March rumored for iPad 3 launch

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Apple's iPad 3 will make its debut in the first week of March, sources told AllThingsD.

The tech news site reported Wednesday unnamed sources have said the first week of next month has been chosen by Apple for the launch event, probably at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, site of a number of the company's past events.

John Paczkowski, writing for AllThingsD, said he believes "retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: available for purchase a week or so after the event."

Both the first-generation iPad and the iPad 2 were introduced at the Yerba Buena Center, in 2010 and 2011 respectively, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Apple officials would not comment on the speculation on a launch day.

Rumors of the impending iPad 3 launch saw Apple stock rise $17.12, or 3.59 percent, to $493.80 per share Thursday.