iPads. Meanwhile, three percent—12 of you—lamented (at least facetiously) that you do want the new iPad but you need to sell your Kindle first, or rather, that you want it but don’t have the cash right now.

Two other things worth noting:

—Last night the results were tilted more in favor of waiting for the iPad 3; they shifted overnight to buying the iPad ASAP.

—We didn’t include an option that said, “No iPad for me, thanks.” (We figured if you don’t want an iPad you probably wouldn’t have cared to vote.) But you can continue your comments below.

Apple's new Digital AV Adapter: what it will do and won't do

Apple introduced the iPad 2 today and along with it rolled out a few new accessories to accompany its new tablet. One new cable to hit the retail shelves is the Digital AV adapter which can be used to pipe content from your iOS device to your TV. Not just iPad 2-specific, the adapter is compatible with the iPhone 4, the original iPad, and the 4th generation iPod touch (although it is somewhat limited on those devices, see below).

One side of the adapter plugs into the 30-pin connector on your iOS device while the other connects to an HDMI cable attached to your HDTV. Right next to the HDMI plug is as a second 30-pin connector that lets you charge your iOS device while you are connected to your TV. When you purchase the adapter, don't forget to have a spare HDMI cable as the adapter is packaged alone in its box.

Before you grab one of these adapters, take note that there is a major difference in functionality between the iPad 2 and the older iOS devices. The iPad 2 is the only device that supports mirroring and 1080p HD. With the second generation tablet, you can send your apps, presentations, websites, and more to your HDTV in full HD. The only exception is movies which are streamed at 720p. The iPhone 4, iPod touch 4th gen and iPad will only push over 720p-quality slideshows and movies. The adapter will also send over digital audio to TVs that support this feature.

The Digital AV adapter will be available for $40 from the Apple online store and in Apple retail stores when the iPad 2 becomes available on March 11.

Verizon Being Slated To Cancel Unlimited iPhone Data

According to Verizon’s Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo, speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference, Verizon’s current unlimited data plan is untenable and cannot remain in place forever, a bit of news that is disconcerting at worst and obvious at best.

The operator currently offers a $30/month “unlimited” (but potentially throttled) data plan.

According to a Cellular News report, Shammo said “Why did we do the unlimited $30 plan on the iPhone? Well, the reason we did that was we didn’t really want to put up a barrier to anybody who wanted to come over and experience the Verizon Wireless network. So we felt it was important to go out at the $30.”

Considering Verizon is moving towards a faster LTE network, the pricing will change over the next few months. Verizon customers could lose their unlimited plans as early as this summer, however, making for a class-action-lawsuit-worthy month of July.

The iPad 2 was just announced for a March 11th release on Verizon, but the plans for that device weren’t announced. Chances are unlimited data will not be carrying over to Verizon’s tablet selection.

A Look At The iPad 2: Running Faster, Thinner, And With Two Cameras

The iPad 2 is official: as thought, it’s faster and thinner than the original version.

Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the new device Wednesday. It is about the thickness of the iPhone 4, about one-third as thick as the first iPad. Graphics performance was improved by about 9 times over the original, and a new dual-core chip called the A5 powers the device.

Two cameras are on the iPad 2, one facing the front and one facing the rear. They can capture video as well.

Apple will ship the new iPad 2 next week and it will be available in two colors—black and white—for the same prices as the original iPad, starting at $499. It will run on both Verizon and AT&T’s 3G network when it ships on March 11.

Apple also developed a series of “smart covers,” thin covers for the iPad screen that attach via magnets and come in a variety of colors. When the cover is lifted away from the screen, the iPad automatically wakes from sleep mode, and the cover can also be folded up to act as a stand for the device.

Users can still expect 10 hours of battery life on the device despite the more powerful hardware, Apple said.

Threatened Much? News-Subcription Vendor Trying To Stick It To Apple

In the fall-out from Apple’s recent subscription announcement, some vendors already operating in the online billing chain could be threatened.

One of them is threatened enough to have launched its own full-scale campaign against Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and Steve Jobs…

Outside Apple’s iPad 2 announcement in San Francisco, Zuora, which powers billing for Reed Business Information, Ning, GigaOm and others, handed out this flyer (zoom for detail) and launched its accompanying SaveOurPress.com, each accusing of Apple of treating publishers with contempt…

Whilst some publishers have voiced concern about Apple’s plans and others have maintained a shellshocked, confused silence, there are many billing providers in the publisher chain who could also be affected.

Zuora CEO Tien Tzuo has been on something of a crusade since Apple’s announcement. He wrote about subscriptions on paidContent.org last month.

Today, ahead of Apple’s iPad 2 announcement, which he called a “dog and pony show”, Tzuo told me: “I know some people are on the edge of their seat over ‘one camera or two?’ - but the biggest issue with the iPad 2 is how it and Apple’s Subscription Service are trying to dictate new rules for the publishing industry that could spell disaster for journalists. 

“As I’ve said before, I think this is a dangerous combination. It’s now clear that musicians and app developers wish they hadn’t given the keys to Apple. But the fate of journalism and the news media? That’s something that shouldn’t be left to the iTunes model.”

Apple’s Jobs Saying iPad 2 Makes It Official: PC Era is Done

On the occasion of the launch of the second generation of Apple’s iPad tablet, CEO Steve Jobs essentially declared the end of the two-decade PC era.

“These are post-PC devices that need to be even easier to use than the PC, and even more intuitive,” Jobs said at the end of Wednesday’s iPad 2 launch event in San Francisco, using the phrase “post-PC” a dozen or so times in reflecting on the year since Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) once again put the PC and consumer electronics industries on notice with the launch of the original iPad. Just like the iPhone in 2007, the iPad is quickly showing that people are finally ready for a more intimate computing experience than the one provided by their laptops but now, they want it in an easier to read and use package than a smartphone.

Apple shipped 15 million iPads in the 9 months following its March shipping date through the close of the year. That’s “more than every Tablet PC ever sold,” Jobs cracked, referring to Microsoft’s failed attempt to drive a similar idea into the computer industry a decade ago with its Tablet PC software. Ten years ago the hardware simply wasn’t capable of providing a lightweight computing experience, and Microsoft’s pen-based user interface wasn’t all that popular outside the hardcore geek crowd.

But now all the planets are aligning around lightweight 9-inch-or-so screens that can go all day on a single battery charge and fit comfortably in a purse or backpack. These devices are also allowing software developers and designers to break free their reliance on the keyboard (based on the 19-century typewriter) and mouse input devices to a more natural series of buttons, gestures, and even voice commands. Jobs talked about the dawn of this “post-PC era” last year at the D: All Things Digital conference, but offered numbers and evidence Wednesday that suggests we’re already there.

There’s nothing particularly notable about the iPad 2 as compared to the original. Sure, it’s thinner, faster, and more capable than the original, but it’s basically the same device in terms of what it allows the user to accomplish (modest exceptions such as iMovie and GarageBand aside)

But what it does do is cement Apple’s reputation as the catalyst for this “post-PC” era.

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), the architect of the PC era, is barely present in the so-called “connected devices” market, which for the sake of this discussion includes smartphones, tablets, and ereaders like the Kindle. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is making a valiant attempt to play the foil to Apple’s ambitions but is just getting its first Android version designed specifically for tablets out the door. HP (NYSE: HPQ) and RIM (NSDQ: RIMM) have presented interesting ideas, but have nothing in the market yet.

Apple is 15 million devices into the tablet portion of this era (which doesn’t even count the 100 million iPhones that have shipped to date) and will have its second take out in two weeks, with many expecting they’ll have another more capable model available as soon as this fall. Just as Google’s Android has caught up to the iPhone’s lead, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Apple won’t necessarily have the tablet space to itself forever. But for now, it basically does.

Jobs and Apple believe that their integrated model—in which a single tightly-knit company designs the hardware, software, and services around the device—is the only thing that can succeed in such an era. That’s certainly open for debate: Apple can argue its method produces the “best” device but that leaves plenty of room for those who are willing to cater to other parts of the market, as we’ve seen with smartphones.

It does, however, mean that any publisher or software developer looking to target the tablet experience has no choice but to pay attention to the iPad, because design-by-partners takes time and pain. In the PC era, PC companies like Dell and HP essentially ceded most design decisions to Microsoft and Intel (NSDQ: INTC) and wound up having to compete tooth and nail on price and brightly colored designs. Phone and tablet makers would like to avoid such a fate.

Discussion of a “post-PC” doesn’t mean that all of a sudden PCs suddenly vanish. Just like television didn’t really “kill” radio, and like computers have yet to kill televisions, there’s room for multiple devices in the average home or office and years of opportunity to make money off the PC.

But it does mean that if tech and media companies want to stay relevant over the next decade, they need to pay attention to these trends, which are not flashes in the pan. (See: netbooks) They represent nothing less than a dramatic new opportunity to break free of the constraints of the PC era and invent new ways to combine human ingenuity and processing power.

We wouldn’t have gotten here without the PC, but we’re ready to move beyond it. A generation of kids born after the development of the World Wide Web in 1995 is about to get their driver’s licenses, and they’ll be off at college after that. They’ll probably want some sort of keyboard to type up their term papers, but they are increasingly consuming media on phones and tablets.

And at the moment, Apple offers easily the strongest combination of product, price, and services for those interested in the tablet market. Jobs said time and time again Wednesday that he believes 2011 will be the year of the iPad 2, and while that remains to be seen, it’s clearly going to be the year of the tablet.

Fantasy Slideshow: The Apple iPad 2 In Pictures

Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) today announced its second generation iPad, and as expected, it’s faster, thinner and has dual-facing cameras. Below, check out our slideshow displaying the device’s various new features, including iOS 4.3, FaceTime (NYSE: TWX), PhotoBooth, Mirroring and much more. Do these new features make you want to buy an iPad 2? Take our poll.

Hot : Steve Jobs said to be considering attending iPad 2 event

Word on the street is that our own Uncle Steve, currently on medical leave from his post as CEO of Apple, may be planning another public appearance, specifically at the (iPad 2) press event tomorrow. You may remember Medical Leave Steve from such appearances as dinner with the President, and walkingon Apple's campus.

What's interesting to me is the possibility raised by Kara Swisher. She has an interesting piece over on AllThingsD about her concerns that Steve showing up will be the real headline from the event, regardless of what we hear about the next generation of iPad. It makes sense he'd want to be there, even just behind the scenes. We've heard tell of meetings in his home about the next generation iThings, so of course he'd want to show up to see their grand debut. On the other hand, given the health-related scrutiny he's already under, maybe he'll stay away so there's no chance of his appearance on stage being the headline grabber as people wildly speculate about how he's doing.

If he appears on stage, that'll be nice and I'll be glad to see him, since apparently my invitation to dinner with Uncle Steve and the President got lost in the mail. If he doesn't walk out in his black mock turtleneck and jeans, I like to think he'll be backstage so at least he can peek out and watch the event without being a distraction.

Not that it matters much either way; we'll all be glued to the live coverage to learn about the new hotness from Cupertino.

To iPad 2: The rumor buzz

As Apple's March 2nd iPad announcement draws near, the Interwebs are alive with rumors. In no particular order, here's the buzz that we're seeing flick across our in-boxes today.

• Will Apple produce a White iPad? That's what the 9 to 5 Mac blog thinks might happen, based on iPad parts they "acquired" early.
• The Wall Street Journal suggests that the iPad 2 will be more streamlined than its big brother, with a thinner and lighter build. They're also expecting models for both AT&T and Verizon data plans.
• iLounge is predicting both dual-cameras as well as an onboard SD slot. MacRumors has evidence that supports the much anticipated iPad camera scenario.
• If you're looking for a louder iPad, Gizmodo believes the iPad 2 may deliver a larger speaker system along with a more streamlined iPod-styled back face.
• PC Magazine notes that retail channels for the original iPad have begun to dry up, which may indicate an earlier shipping date than the more generally accepted early April timeframe, the anniversary of the original iPad.
• Numerous websites including Cult of Mac are considering the possibility that tomorrow's iPad will be a "disappointing spec bump" with a major redesign happening later this year, perhaps six months down the line. Bringing the iPad into refresh synchrony with the iPod (and maybe the iPhone) could be a valuable change on Apple's part.
• The Business Insider wonders if Apple will introduce a new Social App, perhaps linked to the iPad, and thinks that an iOS 5 announcement is very likely.

What other rumors are you reading about? Let us know in the comments.

Oddsmakers make book on the iPad 2 event

Just before every Apple event, we get the word from Tony Harvey and the oddsmakers at Bookmaker.com. This time, they've set the odds on what to expect from the iPad 2. While these guys aren't tech pundits -- they're high stakes online sports bookies -- we thought you'd like to see what they came up with in terms of odds on various features for the upcoming iPad.

In each case on the table (click "read more" to see it), the +/- indicates the return on the wager, while the percentage is the likelihood that response will occur. I'm not a betting man, but I indicated my selection by putting it in green on the table. In all cases, I pretty much agreed with the oddsmakers. I did take exception to two of the items listed -- the "slimmer, lighter, and retina display" because I feel that it will be slimmer and lighter, but won't have a retina display, and the "non-smudge screen & gyroscope" because I don't think it will have a non-smudge screen.

We'll find out for sure tomorrow morning at 10 AM PST. Be sure to join the TUAW team for our metaliveblog of the event.

Note: The numbers displayed here are for entertainment purposes only and do not represent an endorsement by TUAW.com that you bet on any Apple event.

We're now liveblogging from Apple's iPad 2 event tomorrow... be there!

There's really no telling what could happen tomorrow at Apple's little event. Sure, the company could talk about its success with iOS devices, how well the iPad has sold, and then introduce a brand new version of the wildly popular tablet... but maybe there'll be surprises too. We can't say for sure at this point, but that's okay, because come 10AM PST (1PM EST), we're going to be delivering all the news as it happens with the industry's best liveblog right here on Engadget.

If you want to follow along with the action, tune into this URL right here at the times below tomorrow. Just make sure you've got the popcorn and sodas ready -- this is going to be a fun one.

08:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
11:30PM - Mumbai
03:00AM - Tokyo (March 3rd)
05:00AM - Sydney (March 3rd) 

Apple Sending Out Invites For Their March 2nd iPad Event — We’ll Be There Live!

Boom! One way or another, word of a March 2nd Apple event trickled out yesterday morning — and sure enough, the invite just hit my inbox.

Apple’s straying from their generally coy approach with this invite. There are no mysterious curtains or cryptic guitars for people to spend hours poring over in Photoshop here — they straight up put a picture of an iPad right on the invite, right behind a big ol’ number “2″.

The event will take place in San Francisco on March 2nd at 10 A.M. Pacific. We will, of course, be there live, bringing back every juicy detail at a breakneck pace.

So What Will They Announce?

As with any Apple announcement, this one is (mostly) shrouded in secrecy. With that said, when the entire world is watching and analyzing your every move, it’s more or less impossible to keep things entirely under wraps. A few leaks have sprung up here and there that give us some idea of what to expect.

iPad 2

This one’s pretty much a given, as they put an iPad right on the invite. With the rumor mill churning over the idea of an iPad 2 since just a day or two after the launch of the first, all sorts of crazy possibilities have been whispered at one point or another — but here’s what we’re expecting:

• A tapered, slimmer form factor
• A faster processor (possibly the first device to use Apple’s A5 Processor)
• The addition of both front and rear cameras
• SD Card Slot
• Improved speakers, with a new speaker grille design

The New Final Cut Pro:

Just when many were beginning to think Apple’s Final Cut Pro video editing software had been put out to pasture, we found out that Apple was actually hosting top-secret meetings with select video editors to offer them a preview of the software.

Will Apple choose to share the iPad 2′s spotlight with Final Cut Pro? Perhaps not — but with this next build of Final Cut Pro reportedly looking polished up and better than ever, there’s really no better time.

OS X 10.7 Lion Dates:

It’s been just over four months since Apple gave the world a sneak-peek at Lion, the latest in their series of big-cat-named overhauls for OS X. Over the last month or so, we’ve seen a dramatic spike in the number of folks visiting TechCrunch while running Lion. When we start to see those numbers climb, it generally means the OS X engineers a pretty far along in their testing process.

Though Apple almost undoubtedly has a trick or two hiding in Lion’s mane, we already know a solid number of its features:

• Apple’s New OS X App Store, which has been available for a few months now through Software Update, will be included out of the box
• Lots of multi-touch gestures, all built around OS X’s new Mission Control system
• Full Screen Applications
• Application home screens, much like the home screens found on the iPhone and iPad
• Apps that auto-save/auto-resume

Again, it seems unlikely that Apple would spend much time at their iPad event talking up Lion. It’s quite possible, however, that they’ll take the opportunity to announce when Lion will be available for developers to preview.

Mobile News: iPad 2 Next Month?; Xoom / Flash; Windows 8 Tablets

—iPad 2: Sightings and hints of Apple’s next-generation iPad have been cropping up here, there and everywhere in the past several weeks. Today we got one more indirect clue: stock of the current crop of devices is, apparently, running out. 9to5 Mac is taking this as a sign that a new iPad could be coming as soon as next month. In Europe, it notes, major reseller Carphone Warehouse has run out of 64 GB WiFi model, and all 3G models; while operators like T-Mobile and Orange have reduced the price on their 16 GB 3G/WiFi devices by half, to £99.99, for those taking them with two-year 3G contracts. Real shortages/stock shifting or supply issues and two operators keen to drive sales after a lacklustre start to their subsidised iPad push? We’ll only know for sure next month. In the meantime, real fans can already start picking out their favorite color of case (pictured).

—Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Xoom: On the back of the latest teaser ad for the Xoom, a 15-second “grab it and it grabs you” clip (embedded below) that continues the sci-fi, brave new world theme introduced in the Xoom effort for the Super Bowl, it now looks like the tablet, due to launch this Thursday and priced at $800, will not come with Flash support until this spring. Up to now, Android tablet makers have been touting Flash support as a key differentiator against the iPad. 

—Windows 8: Tablets running Windows 7 have never really taken off, with reports criticising their battery life and touch interface as inferior to those of the iPad and Android-based devices. Now there are reports that Windows 8 tablets, which will aim to fix these issues, might be out as early as the end of this year. A research note from Morgan Stanley says that a tablet running Windows 8 on an ARM-based chipset could be out by the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. Apparently Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) has put 1,000 engineers to on the project to make sure it runs smoothly.

Apple's Next iPad to be Smaller, Faster; Also Have Same Old Resolution

An unusual number of details are circulating about the next iPad, considering Apple normally has its releases on lockdown. Recent leaks have not been particularly specific, but they do provide an overall sense of what can be expected from Apple's next offering.

In terms of size and design, insiders say that the next generation iPad will be both thinner and lighter, and could feature a speaker grille. It will also have a front-facing camera for Apple's FaceTime video chatting software.

The iPad 2 should maintain the same 1024 x 768 screen resolution that the current iPad features. Internally, there will be several hardware upgrades, as Apple improves memory storage, processor speed, and includes a better graphics processor.

Analysts from Piper Jaffray & Co. estimate that, between the current version and the release of the iPad 2, 27 million iPads will sell in 2011. Another analyst firm, IHS iSuppli, agrees that this year should see record iPad sales, but also believes that Apple will not be able to sustain the 75% market share it enjoyed last quarter with steeper competition this year. IHS estimates that iPads will account for less than 50% of the tablet market, while the number of Android devices surges.

There's also no word yet on Apple unveiling the iPad 2 to the public. Last week TabletPCReview reported that Apple could very possibly include an iPad 2 showing at an iOS 4.3 release event. However, Apple just released a third beta version for the operating system, so the full release, and a chance for an iPad 2 appearance, will not come until later this month.