Analyst: Increased Screen Res for iPad 3, Not iPad 2

At least one analyst is throwing cold water on the iPad 2 screen resolution rumors by suggesting the 2048 x 1536 pixel display, which is four times great than that found on the current iPad, is slated for the iPad 3 and not the next-generation Apple Tablet.
In an email to PCWorld, IDC research Manager Tom Mainelli claims the DigiTimes story, which included the first mentions of the increased resolution, is right on the number, but wrong on the device. "Our sources say Apple has requested that manufacturers begin work on displays with that resolution for the iPad 3," he wrote.
As Mainelli and others, including members of the TabletPCReview forums, mentioned, producing 9.7-inch panels (the size of the current iPad screen and presumed size of the iPad 2) capable of a 2048 x 1536 resolution presents too many problems for Apple, especially considering the device is expected to ship in the coming months. Cost and supply are both factors, as many expect the iPad 2 to outsell its predecessor, which has shipped close to 15 million units through Q1 2011. High-resolution panels could inflate the iPad 2 cost to uncompetitive levels and create bottlenecks in the production chain.
Market predictions vary widely for 2011 tablet sales, with most experts predicting between 35 million (Citigroup) and 45 million (IDC), but some suggesting upwards of 100 million (Digitimes). The Apple iPad is expected to dominate sales again this year as it did in 2010, when it held 95% of the market in Q3 according to Strategy Analytics.

Source: PCWorld