The iPad Air release date has been tipped for September with an all new design, backing up recent reports that the tablet will feature an iPad mini 2 style finish.
Although the iPad mini has started eating into the sale of its 9.7-inch sibling, latest iPad 5 rumours have suggested Apple’s next-gen tablet will come in for a total overhaul later this year, with the Cupertino-based company giving the market leading tablet an all new design.
Tasked with reigniting consumer interest in the former giant of the tablet scene, the iPad 5 redesign will reportedly see the tablet play host to a slimmer, lighter form factor whilst a claimed September iPad 5 release date will see the device touch down months after the expected iPad 2.
“Firstly, for the improvement on product design itself, the next generation of iPad will apply the thin GF2 touch module of the same level as iPad mini and use the narrow bezel panel design to solve the issue of larger volume, thickness, and weight that have been criticized to gain a better balance for consumers in mobility and visual experiences,” industry analyst Eric Chiou of market research firm TrendForce said.
Speaking on the knock-on effect of introducing the latest, Retina display hosting iPad 5, Chiou added: “Secondly, it is to underline the product positioning, the long-beloved iPad 2 is expected to retire with honour with the reveal of new iPad.”
Although the latest reports have suggested that the iPad mini will account for a hefty 65 per cent of all iPad sales in the first half of 2013, a figure bolstered by the rumoured March iPad mini 2 release with Retina display, it is expected that the iPad 5 release, alongside a reduced price point, could see the balance back to 50/50.
According to recent claims, due to reduced costs of creating the tablet’s 9.7-inch Retina display, the iPad 5 will be more friendly on the wallet, helping Apple stave off the onslaught of incoming Android tablets.
The latest in a flurry of iPad 5 rumours, previously claims have offered insight into the tablet’s new form factor with claimed iPad 5 images recently leaking, showing off a distinctly iPad mini-esque finish.
Would you be tempted by the iPad 5 if it looked like the iPad mini or are you happier with Apple’s new 7.9-inch direction? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Twitter and Facebook feeds or through the comment boxes below.
Via: BGR
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
