Whilst many have complained of the lack of resolution increase from the original iPad to the iPad 2, a report by Dr. Raymond Soneira of DisplayMate Technologies claims that, excluding pixel density, the iPad 2’s display delivers “almost identical performance to the impressive iPhone 4 Retina Display.”

In quite an in-depth and thorough examination of the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPad 2 displays, it was revealed that for most specifications from hardware color depth to black levels to contrast ratio, the iPad 2’s display matched or was close to the iPhone 4’s specifications and both were classified as ‘Excellent’ by the report. There were, however, two issues with the iPad 2’s display that Dr. Soneira believed could be improved by Apple through a software update.

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Market analyst Gene Munster surveyed just under 250 line-waiters at the iPad 2 launch last Friday and one of the most interesting findings was that 70% of the iPads being sold were to consumers who did not own the original iPad. Furthermore Munster estimated that Apple would have sold around 400,000 to 500,000 iPad 2’s, close to what analysts were predicting prior to the launch and well above the original’s 300,000-unit figure.

Munster said of the results “We believe this shows Apple is expanding its base of iPad users, which is critical to maintaining its early lead in the growing tablet market,” and this was backed up with statistics that whilst the original iPad had a predominantly Mac audience, iPad 2 owners were split 49% to PC and 51% Mac users. In addition Kindle users opting for an iPad 2 were at 24% compared to 13% for the original.

Munster also got some statistics on the break up of which model people were purchasing with more WiFi + 3G models chosen and the 32GB variant the most popular size chosen at 41% (up from 32%), although Munster notes that this increase could be in part due to the 16GB variety selling out faster. Finally another analyst, Chris Whitmore from Deutsche Bank, decided to call up around 100 stores (50 Apple Retail, 20 Best Buy and Walmart plus Verizon and AT&T stores) and found zero stock in all the stores which he called “shocking”.

[Via Cult of Mac]

In what is quite a first, iFixit has done a tear-down on Apple’s new Smart Covers and found that Apple has used a whopping 31 magnets to make the Smart Cover system work with 10 in the iPad and 21 in the cover. To the disappointment of the iFixit team, the magnets were the plain old two-pole kind, not the more intriguing correlated magnets, however the way in which the magnets were placed is what allows the Smart Cover to effectively clip on with relative ease and accuracy.

One of the magnets in the Smart Cover is used by the iPad to work out when the iPad should be locked and unlocked whilst the rest are used to “either clamp to the iPad on the right side (the far-right column of magnets), or to form the triangular shape used to create a stand for the iPad 2.” Finally the magnets inside the iPad 2 were polarised + - + - whilst the Smart Cover complemented this and had the opposite being - + - + (obviously to snap to together the magnets in either part must be opposite to attract each other).  Jump the break for some more break down images by iFixit!

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Speaking with several industry analysts, Bloomberg has reported that Apple could sell 600,000 units as it debuts this weekend. One such analyst, Brian Marshall from Gleacher & Co predicts more than 500,000 sales which would be close to double the original iPad’s 300,000 sales in 24 hours. Apple released its iPad 2 for purchase on its online store in the early hours of today and already orders are backlogged for 2-3 weeks, whilst Apple’s 236 US retail stores and select others will also offer the iPad 2 from 5PM today. Meanwhile many other countries will get the iPad 2 later this month on March 25^th.

The original iPad had massive success in sales, becoming the fastest selling product by revenue, reaping in $2 billion within three months, a feat that took the iPhone more than a year to achieve. Tim Bajarin said that “Apple has such a huge lead, competitors are going to be chasing Apple for many years” referring also to the fact that Apple’s competitors are only now releasing their first generation tablets in the coming months.

[Via Bloomberg]