iPad 5, iPad Mini 2 Release Date Delayed Again as Foxconn Not In-Charge of Production?
There is a new rumor claiming that the release date of Apple's upcoming tablets, iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2, will be delayed as Chinese factory Foxconn hinted that it is not working on the production of the tablets.
Apple's longtime production partner Foxconn hinted that it is not in-charge of the manufacturing of the company's highly anticipated tablets.
The drifting apart of the two companies was first hinted by Foxconn's steep drop in overall manufacturing revenue last month, which led some to conclude that Apple's iPad and iPhone sales plummeted. However, this was proved wrong by Apple's quarterly reports. Thus, it seemed that Apple just pulled out the bulk of its business from Foxconn.
According to reports, the divorce between the two tech companies is due to the unreliability of Foxconn and Apple's decision to cut ties from partners who are also involved in Android, which is Apple's intense rival.
Apple has also managed to keep the identity of its new supplier under wraps for now. That may change once iPad Mini 2 and iPad 5 production is fully underway.
Reports said that iOS 7 may arrive on September 18 following the 100-day launch date just like the iOS 6. If rumours proved to be true, iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 could arrive this month until September 18.
Latest predictions claimed that tech giant Apple will release the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 in July. Will the company release it without the new iOS 7 in tow? There are reports which stated that the tablets are ready for mass production for July launch.
However, Apple says iOS 7 will be ready in the fall, and early buzz from beta testers is that it is further along than expected and could be complete as soon as August. Apple has always tied its iPhone releases to the new version of iOS and never its new iPads, but that's been when the iPad was being released in the spring, a good six months before the next iOS was ready.
According to rumors, iPad Mini 2 is speculated to feature a screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is almost four times the resolution of the present iPad Mini and is equal to the fourth generation iPad which was released along with the iPad Mini last year. AU Optronics has been rumored to be making displays for the iPad Mini 2.
Other specs include a more powerful dual core A7 processor and a 7.9 inch screen. It will also feature a 10-hour battery life, a FaceTime HD camera, and an iSight camera with 1080 pixels HD video recording. Apple is also trying to reduce the thickness of the iPad Mini 2 by using the Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology in its screens.
The iPad 5, on the other hand, is rumored to have no bezels, and the whole form factor has been made sleeker. Horowitz believes this design indicates that Apple will be calling on Sharp's IGZO screen technology. Sharp, however, according to Horowitz, has been struggling, and its ability to deliver components on time will play a key role in the release of the next iPad.
However, the Cupertino-based company offers no official comment on the aforementioned rumors.
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