By Mark Milian, CNN
March 2, 2011 7:11 a.m. EST | Filed under: Mobile
Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage in January 2010 to unveil the iPad. Some reports say he could do so again Wednesday.
San Francisco (CNN) -- Apple got a huge head start in the touch screen tablet race with its iPad, but in recent months its rivals have begun catching up.
Now Apple is hoping to widen its lead again.
Apple appears poised to announce an upgraded version of its iPad tablet computer on Wednesday in San Francisco. CNN will be reporting live from the event, which starts at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET). Look for live updates on our @cnntech Twitter feed and on CNN.com/tech.
The Cupertino, California, company sent out invitations last week featuring a calendar page with a "2" on it, peeling back to reveal a glimpse of an iPad-shaped device underneath.
So what, exactly, will happen at Apple's much-awaited event? It's hard to say for sure. But based on reports, here's what many observers expect:
• The new version of the device, which some are calling the iPad 2, will likely be slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor, which weighs 1.5 pounds.
• It will have at least one camera designed for video chatting, a faster processor and a revised hardware design.
• Some pundits predict the iPad 2 will have a higher-resolution screen -- like the iPhone 4 -- although others say such technology would be too expensive to keep the device's base price near its current $500 level.
• Most observers expect a new operating system that may include wireless hot spot support for AT&T iPhones.
• There are even rumors that the new iPad will also come in white. (Of course, we heard that about the iPhone 4, too, and we're still waiting.)
• And finally, there's the question of which Apple exec will introduce the new iPad onstage. The obvious contenders are Apple COO Tim Cook, filling in for CEO Steve Jobs, who is on medical leave; or marketing chief Phil Schiller, who pinch-hit for an ailing Jobs in 2009 to unveil the iPhone 3GS.
But Jobs, the iconic company leader who has been facing renewed speculation about his health, is reportedly considering making an appearance at the iPad event, according to All Things Digital, a Wall Street Journal sister website that broke the news about Wednesday's event.
The launch of a next-generation iPad comes as a new wave of competing gadgets threatens Apple's dominance in the tablet market. Motorola Mobility's Xoom went on sale last month and was greeted with rave reviews for its fast, feature-rich hardware and attractive Android software from Google.
Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Tab late last year, and BlackBerry is expected to launch a tablet, the Playbook, this spring. One consulting firm counts a whopping 102 tablets that are either on sale or in progress from 64 different manufacturers.
The first iPad was introduced in January 2010 and debuted in April, with Wi-Fi models that cost as little as $499. (The 3G-enabled Xoom costs $600 and requires a two-year contract with Verizon Wireless.)
Apple's tablet surprised some analysts by becoming a runaway hit. The company sold 14.8 million iPads worldwide in the first nine months the device was available. Analysts forecast Apple will sell about 30 million tablets this year.
CNN.com's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story.
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
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