Sprint iPad 2 Spotted in iOS 5.1 Beta, Release Date Still a Mystery [New iOS 5.1 Reveals Unreleased iPad2,4 Version, Hints at Upcoming Sprint iPad Launch]

Posted on TFTS by Chris Smith on Monday, 28. November 2011 under: Computers & Computing, Mobile/Cell Phones, PCs, Notebooks, Netbooks & Tablets, xFeatured

Earlier today Apple released the first iOS 5.1 beta version to developers and the new firmware already reveals an unexpected product that’s codenamed iPad2,4. Before you get too excited about it, I’ll have to tell you that we’re not looking at the third-generation iPad that’s going to be launched at some point in the coming months.

The iPad2.4 probably stands for a Sprint iPad 2 3G+Wi-Fi version, one that could hit stores at some point in the near future and that’s hardly surprising considering the fact that the carrier is already an Apple partner that’s selling plenty of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S units. Apple is yet to make the product official, and we have no idea when this iPad 2 flavor will be launched. As for pricing details, don’t expect Sprint’s iPads to be any cheaper than any other iPad 2 3G+Wi-Fi models.

References to a future iPad 3 have been discovered a few months ago and so far we have two of them the iPad3,1 and the iPad3,2 with the first one expected to be the iPad 3 Wi-Fi version and the second one believed to be the iPad 3 3G + Wi-Fi version that will work with both CDMA and GSM carriers, just like the iPhone 4S does.

Similarly, the iPad2,1 stands for the iPad 2 Wi-Fi, while the iPad2,2 and the iPad2,3 describe the 3G versions for AT&T and Verizon.

It’s interesting to note that Apple seems interested to sell an iPad 2 3G+Wi-Fi version at some point in the immediate future rather than wait for until the iPad 3 comes out to offer it to Sprint subscribers interested in acquiring a 3G version of it. That could mean that demand for such a device among Sprint customers is rather high, especially since Sprint is still offering unlimited data plans to consumers. After all, we do remember that Sprint has been “selling” iPad gear for quite some time now, advertising some of its Mobile Hotspots as iPad Wi-Fi companions. Maybe it’s time to finally get its own iPad.

Anyone interested in a Sprint iPad 2?

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