Disqus
Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Apple may start to mass produce a 7-inch tablet this fall. Component suppliers are allegedly prepping to start producing the tablet in September. An earlier report from the Wall Street Journal said Apple was testing a smaller iPad and this latest leak suggests the tablet has received the rubber stamp of approval from Apple. Apple is supposedly working with South Korea’s LG Display and Taiwan-based AU Optronics Co.
Details on a launch date were not provided, but rumors suggest the company may unveil the tablet during its annual fall music-oriented event. Last year, Apple used this event to announce the iPhone 4S. Apple may be targeting the holiday shopping season, but a late fall launch of the tablet may be challenging if the company is only starting production in September. A month of production may not give Apple enough time to produce the million of units the company will need for a launch. It’s also possible Apple may unveil the smaller iPad in early in 2013 as part of its yearly iPad refresh.
[WSJ]
About The Author
Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly spent the last four years covering mobile technology at places like BGR, Gizmodo and The Unofficial Apple Weblog. Before writing, she spent a few years working with and teaching others how to use Adobe Flash and Macromedia Director. Even earlier than that, she spent several years as a Ph.D student in Microbiology. When she's not writing, she can be found fishing the lakes and hiking the mountains of Western Maine with her husband and tribe of children. You can follow her on Twitter @kellyhodgkins.
