iPad 2 rumors are flooding the Internet. Every day you hear more rumors, everything from a new model, a new launch date or including a USB port. How do you sort out the truth from the fiction? Ben Parr, Mashable, attempted to discern the truth about the top 10 rumors. According to Ben Parr, some rumors he would bet money on, and others he predicts will only happen when pigs fly.

iPad 2 Rumors – Truth or Fiction?

• Rumor #1: There Will Be Three Versions of the iPad 2 - One will be Wi-Fi only, one will support Wi-Fi and UMTS, the 3G technology utilized by AT&T Mobility, and the third model will support Wi-Fi and CDMA, used by Verizon Wireless for its 3G network. According to Parr, this rumor has an 85% chance of being true. With Verizon iPhone being released early this year, it only makes sense that Apple would make a Verizon iPad as well.
• Rumor #2: iPad 2 Will Have a Front and Back-Facing Camera – One of the big improvements from the original iPad to the iPad 2 is Facetime. In order for Facetime to be effective, Apple needs to have as many Facetime-capable devices as possible. Parr gives this rumor a 99% chance of being true.
• Rumor #3: Slimmer, Lighter and Retina Display – According to Parr, Reuters was told by its sources that the new iPad would be slimmer and lighter than its predecessor and would have a “better resolution display than the first iPad.” This is a no-brainer. History has shown through the evolution of the iPhone and the new MacBook Air that they constantly keep improving the resolution and the size of their devices. Parr gives this rumor a 99% chance of being true.
• Rumor #4: The iPad 2 Will Have a Flat Back – This rumor was spawned by another rumor leaked in Japan that a third party case would be available. Parr say the rumor of the case is blatantly false. According to Parr, Apple never releases the specs for new products to third party accessory makers. As for the flat back, Parr thinks there is 40% chance of it happening.
• Rumor #5: iPad 2: Now With Wide-Range Speakers? – This is another leak from a Japanese source, but it does make sense. The iPad is a family device, and if you want to enjoy a movie on it, it will need upgraded speakers. Engadget says the source has no track record and should be taken with a grain of salt. As for the upgraded speakers, Parr is betting on a 50% chance of the rumor being true.
• Rumor #6: The iPad 2 Will Have a USB Port - Chinese publication Economic Daily News, claims Apple’s new tablet will have a USB port so it can connect to other devices. It would make perfect sense to me, since I feel like that is a serious flaw in the original iPad. However, Parr thinks this rumor only has a 33% chance of happening. Wonder why?
• Rumor #7: The iPad 2 Will Have a Dual-Core CPU – Do you think that Apple is going to let the Android beat it? The Android LG Optimus 2X already utilizes a dual-core process. Parr thinks a dual-core processor would give the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 far greater multitasking capabilities and would be a significant development in mobile technology. He gives this rumor a 75% chance of happening.
• Rumor #8: Non-Smudge Screen & Gyroscope – This only makes sense. Parr gives it a 90% chance of happening.
• Rumor #9: A 7-Inch Version of the iPad? – Forget this rumor. According to Parr, Steve Jobs himself shot down the possibility of a 7-inch iPad. The reason, Jobs said, was that there simply wasn’t enough screen real estate for creating great tablet apps. Parr gives this rumor a 2% chance of happening.
• And the best kept secret: When Will the iPad 2 Launch? – There is much speculation about the launch date for the new iPad 2. Parr thinks Apple is unlikely to launch the iPad 2 and the Verizon iPhone at the same event, so if the Verizon iPhone comes out in March, we can expect the iPad 2 in January, and if the Verizon iPhone arrives in January, then don’t expect the iPad 2 until March. Parr is betting on a March release of the new iPad 2. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Ben Parr has gone to all the work to research the rumors. Only time will tell if Parr is spot on, or just blowing smoke. What’s your take on the rumors? Think the iPad 2 will have a USB port? Do you think it will run on a dual-core processor? Give us a comment or two to let us know what you think.