With the invitations in the post, the welcoming of Apple’s third generation tablet is on the horizon. Speculation and rumours surrounding the final spec of the iPad 3 have kept us all busy in anticipation. Coupled with the tablets arrival we recently reported on the planned opening of a new Apple store within the confines of Harrods London.

As Slash Gear reported, promises of “something you really have to see” on the invites have heightened excitement. Talks of faster processing power and the introduction of a Retina display with LTE connectivity whet our appetites. But for some the excitement of a new Apple tablet brings a panic in the form of having to sell their current iPad in order to fund their new purchase.

This has led to iPad trade-ins on Internet auction site Ebay, rising to levels unseen before. Current tablet owners are desperate to off load their iPads before the latest version breaks cover. Ebay confirmed that of the tablet sales, 97.6 percent were Apple iPads being traded in through the use of their Instant Sale service.

Demands for the iPad 3 have been helped by the knock on affect from the first generation iPad shortages. This led to some users only having their original slate for a few months before the iPad 2 fell onto the shelves.

There is no doubt that the third gen device will keep Apple at the front of the tablet market, and for those that are new to the slate game a cheap iPad 2 could be perfect lower cost solution. Are you trading up for the latest iPad 3 or looking out for a second hand bargain?