iPad Rumors Release Date 2013: What to Expect From Apple's Rumored Oct. 22 iPad 5 & iPad Mini Event
Apple isn't done yet. Despite just recently releasing the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, it is being rumored that Apple is soon to release their new iPads during an Oct. 22 iPad event.
According to blog AllThingsD, Apple will hold an invitation-only iPad event later this month. "People familiar with Apple's plans" told the blog that Apple will reveal the newest iPad as well as the newest Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks.
So what exactly will these new iPads entail if there truly is an Oct. 22 event?
iPad 5
The fifth-generation iPad is supposed to be thinner and lighter, while still maintaining its 9.7-inch display. Apple's tablet will also use the new 64-bit A7 chip.
"The iPad 5 is simply a larger version of the iPad Mini, if a detailed video demonstration by a Hong Kong parts retailer is accurate," CNET said based off of information from a YouTube video by Sw-box.com.
iPad mini
Meanwhile, the iPad mini is expected to also operate with the 64-bit A7 chip and be upgraded with retina display, an Apple-created term that means pixel density "so high the human eye cannot distinguish individual pixels from a normal viewing distance, so text and graphics look incredibly sharp."
Providing the public with iPad minis with Retina display, however, could cause distribution problems for Apple.
"Apple's supply chain is only now gearing up to make Retina displays for the iPad Mini, which means the gadgets could be available in only limited quantities this year, if at all, and the company may miss the chance to cash in on the year-end holiday shopping season, the sources said," Reuters said referring to sources of "people who work in the company's supply chain."
Still, an iPad mini with Retina display is possible for this year, even if in limited supply until 2014.
Both iPads
Other possible iPad updates include new gold, silver and gray color options like the iPhone 5s, and a upgraded camera.
9to5mac consulted the "often reliable" KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said that a rear camera upgrade from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels with a larger aperture is likely for both the iPad 5 and the iPad mini.
A fingerprint sensor, like that found on the iPhone 5s, could also be in the works for the newest iPads.
Oct. 22 is also the date of the debut of Microsoft's Surface 2 tablet and Nokia's Innovation Reinvented showcase. This could only make the competition between Apple and other tablet makers stronger. In the second quarter of this year, Android-based tablets enjoyed better unit sales and revenue than Apple's tablets, according to ABI Research.