iPad 3 Release Date March 2012: iPad 2 Price Drops by $50 at Best Buy

Best Buy dropped the iPad 2 price by $50 for all models, and big-box department store Meijer reduced the 16 gigabyte Wi-Fi version by $70 in advance of the iPad 3 release date set for March 7, 2012. While Apple could announce the iPad on March 7, it might be another week after that the new tablet goes on sale in the U.S. Whether or not it debuts at $500 for the 16 gigabyte Wi-Fi version isn't yet known, but it could debut at an even higher price than ever before because of its new features like a high-definition display.

iPad 3 will also feature 4G lTE connectivity, the first iPad or iPhone to include such a feature. Because of the 4G antenna, the new iPad may not be much thinner than the iPad 2 that was already quite thin. Additional features include a new eight megapixel camera and perhaps a larger battery to accommodate those 4G speeds. With the iPad 2 now at $450, it's in the best position ever to further squash any competition from competitors. Despite its often higher price than other 10-inch tablets, iPad has sold more tablets than all other combined. Tablet makers like Samsung, Asus, Motorola and now Amazon have tried hard to get a piece of the tablet action with only the Kindle-Fire making any waves as far as becoming a big seller. That may be in large part due to its $200 price tag, but for other 10-inch tablets, no one comes close to the iPad sales numbers.

The week of February 27, nearly every tablet maker in the world will show off their newest devices at the Mobile World Congress, and those manufacturers will spend the rest of 2012 trying to convince people their tablets are better than the iPad. Tell us in the comments if you're thinking of getting a price cut iPad or if you're waiting for the iPad 3 even if it costs more.

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