Apple iPad 2 to launch in UK on March 25th
Sequels aren't usually any good, but the iPad 2 is thinner, lighter and faster. Plus, it should cost no more than the original.
Of course, with new hardware comes new software. The iPad 2 will ship with iOS 4.3. Safari performance has been improved greatly, running around twice as fast as before. iTunes home sharing means you can wirelessly stream media from your iTunes library on your computer to your iPad 2 – but this feature will also work on the original iPad, plus the iPhone.
iOS 4.3 also adds AirPlay (a way to send video wirelessly to the new version of the Apple TV) features including being able to view the same photo slideshows as the Apple TV. Also, websites and apps can play video and audio via AirPlay rather than it being limited to videos playing in the iOS devices’ own video player. Another addition lets users assign a mute or rotation to the iPad’s switch.
In terms of software, PhotoBooth has been added to take advantage of the iPad 2’s new cameras. This should feel familiar to anyone used to the application on their Mac. It allows you to apply wacky effects to live video from the cameras, and take photos when you see the effect you want.
FaceTime is another obvious update for the iPad 2. You can use FaceTime between iPads, between iPads and iPhones, and between iPads and Macs. As with the iPhone 4, you can easily flip between the front and rear cameras, and move the thumbnail image of yourself to any position on the screen. iOS 4.3 will be available as a free download on March 11th for the iPhone 4 and current iPod Touch as well as the two iPad models.
New apps on the App Store include iMovie for iPad. This includes a precision editor, multitrack audio recording, new themes (eight in total), support for AirPlay and direct uploading (including in HD) to popular video sharing sites, including YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo. Jobs commented, “This is not a toy”. It’s also available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. In a demo, we saw it working in both portrait and landscape modes, as well as the ability to record video from the iPad 2’s rear camera. The interface is broadly similar to iMovie on the Mac, meaning it’s simple to trim clips, precisely adjust transitions and add clips to the timeline. Lots of work has been done on the audio side of things, and it’s possible to adjust the audio level of clips. You can also drag and drop over 50 audio effects to enhance videos. Plus, you can use the iPad’s microphone to record a voiceover.
Apps is one area where Apple trounces other tablets. There are already 65,000 apps optimised for the iPad. In a jibe directed at competitors, Jobs said their products launched with “at most 100 apps in their app stores, and that’s being generous”.
Jobs ended the presentation by saying that 2011 was “clearly the year of the iPad 2”. We’re inclined to agree, especially if the iPad 2 really will cost the same as the current model in the UK. We’ll bring you a full review of the iPad 2 as soon as we can.
