The iPad 2, will go on sale March 11 at the same price as its predecessor, starting at $499 for the entry-level device with Wi-Fi only, and going up to $829 for the version with a 3G cellular connection. Consumers can get the cellular iPad 2, which requires a $30 monthly contract, from both AT&T and Verizon.
Apple highlighted the new iPad's lighter weight — 1.3 pounds compared with the 1.5-pound original, as well as the addition of front- and back-facing video cameras that allow users to conduct video chats. The device has a newer computer processor that will make it run faster and allow for smoother performance of video-intensive applications like games and movies.
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Jobs spent considerable time showing off a new case for the iPad. Apple said the case for the original device was too bulky and interfered with its performance. The newer case, which Apple calls a "smart cover," magnetically attaches to the front of the iPad to create a kind of screen protector and automatically puts the machine into sleep mode when it is attached.
Though none of the new features were particularly surprising, analysts felt the incremental enhancements would allow the iPad to keep its place at the top of the tablet market.
"I think they're focused on having a more intimate product," said Sarah Rotman-Epps, a technology analyst at Forrester Research. "It's hard to differentiate one device from another — there are so many of them. And Apple's approach in this post-PC world is to say, 'Hey, we're going to make a device that you kind of want to cuddle with."
Apple announcement
That fits with how people are using their tablets, she added: Forrester found that people are most often on their tablets in the living room and in the bedroom.
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