Apple Inc. has pushed the iPad 3 into production and is expected to release it early next year, according to a report.

Even with the loss of Apple founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, Apple continues to have solid following. Even though the newly launched iPhone 4S got low marks from critics due to its lack of design changes, Apple received 1 million pre-orders on the first day, and is expected to report 4 million unit sales of the fifth-generation iPhone over the weekend.

Now, preparations for Apple's next big product launch are already under way, presumably with an eye toward an early 2012 launch - March, perhaps - the same month Apple uncrated the iPad 2 this year, says All Things D 's John Paczkowski.

Susquehanna Financial analyst Jeff Fidacaro told All Things D, that iPad 3 is headed to production. Apple, according to Fidacaro, recently hiked iPad supply orders from between 11 million and 13 million to between 12 and 14 million, an increase from previous projections that suggests a new iPad is in the mix.

Apple sold 9.2 million iPads in the quarter ended June 30, 2011. Sales of the iPad contributed $6.06 billion in revenues in the quarter.

Apple has sold more than 30 million units of the tablet since launching in March 2010.

Here are the top 10 rumored features that will make 2012 the year of the iPad 3:

Quad-core processor. The iPad 3 is expected to have an A6 processor, from the A5 on the current iPad and also the new iPhone 4S. The A6 is expected to have a quad-core processor instead of dual-core. The next iPhone and future Android phones are expected to have quad-core processors. So the iPad 3 will likely have a quad-core processor, which would make the device as powerful as desktops. But The Linley Group says that the quad-core processor is unlikely to be ready by June of next year.

Virtual Assistant. Siri, the voice controlled voice assistant, is the major draw of the iPhone 4S. Fans would be disappointed if the iPad 3 won't have Siri, a voice-recognition system that turns the device into a hands-free personal assistant. Siri would increase the functionality of the tablet. Beatweek points out that iPhone 4S with its dual core A5 processor is powerful enough to run Siri, which means that the iPad 2, which has similar specs, could run Siri right now. Hence, iPad 3 should have a tuned up version of Siri, which is currently in beta mode. Imagine if you could use Siri with your iPad to say, "Open Angry Birds, pull sling shot to maximum angle, move to 45 degree angle and let go."

Radical Design. The iPhone 4S showed that Apple is willing to recycle a successful hardware design. The iPhone 4S launched last week has an upgraded processor, camera, software, and features as virtual assistant, but had the same design as the fourth-generation iPhone. The iPad 2 had minor changes (thinner body and tapered edges) to the first iPad. So will the third-generation iPad have an identical design? Possible. But given that Steve Jobs had tasked Apple engineers to focus on design and aesthetics, it will be more likely that the iPad 3 will be a radical departure from the previous.

Low Price. Amazon has launched a 7-inch tablet that's available for only $199. Yes, the Amazon Fire Kindle priced less than half of the $499 entry-level iPad 2. According to reports, the new batch of iPads will include a more affordable iPad to take on the new Amazon tablet. Android, BlackBerry and webOS tablets haven't been able to gain ground against the iPad because of the ecosystem, apps and features provided by Apple and its stores. Although it doesn't' have superior specs, the Kindle Fire is expected to receive a boost from Amazon's cloud infrastructure and deep array of digital content. Stuff.tv says that it's latest intel from analysts point towards a mid-2012 iPad 3 release, with an iPad Mini preceding it early in 2012.

7-inch screen. Samsung offers tablets with 10.1- and 7.7-inch displays. Given that some people find the 9.7-inch-screened iPad too bulky, it is possible that Apple would have a smaller version of the iPad. And recent reports appear to confirm that -- reports Apple didn't confirm say that Apple is preparing an iPad Mini, a smaller and cheaper version of the iPad, in order to fend off the Kindle Fire.

HDMI Capability. The HDMI playback is available in iPad 2. But the device would need an additional $39 digital AV adapter. The upcoming iPad 3 is now rumored to rid itself of this problem with an evolved HDMI port.

4G Compatibility. Samsung, HTC and Motorola have already released 4G-ready smartphones. And those devices using Long Term Evolution technology will likely extend to tablets. Apple will likely not want to be left behind by releasing a 4G version of the iPad 3.

Fresh Retina Display. The talks about a retina display first reared its head with the previous iPad 2 but this did not materialize. Now, iPad 3 is being massively rumored to arrive with the retina display with an improvised resolution of 2058X1536 pixels.

3-D Features. Toshiba has already unveiled the world's first glasses-free 3D laptop, which uses a lenticular screen and integrated webcam. And LG Electronics has already released the LG Optimus 3D, which claims to offer "the world's first 3D experience on a smartphone. 3D technology on mobile devices is certainly in its infancy, making it unlikely that Apple engineers will add 3D features on the iPhone 5 or the iPad 3. But Apple filed a patent application related to 3D picture taking to the US Patent and Trademark Office later in March, according to an AppleInsider report. The filing described a system that would be capable of capturing, processing and rendering 3D images with the additional dual-camera hardware. So rumors that Apple would be incorporating a 3D-glasses-free feature on its new tablet appear to have credibility.