Forget iPad 2: iPad 3 is 'the one to make a song and dance about' claims Apple staffer

An anonymous Apple staffer has told fansite Cult of Mac that tablet fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about the iPad successor, which will be unveiled today. According to this shady staffer the third-generation iPad is, “the one to make a song and a dance about.”

He says that the iPad 2 saw a lot of problems during production, which means the final product might be a damp squib when it comes to exciting new features or hardware.

Engadget also heard that an SD card slot and a Retina display were planned for the new device, but were canned before release due to manufacturing issues. Perhaps those will turn up in the iPad 3.

The treasonous rep didn’t let on when the iPad 3 would be released. Apple usually releases its iOS devices on a yearly schedule, but rumours - mostly from pundit John Gruber - say the iPad 3 might actually hit in 2011.

We’ll see for ourselves later during the Apple iPad 2 event at 6PM GMT. Stand-in boss Tim Cook is expected to unveil the new device at an Apple press conference in San Francisco.

Will we see Steve Jobs, who’s currently on leave from Apple for medical reasons? AllThingsD's Kara Swisher claims that the Apple boss is “definitely considering an appearance” at the show. but he won’t be conducting the entire press conference himself.