Reports claimed that Apple's upcoming iPad 5 will be released later this year with iPad Mini-like design.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, shipments of the iPad 5 are set to kick off sometime during August to September. He also rendered two launch timeframes apart from the stated period. The company will apparently unveil its next flagship tablet either between September and October or October and November.

Ming-Chi Kuo has a noteworthy track record when it comes to rumours related to Apple devices. He said that the Apple's iPad 5 is said to be running on Apple A7X quad-core processor. Kuo also said to MacRumors that the next generation iPad 5 from Apple is going to arrive in the market with significant improvements.

"We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15 percent thinner than iPad 4. 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). The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini's," Kuo said.

He also claimed that the next flagship of the Apple's iPad will also feature some of the specs of Apple's iPad Mini like the multilayer-glass-based GF2 touch technology which will trim down the thickness and allow the iPad 5 to be even thinner than its antecedents.

According to rumours, the Apple's iPad 5 is said to be running on Apple A7X quad-core processor, with 1-2GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB storage options, along with a 5-8MP rear facing camera and 1.3MP front facing camera. The device will have connectivity options including WiFi + 4G LTE, and Bluetooth 4.0 with Lightning Connector. The iPad 5 is said to come with storage options of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.

On the other hand, Apple's iPad has always had problem of battery life, be it consumption of more power or heating up of the device that makes it too hot to handle. Therefore, Kuo said that Apple may release its iPad 5 with a thinner and smaller battery which could diminish problems about too much drain and excessive heating.

"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," Kuo claimed in his note. However, Apple has declined to comment on the rumors.

The iPad 5 is rumoured 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.