IPad 3 expected to launch in March

Apple Inc.'s next iPad, expected to go on sale in March, will sport a high-definition screen, run a faster processor and work with next-generation wireless networks, according to three people familiar with the product. The company's manufacturing partners in Asia started ramping up production of the iPad 3 this month and plan to reach full volumes by February, said one of the people, who asked not to be named. The tablet will use a quad-core chip, an enhancement that lets users jump more quickly between applications, two of the people said. The Cupertino, California-based company has been working on making the iPad compatible with a wireless standard called long-term evolution, or LTE, said one of the people. Carriers such as Verizon Wireless and ATT Inc. are rolling out LTE networks to give users faster access to data. Smartphone makers, including Samsung, Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and Nokia, have already introduced smartphones that work on the faster networks. Apple is bringing LTE to the iPad before the iPhone because the tablet has a bigger battery and can better support the power requirements of the newer technology, said one of the people. The new display is capable of greater resolution than the current iPad, with more pixels on its screen than some high-definition televisions, the person said. The pixels are small enough to make the images look like printed material, according to the person. Videos begin playing instantly because of the additional graphics processing, the person said. Mass production began at the start of this month, with factories running 24 hours a day in China.