iPad Mini 2 Release Date to Take Place After iPad 5 Launch

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, June 04, 2013

The iPad Mini 2 release date will take place after the launch of the full sized iPad 5, or fifth-generation model.

The smaller model will debut several months after the regular sized version, according to a report from DigiTimes. Volume production of the new generation 9.7-inch iPad is expected to begin in July-August with shipments in the third quarter estimated at five million units.

Volume production on the iPad Mini is set to begin sometime between September and November. The publication claims to have attained this information from Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

DigiTimes also reported on some of the specifications for the new full-sized iPad stating that it will be narrower, thinner and lighter than the current model. It will also look very similar to the iPad Mini. This is something that has been reported by several tech publications in the past.

These claims fall right in line with a report released from tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in April.He predicted that iPad 5 will be 15 percent thinner and 25 percent lighter than the current version.

"The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25 percent lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4's (front HD, rear 5MP)," wrote Kuo in his report. "The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini's."

Apple will also adopt the same GF2 touch technology used in the iPad Mini, which will enable the company to design a thinner display for the new full-size iPad, according to Kuo's report. New and more efficient chip technologies are also expected to bring down the tablet's price.