• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, February 9, 2012

With more competition that ever -- and without the star salesmanship of Steve Jobs -- can the iPad hold its edge?We’ll found out in March, when Apple is reportedly planning to unveil the latest version of its popular tablet.

“If 2011 was the year of the iPad 2, will 2012 be the year of the iPad 3?” asks AllThingsD? In response, an optimistic source familiar with the device said: “What do you think?”

As for the specifics, “Pervasive rumors about the iPad 3 include a form factor similar to that of its predecessor, an upgraded resolution that will give the device a Retina Display or something very close, and faster performance,” writes PCMag.com.

Notes VentureBeat: “There’s no word yet on when the iPad 3 will actually be available (or if it will even be called that), but we can expect it within a week or two after the announcement.” “Would you be surprised if Apple released a new iPad the first week of March?” GigOmasks. “We wouldn’t.”

“While information provided by sources can often be miles from the truth, the details listed in [AllThingsD’s] report match some of the most persistent iPad 3 rumors,” according tomsnbc.com. “On top of that, the AllThingsD writer has a solid track record when it comes to sniffing out Apple event timing.”

Indeed, “considering [news of the release] is coming from All Things D, we're going to consider it as if it was coming from Apple,” notes Business Insider. “ATD has excellent reporters, and has been spot on in reporting when Apple events are coming.”