Apple Unveils New iPad With 4G LTE

By IAN SHERR

Apple's new iPad is introduced Wednesday.

Apple Inc. took the wraps off a new iPad tablet with a sharper display and the ability to connect to the Internet on 4G broadband networks, as the electronics giant strives to stay ahead of rivals in a market it has helped create.

Interactive: Introducing the New iPad

Explore features and specifications

Photos: Shiny New iPad

Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at Wednesday's product event.

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Interactive: Outside Apple

A view of the scene outside the Apple event at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.

Jessica Vascellaro/The Wall Street Journal

The new iPad has a faster chip, 4G LTE connectivity, and an HD retina display. WSJ's Andy Jordan talks with some of those present at Apple's official unveiling, who say Apple appear to be pushing the iPad as less of a consumptive device and more a tool for the creative class.

Apple unveiled a new iPad tablet with a sharper display and the ability to connect to the Internet over 4G broadband wireless networks. Jessica Vascellaro has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook took the stage Wednesday in San Francisco to demonstrate the new product at an invitation-only event. "In many ways the iPad is reinventing portable computing, and it's outstripping the wildest of predictions," Mr. Cook told the audience.

The new iPad will have a high-resolution "retina" display and connect to 4G LTE services that are offered by carriers likeAT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless. The tablet will also have a five megapixel camera and a microphone to take dictation.

Apple said the new iPad will start at $499 for Wi-Fi only models—the same starting price as the previous model. Models capable of 4G speeds will start at $629, not including service plans.

The new iPad will be available starting on March 16 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., France and Germany. Apple also said it will continue to sell the iPad 2, at a reduced starting price of $399.

Apple executives referred to the product as "the new iPad," without giving a more formal title. Names such as iPad 3 and iPad HD have been a focus of considerable speculation in advance of the announcement.

The new iPad is slightly thicker than the current iPad 2, and heavier, at 1.4 pounds compared with 1.3 pounds. Apple said it has the same battery life as the existing model, lasting about nine hours on a battery charge while using 4G communications.

The 4G technology will allow users to connect a speeds roughly 10 times faster than current 3G data networks. "The performance is amazing and you're going to love using it on these high-speed new networks," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Rivals, including Samsung Electronics Co. and Amazon.com Inc., have jumped into the tablet market in the years since its late co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the first iPad in early 2010.

One of the key selling points of the new device appears to be superior graphics, allowing the iPad to handle more sophisticated games that were demonstrated at the event. Apple said what it calls the A5X chip in the system provides a four-fold performance boost in handling graphics chores.

Apple said mobile devices beyond personal computers made up 76% of its revenues last year, underscoring the company's momentum to kick off an event expected to include a new iPad.

The company said it sold 172 million of what it calls post-PC devices, comprised of its iPad, iPhone and iPod. Apple has cumulatively sold 315 million devices running IOS, its mobile-device operating system, the company said.

"Now any company would be thrilled to have just one of these devices," said Mr. Cook. "At Apple we're fortunate to have all three."

Mr. Cook began his presentation by introducing an updated Apple TV box that streams videos to a television set. The device, which will cost $99, will be able to support higher-definition video than its predecessor.

Write to Ian Sherr at ian.sherr@dowjones.com