iPad 2 expected to be thinner, faster, supports camera

Black and white versions of the new iPad 2 are displayed during an Apple Special event to unveil the new iPad 2 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. – AFP Photo

Plenty has changed over the course of the year. The iPad became a bona fide smash, essentially creating the tablet category and triggering a wave of me-too products that are just starting to hit the market.

SAN FRANCISCO:  More than a year after igniting the tablet computing craze, Apple Inc prepares to unveil the second version of its blockbuster iPad on Wednesday — possibly minus lead showman Steve Jobs.Now, as rivals Motorola and Research in Motion race to catch up, Apple itself is going through a transformation.There is as much speculation about whether iconic Chief Executive Jobs will take the stage at Wednesday’s event in San Francisco as there is about the new device.Jobs traditionally launches major products with a pizzazz and style that reflect his eye for detail and design. But he took indefinite medical leave last month and Apple has not given details of the cancer survivor’s medical condition.His absence is bound to spark a fresh round of speculation on his condition. And his presence will be scrutinized equally closely for any signals on his health.The new model will support the same 10-inch screen but should be lighter, thinner and faster, according to a plethora of analyst and blog reports. Apple is expected to add a camera to enable video chat using the FaceTime application.Shares of some Taiwanese component makers rose in Asian trade on Wednesday ahead of the launch.Camera module maker Genius Electronic Optical Co Ltd and lens manufacturer Largan Precision Co Ltd were starting new supply deals with Apple, two sources said in December, but neither could confirm for which product the modules were intended.Genius jumped as much as 5.1 per cent before ending 2.5 per cent lower, while lens manufacturer Largan edged up 0.2 per cent in a broader market down 1.2 per cent. Hon Hai Precision , whose parent Foxconn manufactures Apple products, eased 1.8 per cent.“The launch of iPad2 should have been priced in, but another new features released, for example more powerful hardware, could push relevant stocks into another round of growth,” said Mike Fang, a fund manager at Paradigm Asset Management in Taipei.It sold nearly 15 million iPads in 2010 after an April launch, three or even four times as many as some analysts had predicted. The tablet added more than $9 billion in revenue for the company last year.