The iPad 2
Apple is believed to be working with component suppliers in Asia to develop a new format iPad with an 8-inch screen.
Rumours of a smaller iPad have been around since the iPad debuted and even the late Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs poured scorn on Samsung’s 7-inch first-generation Galaxy Tab, saying the size of the screen is not compatible with a good reading or web experience, for example.
However, it seems changes are afoot at Apple, whose current iPad range comes with a 9.7-inch screen.
According to the Wall Street Journal, suppliers claim Apple has shown them screen designs for a tablet with an 8-inch screen.
The newspaper reported that suppliers in Taiwan, including AU Optronics and Korea’s LG, are supplying Apple with test panels for the smaller product.
Apple is expected to be launching its next iPad, the iPad 3, on 7 March and it is expected the 9.7-inch tablet will feature Retina display technology, an A6 quad-core processor and will be compatible with 4G LTE.
