A staff member displays Apple's new iPad in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, Japan, on March 16, 2012. Apple's new iPad went on sale in Japan Friday and more than 300 people waited to purchase the new iPad in front of the shop prior to its opening. (Photo: Xinhua)
Apple's new iPad hit Japanese market on Friday, featuring a faster processor, a sharper high- resolution display and voice dictation which recognizes English, French, German and Japanese.
The third-generation iPad, released about 11 months after the iPad 2 hit the market, comes in two models, a basic model with wireless Internet access as well as a model capable of next- generation 4G Long Term Evolution high-speed service with Wi-Fi.
But local media reported that the new model will only be capable of 3G mobile data connection in Japan as Softbank Mobile Corp., the sole Japanese carrier marketing the iPad, does not offer LTE service currently.
The Wi-Fi model is priced at 42,800 yen(about 512.39 U.S. dollars), while the 3G model with Wi-Fi will be offered free of charge for its 16-gigabyte type with a two-year contract, according to Softbank.
The new iPad will be sold at Apple stores, branches of Softbank Mobile and some electronics retailers in Japan.
