The Wall Street Journal confirms that Apple will unveil a new batch of iPads during Tuesday’s iPad event. The new announcements for tomorrow’s iPad event include a retina display iPad mini (iPad mini 2?) and a new thinner and lighter iPad 5, reports WSJ.
Apple is now readying a revamped iPad Mini with a high-resolution “retina” display. It’s also working on a thinner, lighter version of its standard 9.7-inch iPad, using a thin film instead of the glass found in existing models, based on information from the company’s parts suppliers.
Apple introduced the smaller and cheaper iPad mini last year, slowing down the competition’s momentum but it came with a low res. display as found in iPad 2 or earlier. However, Apple is set to introduced iPad mini 2 with Retina display during tomorrow’s iPad event. WSJ also claims iPad 5, the standard 9.7-inch iPad, to be lighter and thinner than its predecessor due to the use of thin film instead of glass found in earlier models.
The new iPad models are coming at a very crucial time when tablets have become Apple’s second biggest revenue but Apple could sold fewer iPads in last three months than the same period a year earlier. Research firm Gartner also expects Apple’s tablet share to fall below 50%, from 65% in 2011. Apple is also facing tough competition from cheaper tablets by competitors, further pressuring Apple to engage in the type of price competition that it has avoided historically.
via [WSJ]