This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a PlayBook 2 or the arrival of an additional model with a larger display, but N4BB has reported that they’re really coming this time. Really.
TechCrunch speculates that the 7-inch will feature the exact same hardware as the original PlayBook — but that it will finally be upgraded to include 3G connectivity. That’s been rumored to be coming for a long time, too, but 9 months after the debut of the Wi-Fi only tablet it’s still the only option on store shelves.
While the addition of 3G seems like a no-brainer if a new 7-inch model is in the pipe, the lack of other changes is a bit harder to believe. A lot has changed over the past eight months, and a dual-core 1GHz processor isn’t an eye-popper anymore. With PlayBook OS 2 on the way next month — and the arrival of native email, calendar, and contacts apps — RIM can’t afford to launch the new version with an old chip. A bump to something in the 1.2-1.5GHz range seems reasonable enough.
As for the 10-inch model, details are very scant at the moment. Apart from the size of its screen, all that sources have revealed at this point is that it will pack an LTE chipset made by Qualcomm. It’s probably safe to assume that the 10-inch PlayBook will stick to the same aspect ratio as the 7-inch model, but it could certainly pack more than 1024×600 pixels into its larger display.
BlackBerry World is coming up in May, and there’s a very good chance if the new PlayBooks are going to be unveiled soon that RIM will do it during the three-day conference in Orlando.
More at N4BB and TechCrunch
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