This timing is plausible because the original iPad hit stores in April this year. Apple’s iPhones are refreshed once a year, and a similar one-year product cycle for the iPad is realistic.

Journalists and analysts have speculated that the next-generation iPad will come closer to the iPhone 4. Here are some features we can expect:

• A 9.7-inch “retina” display similar to the iPhone 4’s
• A front-facing camera and a built-in FaceTime video-phone app
• Expanded support for AirPlay streaming (suggested by a Steve Jobs e-mail)

Meanwhile, here are some items on our wish list:

• A physical switch that locks screen orientation like it used to (Apple recently modified the switch functionality into a Mute button, which nobody seems to enjoy).
• Tighter integration with the new Apple TV, allowing you to stream media from the Apple TV to the iPad (currently you can only do it the other way around). Streaming movie rentals on the road with an iPad would be pretty sweet.

What are the features you’d like to see in the next iPad? Add your ideas in the comments below.

See Also:

• Crazy Apple Rumor: iPad With Camera Coming Soon
• Ten Things Missing From the iPad
• Roundup: The First Reviews of Apple’s iPad

Photo of a first-generation iPad: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Authors: Brian X. Chen

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