Analyst: Next Apple iPad coming in February with a higher resolution screen

Richard Gardner, an analyst with Citi, told his clients on Thursday that the next Apple iPad will launch in February. The Apple iPad 3 is expected to be equipped with a screen that will have double the resolution of the current model. February certainly sounds like a possible launch date for the next version of Apple's tablet. After all, we recently told you that the Cupertino based company is slowing down production of the iPad 2 to gear up for the Apple iPad 3. Despite this slowdown, the analyst estimates that Apple will ring up sales of 12-13 million iPad units in the current quarter.

As far as the higher resolution is concerned, last month we pointed out how a tablet with Retina display could find itself used more by certain professionals. In aviation, an Apple iPad 3 with Retina display could be used by pilots to replace their bulky flight charts. The FCC doesn't allow tablets to do such a substitution at present due to the resolution available on current devices. Additionally, the higher resolution display will allow the Apple iPad 3 to be used in the medical industry, replacing workstations used by Doctors and Radiologists to make a diagnosis.

Despite rumors that Apple's partners have had continuing problems producing high resolution screens in volume for the Apple iPad 3, the Citi analyst told his clients that "there do not appear to be any significant technical hurdles remaining" that would stop Apple from offering a high-resolution iPad.

source: BusinessInsider