One of the unfortunate tradeoffs that Apple was forced to make with the third-generation iPad was an increase in thickness and weight to accommodate the then-new tablet-sized Retina display. The company was not able to make changes to the design for the product’s fourth generation but new rumors from DigiTimes suggest that the fifth-generation iPad may finally see a much-need reduction in size and weight.
Trial production of the fifth-generation full-size iPad is reportedly set to begin soon with full scale production set for July. Monthly production is expected to reach 2 to 3 million units by September, according to Taiwan-based supply chain sources.
A narrow bezel matching the proportions of the iPad min, a thinner display module, and fewer display layers will all combine to produce a slightly thinner and significantly lighter iPad. Weight reductions of 25 to 33 percent are expected for the new model compared to the existing fourth-generation device.
The usual suspects — LG Display, Samsung Display, and Sharp — are expected to supply the displays for the next iPad, while Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology will work with the LED light bars, Radiant Opto-Electronics and Coretronic will handle backlight units, and TPK Holding will supply touch panel bonding.
Rumors of a thinner and lighter iPad that shares the slim side bezels found on its smaller sibling have persisted for months. With the iPad design largely unchanged since its original introduction in 2010, industry watchers are looking to Apple for significant hardware and software improvements. The company’s worldwide Apple market share has fallen drastically in recent quarters, and now sits in second place with 39.6 percent market share compared to surging Android with a 56.5 percent share, according to recent data from IDC.
