Apple loves its chronological continuity, with the latest iPhone, MacBooks and iPods regularly appearing in the same calendar month each year. Well, the iPad has well and truly bucked that particular trend. Apple’s tablet was originally announced in January 2010, and launched three months later. We’re now less than a week from March, and we’ve yet to hear a single official whisper about the iPad 2.
Now the latest rumours, fresh out of Taiwan, suggest that the iPad 2 will hit stores two months (and one year, of course) after its predecessor. As reported on Reuters, Brokerage firm Yuanta Securities reckons the iPad 2 will be released in June.
Vincent Chen, head of downstream tech equities at Yuanta, noted: "Our checks suggest new issues are being encountered with the new production process and it is taking time to resolve them."
According to Chen’s note, Apple made some last-minute changes to the iPad 2’s design. If the tablet is delayed by two months, he estimates 23 million units will ship this year, down from an earlier forecast of 30.6 million.
The rumour mill speculates that the new iPad could have a front and rear camera, HD video-recording capabilities, and a slimmer, lighter body.
Apple could do with getting a move on. The impressive Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is expected next month.
