Waiting For iPad 3

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I recently did something that will sound really stupid. I bought an iPad literally days before the release of the iPad 2. I have no regrets, however. I'm happily skipping the iPad 2 and waiting for the iPad 3.

Apple may surprise me today (it often does, I admit). Perhaps there are more new bells and whistles on the iPad 2 than previously leaked. But barring big surprises today, the iPad 2 is expected to be lighter, thinner, and with faster processing speeds. It's supposed to include a front and rear camera and be compatible with both AT&T and Verizon.

For me, it wasn't worth the wait. Apple will show off the new iPad 2 today. But if past is prologue, when they actually arrive in stores next month; customers can likely expect the first shipment to sell out quickly leaving most of us to wait an indefinite amount of time to finally get our hands on one.

I've been playing around with everyone else's iPad since it came out last year. For obvious professional reasons, I needed to go ahead and bite the bullet.

There's a new rumor floating around the tech blogs (might as well let it float here, too). The Cult of Mac is quoting an "Apple staffer" who says the following about the iPad 2:

"For the iPad 2 don't get your hopes up too high. That's all I'm going to say. They've had a number of problems along the way, and the third-generation iPad is the one to make a song and a dance about."

I'm not sure how much credence we should give this quote. Is the Apple staffer a key person on the iPad development team in Cupertino, or an Apple store employee who wouldn't know squat?

However, it does line up with other reports a few weeks ago that Apple could be releasing an iPad 3 by the fall.

But, why would they launch a third model so quickly?

1. Apple would benefit from getting its iPad upgrades on a cycle to debut in the fall, in time for the holiday shopping season, rather than in the spring. It would be better to have an upgrade to the iPad 3 six months early than waiting 18 months.

2. This is going to be the year that Apple gets some real competition in the tablet space. There is real pressure to get out version 2 while others are still on version one. At the same time, the iPad 2 may have been a bit of rush job in the process. If I am right, that's another good reason why I can wait for version 3.

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio