Rumor: first iPad 5 units to be manufactured in time for September launch

The fifth generation iPad (or iPad 5, if you will) is surely coming later this year. What's a bit harder to predict is when it is going to launch exactly, but if this recent rumor is to be trusted, Apple might announce a new model of its iconic tablet in September. According to DigiTimes, trial production runs for the iPad 5 will begin soon, with manufacturing in volume scheduled to begin in August. A total of 2 to 3 million units are allegedly to be shipped in September alone. 

The source further claims that the screen for the fifth generation iPad will stick with the same Retina resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels. The new display panel, however, will be a hair thinner, thus allowing the whole device to be slimmer than the current model. In fact, it is claimed that the iPad 5 will be much thinner and lighter than its predecessor as its battery is expected to be less thick as well. And to make up for the less charge stored in the cell, the new display panel is said to be equipped with smaller, energy-efficient backlight LEDs. 

The iPad 5 is expected to adopt design cues that Apple introduced with the iPad mini, among them being the slimmer screen bezel. What else the next iPad will have to stand out with is beyond us, but a faster processor might also be in tow, sprinkled with a dash of the "flatter" iOS 7.

source: DigiTimes