iPad 3 Release Date

Speculation is rife that Apple is going to unveil iPad 3 at a media event on March 7.  Recent evidence might just support this claim. According to Apple Pro, Foxconn might have already started shipping iPad 3′s to U.S. As per the shipping manifests uncovered, several shipments are being done from Chengdu International airport in China. This is the closest airport to Foxconn’s iPad factory and as per the paperwork, the cargo deliveries are bound for Chicago, New York and Los Angeles airports.

Analysts have got the documents cross-checked by a native speaker. Though the documents make no mention of iPad 3 or Foxconn, they detail many shipments from 26^th February until 9^th March and have specific instructions to keep the stock under highest security during transit. According to them, the owner has extreme requirements and does not want cargo to be on the airport ramp for too long. Sounds definitely Apple-like requirements!

Another simultaneous development adds more credibility to this rumor. On Sunday, Best Buy announced a discount of $50 on all models of iPad 2. No surprises in connecting the dots that this move is to clear the iPad 2 inventories before the grand release of iPad 3. If these shipment dates are indeed related to Apple and iPad 3 is unveiled on March 7^th, then iPad 3 might be available in stores almost immediately.

Skynet has become self-aware…..not quite yet but Foxconn, the manufacturer who currently produce the PS3 as well as the current iPad, have announced their plans to replace even more factory staff with robots over the next 3 years.

Foxconn, based in Taiwan, annouced in a press conference that by as soon as 2014 it hopes to have in-excess of 1 million robot workers (great news for our silicon based friends but not so much for us carbon based blobs). As soon as next year Foxconn plan to expand their current robot workforce of 10,000 to 300,000.

Like most things in life these decisions have boiled down to money. Robots are cheaper and more efficient than humans. The mistreatment of its current staff has increased complaints from the workforce and probably gives the company even more reason to increase their obidient robot workforce.

Foxconn is infamous around the world for its level of complaints from staff. Low wages and poor working conditions have given Foxconn an abnormally high suicide rate amongst its employees. In 2010 14 Foxconn workers commited suicide and so far in 2011 there have been 3 more confirmed suicides.

Foxconn have not yet confirmed how many of its staff will be made redundant in the coming years as its plans are put into action. Currently China’s largest employer with over 1 million staff this annoucement will certainly make a few people unhappy.