iPad 5 Production Projected to Begin in July
Apple will begin to ramp up production on the fifth-generation iPad starting in July, according to reports.
The company plans on manufacturing anywhere from 2-3 million units per month and will complete its production cycle in September, according to a report from DigiTimes.
The publication also reported on some of the specifications for the new 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.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
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.
"We therefore think that iPad 5's battery capacity will be 25-30 percent smaller, at 8,500-9,000mAh, than iPad 4's, and the battery's thickness will be 15-20 percent smaller, at 7.5-8.0mm, and the number of cells will be reduced to two from three," wrote Kuo.
The A7X chip will take advantage of Samsung's 28-nanometer process node. This contradicts previous reports which state that Apple will shift most of its chip production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Kuo believes that shift will occur later on down the line.
