Apple’s next iPhone isn’t the only “next big thing” many Apple fans are anticipating – Apple’s rumored 7.85-inch “iPad mini” has also been generating a huge amount of buzz – as well as the backing of a number of sources, including Bloomberg, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
In all reality, it’s fairly safe to say that Apple will release a smaller iPad – and probably this year. According to a new report from CNET, citing an analyst from a well-known firm, the iPad mini might be closer than you think – in fact, production for the displays has reportedly already begun.
“We expect panel production to start in August, with production ramping up to high volumes (more than a million units per month) in the fourth quarter,” said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in response to an e-mail query.
Semenza said this is DisplaySearch’s “understanding of the activity for the 7.85 [inch] panel expected to be used in the iPad Mini.” If this production schedule plays out, it could indicate a late 2012 launch, he said.”
While reports aren’t as confident in the release date of the iPad mini as they are of the next iPhone (most sources agree the next-gen iPhone will be announced on September 12th), it is widely believed that the device will be offered at a very competitive price in order address popular 7-inch tablets such as the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire.
Even though reports aren’t conclusive on a specific release timeframe, rumors surrounding the iPad mini’s release have ranged from September to sometime in November, although most reports suggest it will launch in October (1, 2, 3)with very few claims suggesting it will launch sometime other than this fall.
