Apple iPad 4 hardware refresh announced

Apple showcased the fourth-generation iPad at today's press event in San Jose. This new variant is described as a hardware refresh of the iPad 3, it comes with a new quad-core A6X CPU that promises double the performance of the old A5X chip. Other new features include dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, expanded LTE compatibility, a 720p FaceTime front camera, and the iPhone 5's image processor. It will start shipping on November 2nd.

It's essentially a hardware refresh for Apple's 3rd gen slate, as it packs new A6X silicon with quad-core graphics that the company claims provides double the performance of the old A5X chip. The new iPad also gets dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, expanded LTE compatibility (including Sprint and KDDI), a 720p FaceTime camera on the front and the new image processor first seen in the iPhone 5. Of course, it also gets the reversible Lightning port that debuted on on the iPhone, and will be available in both black and white. Pricing stays the same as its predecessor, with a 16GB WiFi version for $499 and a 16GB model with cellular data on board costs $629.

Source: Engadget