According to rumors, Apple has put in the request for its Taiwanese based component maker Foxconn to produce and ship iPad 2 within 100 days with plans for a spring 2011 release. According to Digitimes, initial shipments should reach 400,000 – 600,000 units.
Sources expect the product to get an official launch sometime in April of next year.
An analyst with Gleacher & Co. Brian Marshall said:
“Apple will stick with its annual refresh road map for its tablet, just like the Cupertino company has done with its iPhone for the past three years. I think April is the proper time frame for an iPad 2. Since I’m projecting that Apple will release a CDMA iPhone in March, both will help to equalize Apple’s seasonality.”
At first Apple had planned to start mass manufacturing of the iPad 2 in January of next year however the device’s firmware still being in the testing stage has now delayed the manufacturing.
Journalists and analysts have speculated that the next-generation iPad will come closer in line with the iPhone 4. Here are some reported expected features:
- A 9.7-inch retina display (similar to the iPhone 4′s retina display if not superior).
- A front-facing camera and a built-in FaceTime video phone app.
- Expanded support for AirPlay streaming.
- A USB port/connector.
- Gyroscope.
- Thinner form factor