iPad 3 Release Date Rumors Update: Leaked 'Front Glass Panel' and Germany Launch

iPad 3, Apple's next generation tablet, is expected to debut on March 7 and hence, it's not surprising to find Apple watchers vie with one another in trying to be the first to come out with an authentic leaked photo, that would throw light on what the new tablet will boast of. One such site, Apple.pro, published a photo of an alleged component of iPad 3 though, unfortunately, it had very little new to reveal.

The Taiwan-based blog Apple.pro posted a photo, Tuesday, which it claimed was that of the iPad 3's front glass panel, citing Chinese Sina Weibo - the equivalent of Twitter.

According to MacRumors, the component is almost same as the iPad 2's, except the new one has a relatively long ribbon cable extending up the side of the display.

The front panel of the alleged iPad 3 include a round home button, which is seen in all iOS devices, and a hole in the top bezel to accommodate both the front-facing camera and the ambient light sensor.

The Taiwan-based blog also quoted another Weibo post of the same blogger, saying the iPad 3 will boast of the A5X chip, a dual-core processor, Siri and Retina Display (9.7 inch). The new tablet will launch with iOS 5.1 and a rear-facing camera capable of recording 1080p video. Moreover, the iPad 3 will launch in the U.S. in mid-March with France, Germany, Japan, and the UK to follow in April. Other markets including China and Hong Kong should see the device launch by June 1.

The back shell of the iPad 3, or so it claimed, was leaked Monday from M.I.C. Gadget. According to the photo, one thing can be confirmed - the device will be thicker than its predecessor - only by 1 to 1.5 mm, and the edges will be rounded off gently.

As for Apple fans who want to know the release date of iPad 3, there's some new food for thought - a German site iFun.de suggested, Tuesday, the tablet will launch in Germany on March 23 - only a few weeks after the U.S. release, citing a source to be taken seriously.

The tech giant had released the iPad 2 on March 2 last year, and the tablet hit the market in U.S. on March 11 - a week after the release. the international launch (which included 25 additional countries) was on March 25, including Germany.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPad 3 on March 7 at a media event. If the rumor turns out to be true and Apple employs the same launch time frame as 2011, the tablet might be go on sale in the U.S. on March 16 and, accordingly, the international availability date could be March 30 (Friday), according to Apple Insider.

Must Read: iPhone 5 Release Date: Ciccarese Design Teardrop-shaped Mockup Makes us Want it Now (PHOTOS)

Must Read: iPad 3 Release Date 2012: Qualcomm New Gobi Chip Guarantees 4G LTE Option

Must Read: iPad 3 Release Date 2012: March Debut Could Kill Kindle Fire and PlayBook

Must Read: OnLive Desktop Plus Service Brings iPad Ultra-Fast Web Browser with Full Adobe Flash Support