We've always suspected that if Apple delivered Retina Display on the iPad, customers would definitely have to pay up for it. That much seems to be true in a new report from the Far East which claims a pretty significant entry-level price hike for Apple's forthcoming third generation tablet.
According to the report in question, which comes from Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo, a price comparison sheet indicates that the iPad 3 starts in price at $579 instead of $499, the long-established entry-level price for new iPads. Although the document in question doesn't specifically reference Retina Display, the only justifiable reason for such a price escalation would be from the added cost of delivering the improved screen quality to the product - which isn't cheap for Apple and, subsequently, for consumers.
As we've seen with the iPhone and other products, Apple likes to be consistent with pricing across new generation models of devices. But if tablet lovers want Retina Display right now, it looks like they're going to have to pay up for it.
According to a flurry of reports that has pelted the Web in recent days, the speculation continues to be that Apple will introduce the iPad 3 on or around March 7th. If so, expect a headline soon on MMi speaking to the freshly mailed invitations by Apple that would surely precede the company's media event.
Source: Sina Weibo (via MacRumors)
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