The fourth-generation iPad with Retina display
Apple’s suppliers have reportedly started making new iPads in time for an end-of-year release which could lift the tablet’s declining sales.
Bloomberg cites two “people with knowledge of the matter” who say production has begun on a full-sized 9.7-inch iPad while a new 7.9-inch iPad mini is also on the way with availability expected later this year.
Sales of the iPad have dropped the past two quarters in a row but a rejuvenated range in time for the end-of-year shopping season could be just the lfit this segment needs.
Bloomberg’s sources claim the new devices could be announced by the end of this quarter or the start of the next. Apple is also expected to reveal a new ‘iPhone 6’ on 9 September, while a smartwatch to complement its HealthKit technology could be unveiled in October.
The new iPads are rumoured to come with an anti-reflection coating on the display to ensure clarity in all environments, something Samsung has already achieved with its latest round of Galaxy Tab devices. The tablets might also capitalise on Apple’s enterprise partnership with IBM.
