iPad Mini mock-up via Ciccarese Design
Now the hype of the iPhone 5 has started to die down, tech heads are getting excited about the new iPad Apple is expected to reveal in coming weeks. With rumours that production is ramping up and a hint at when the launch can be expected from an unnamed source, anticipation is slowly building to a frenzy.
Today, The Wall Street Journal reports LG Display and AU Optronics – two of Apple’s suppliers in South Korea and Taiwan, respectively – have begun mass production of LCD screens for a smaller tablet, the rumoured ‘iPad Mini’.
The Journal’s sources say the new iPad device will feature a 7.85-inch display, though its resolution is said to be lower than the latest iPad.
To date, all iPads have featured a 9.7-inch display, but with competitors like Google and Amazon offering smaller tablets at much lower price points, Apple needs to change it up in order to stay relevant in the tablet market.
Invites in the post?
It has long been rumoured that Apple would unveil a smaller iPad this year, and most predictions have cited October as the month for the big announcement. On Monday, Fortune claimed “a major Apple investor” revealed that invites to a press event to unveil the iPad Mini will be sent out on 10 October.
Apple tends to follow a pattern with its announcements, which suggest an unveiling will take place on 17 October. The iPhone 5 hit shelves in certain markets nine days after it was announced. If Apple’s plans are the same for the iPad Mini, this could mean the device will be released on 26 October – the same day as Windows 8.
iPad Mini mock-up via Ciccarese Design
