In the rush of recent cellphone releases it’s easy to forget about the iPad 5. Despite the best efforts of other tech companies, the iPad still rules the roost in the tablet field. But Apple knows they have to keep out in front of its competitors if it’s to keep their edge.
So what’s in store for the next generation iPad? Let’s take look:
Size and weight: The iPad 5 will reportedly go lean and mean. The new 9.7-inch iPad will be 25-33% lighter than the iPad 4. The weight loss is attributed to a new, thinner glass that reduces the size of the LED backlight. The update should make the iPad slightly thinner as well as lighter.
Resolution: There will be no changes here. The iPad 5 will have a 2048×1536 Retina display.
Design: Rumors indicate the iPad 5 will take its lead from the iPad mini. In addition to being thinner, expect it to have narrower bezels.
Camera: The iPad usually is a generation behind the iPhone in terms of camera quality. With the iPhone 5S/6 rumored to have a 12-megapixel camera, that would mean the iPad 5 would get an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera.
Wireless charging: Apple is known to be working on wireless charging for their phones and tablets. While we’d love to see it on the iPad 5, there are no indications it is happening.
Storage: No changes here. There should be 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB versions available for consumers.
Release date: Digitimes reports that production of the iPad 5 is expected to begin in July. That means we should expect a fall release – either September or October.