The new iPad has arrived.  Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the event with the phrase “Let’s talk about the digital revolution…” With a full house, loads of conflicting expectations and Sunny San Francisco weather, Apple sets out to shake up the tablet industry it has singlehandedly created.

Since Steve Jobs’ passing last year, this launch is arguably the biggest challenge, and a feather in Cook’s cap.  At the event, he stressed how the iPad did not change the game, but instead created a new one:

“The iPod reinvented the way we listened to music and played games. The iPhone… reinvented the way the phone should be. The iPad, the revolutionary device that defined a whole new category. In many ways, the iPad is outstripping the wildest of predictions.”

After boasting a few figures (62 million iOS devices sold last quarter and 585,000 apps in  theApp Store) and a brief presentation on Apple TV, Cook invited VP for Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller to take the stage and demo the new iPad. And, history unfolds thereafter.
Analysts are quick to jump on the new iPad, Reuters posting an array of insights of how features are set to differentiate the new iPad from its predecessors and rivals alike.

High Definition

Quad core processor sounds exciting, but superior graphics is one of the most glaring features of the new iPad. The A5X chip in the system will deliver the four-fold performance boost in handling graphics, allowing the device to handle sophisticated games, better photo viewing and HD videos. Users can now record videos in 1080p.

Schiller says of the Retina Display, “To this day, no one has matched the display [on the iPhone]. For the first time, the iPad has a higher display than the screen behind me. Photos are just going to look amazing on this high-resolution display… The fonts are amazing and are a step forward: 2,048 x 1,536 resolution. Over 3.1 million pixels— the most ever on a mobile device. Compare that to a high-definition TV, with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, your TV actually has less pixels than the new iPad.”

Compared to the iPad 2, the new iPad carries 44% better color saturation. The next feature introduced is the iSight camera that has a similar optical system as the iPhone 4S: 5 megapixel camera and a 5-element lens. The last feature before moving on to the 4G discussion was something I thought of when I was in sixth grade: a voice dictation button that will translate voice messages to text—an instant scribe right there.

4G

The 4G feature brings more bragging rights for the new iPad.  The 4G LTE support will make photo and video uploading quicker and online browsing speedier. With faster speed, the new photo-beaming feature that allows devices to beam or transmit photos wirelessly to one another will be even more useful. iPhoto also organizes a virtual album for users.

AT&T, Verizon, Rogers, Bell and Telus are the global carriers identified to carry the new iPad with 4G support.

Pricing and Availability

Contrary to expectations that iPad 2’s price will soon significantly decline, consumers should expect otherwise as it belongs to the nascent market. As for the new iPad, Forbes.com estimated that its spike in demands could trigger the pricing to as high as $700. The new iPad will first hit the markets of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Germany on March 16.  The starting price is $499 for 16GB WiFi models, and $629 excluding service plans for those with 4G speeds.

Here’s a rundown of the new iPad features: Retina Display, quad-core processor, 5mp iSight camera, voice dictation button, 1080p camera taking ability, 4G LTE, personal hotspot and 10 hours battery life.

Ever since its introduction in 2010, the iPad has changed the course of mobile devices and summoned rivals to think and rethink their own device lineup. The Kindle Fire is perhaps the only tablet that came close to iPad’s stellar success in terms of sales, but today the iPad remains an integral aspect of Apple’s consumer strategy.