iPad mini 2 on course for an October 2013 launch?
Apple’s little tablet that could, the iPad mini, may be getting a successor sooner than previously expected, according to supply chain sources.
Though the iPad mini 2, expected to be packing in Apple’s Retina display technology, was thought to have been delayed due to problems manufacturing the high-resolution screen, DigiTimes are now claiming that all is well on the production line and that the tablet will be ready for an October 2013 launch. The source is even confident that shipments could hit between two to three million a month in time for the Christmas rush.
The site claims Apple are also on track to get the iPad 5 out and into stores by the end of the year. LG are said to be putting together the tablets’ 9.7-inch 2048 x 1536 Retina displays, aiming to ship 2.5 to 3 million displays for the third quarter of 2013. More than half of those will go into the new iPad 5 tablet, with the remainder used in older generation tablets or stockpiled for repairs.
Backing up previous claims, DigiTimes also state that the iPad 5 will be lighter and thinner than earlier iterations, with a single light tube in ints backlight rather than the standard two, presumably aiding battery life.
As you’d expect, there’s been no word from Apple on any of this, but we’ll keep you posted with any official news as we receive it.
