New iPad With Lightning Dock On The Way

(Photo : Apple iPad)

The new iPad with a Retina display is still a relatively fresh release, but it looks like Apple is planning on upgrading it once again in time for the holidays. Apple's October 23 event is expected to introduce a smaller iPad Mini, and alongside side of it, a brand new iPad. 

The 'newer' iPad won't be a radical upgrade from the iPad 3. In fact, the biggest difference consumers will notice is going to be the new Lightning dock. 

The new iPad should also be priced the same as current top-end models, according to the reliable Apple site 9to5Mac. 

The 16GB Wi-Fi model should start at $499, with the 32GB and 64GB models costing $599 and $699 respectively. 

This would mean the 4G LTE version will be priced at $629, $729, and $899, depending on whether you go for the 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB iPad.

The newer iPad should also have upgraded global LTE support, according to the The Guardian, just like the iPhone 5 - welcome news for travelers everywhere.

Apple could also bring small improvements to the processor and battery, although there is no confirmation of this. 

Pricing for the iPad 3 could go down a notch, which would make that a bargain considering you can always buy a 30-pin-to-Lightning dock adapter.

The new iPad will face some stiff competition this fall, with Google planning on releasing a high-end 10-inch tablet of its own. Not only that, the iPad Mini is expected to priced far above other 7-inch tablets such as the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD, so it will be interesting to see if consumers finally trust another brand other than Apple for tablets. 

Would you pick up a refreshed Apple iPad? Or would you simply opt for an iPad 3 at a lower price? 

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