The latest iteration of Apple's iPad is all but confirmed, with rumour mills chugging along in the run up to the inevitable announcement.

So we decided to ditch our journalistic integrity and sift through some of the more notable nuggets and rumours around!

Processing power

First and foremost, it goes without saying that the next iPad will be the fastest one around. After all, that's how technology works. But how much more powerful are we talking though?

There are rumours that Apple will be packing a quad-core processor in their new tablet. They wouldn't be the first to do so though, with Asus and the Transformer Prime beating them to the punch.

However, The Verge claims that it would be sticking to a dual-core arrangement instead, complete with a significantly more powerful graphics chip.

Display and cameras

One area that many expect the next iPad to innovate in is in the screen, with Bloomberg, among other sources, claiming that the device will sport a high-definition screen.

While an HD-capable screen has been rumoured in the run-up to the iPad 2 as well, more "information" has been leaked about the screen, reportedly sporting a 2048 by 1536 resolution (twice as many pixels as the iPad 2).

Another improvement we're likely to see are sharper, HD-capable cameras, considering that they've become the standard on most tablets these days. Granted, using a tablet for snaps and recording isn't ideal, but the iPad 2's camera paled to rivals, even back then.

Connectivity

One of the biggest and more widely reported claims is that Apple's next iPad will be compatible with LTE networks, a jump over the usual HSPA connectivity. This, if true, would make the next iPad the first Apple device with "4G" connectivity.

One technology standard that hasn't popped up in rumours however, is near-field communications. While the technology hasn't exactly revolutionised our lives, it would be interesting to see what Apple can do with it.

Software

The software department has been strangely quiet for the most part, with few major leaks or rumours to be had. 

However, one interesting possibility is the introduction of the Siri voice assistant. While it was unofficially ported to the iPad 2, it had no communication with Apple's servers, making it useless.

Launch date

Although there hasn't even been a product announcement yet, all signs point to a reveal in the first week of March, All Things Digital reported, among other sources.

As is Apple practice, we could then expect the product to be on shelves a week or two afterwards (at least in the USA).