Next iPad to Blaze on 4G LTE, Confirms WSJ

Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares appear to know no bounds, but catalysts keep on coming. Wall Street Journal has confirmed what thousands of Apple-focused tech sites had been speculating since before iPad 2. iPad iterations destined for AT&T and Verizon will feature 4G LTE.

The Journal also sheds light on another source of speculation by suggesting the device will be announced on Wednesday, March 7. While this tidbit isn't exactly a material discovery, it reinforces a definite timeline of early-to-late April when the white-hot device starts to contribute to Apple's sales for the second quarter of 2012.

Apple shares broke new ground yesterday as they crossed the venerable $500/share level for the first time. While the latest push seems largely fueled by the unqualified success of the company's iPhone 4s--all but written off as a disappointment back in its October 4 announcement for not having a new form factor--the iPad seems poised to expand its weight within Apple share. TREFIS assigns a weight of 12.7 percent to iPad within Apple shares versus a weight of 52.7 percent for the iPhone.

The 4G LTE capability is just one of a a slew of advancements rumored for the tablet--others include Retina Display and a quad-core A6 processor--but it is a major development for the company's ecosystem. Famously reticent to adopt new industry standards--Apple's embrace of 4G becomes a veritable validation for the technology itself.

4G LTE has been a capability touted for a couple of years now on competing mobile phones and tablets, but limited practical deployment of the infrastructure had meant that the capability was largely an on-paper bragging right. When the newest iPad hits the market, Apple's ardent followers may not be the only ones interested to get their hands on “4G done right.”

If Apple does indeed bring a 4G-enabled device to the market, it will almost surely mean the company has also figured a way to solve the battery longevity issues the competitors have had until now.

Even more importantly, a broadband connection available on the tablet--which 4G is--will mean that the iPad is now ready for the next stage in its life. Until now pegged largely as a consumption gizmo, faster data transmission may unlock its potential as a content creation tool, at which point it could become competition for many lower-specced computers in its own price range.

In turn, a better rounded iPad unlocks further revenue streams for its company. At that point, we may well find out the $500 share price to be more of a ground level.

Apple skeptics need only realize the next iPhone, also due this year, will be similarly endowed with 4G, new internals and a whole new form factor. Thus, it is highly likely to outperform the current 4S. In hype for sure, but perhaps sales as well.

For the time being, Apple continues yesterday's $500-plus momentum, closing at $502.60 for the session. In pre-market it is trending even higher, at $506.