iPad 5 Set for October Debut with Design Similar to iPad Mini? iPhone 5S and Lower-Cost iPhone Moving Forward

[MacRumors]

iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz has filed a new report offering a few new details on the fifth-generation iPad, as well as on Apple's work toward future iPhone models.

Most notably, Horwitz says that he has inspected what is said to be a shell designed for the fifth-generation iPad, and that the device will adopt many of the features seen in the iPad mini's design.

What does it look like? Well, it's a lot smaller than one would guess was possible: in portrait orientation, picture a 9.7" screen with virtually no left or right bezels, and only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements. Beyond that, it's noticeably thinner, as well, which is to say the the fifth-generation iPad will be smaller in every dimension than its predecessors. As it will have the same chamfered edges and curves, calling it a "stretched iPad mini" is very close to entirely accurate.

The report notes that the upcoming iPad is so much smaller and thinner than the current design that it seems to require a complete redesign of the interior, likely including a shift in display technology to IGZO panels and smaller chip components.

Horwitz says that while Apple had originally hoped to push the fifth-generation iPad out in March, it now appears that an October launch is more likely, perhaps due to issues with component yields.

On the topic of the iPhone, Horwitz says that the iPhone 5S will unsurprisingly appear nearly identical to the iPhone 5, although it will have a slightly larger rear flash. The rumored lower-cost iPhone with a plastic shell is indeed said to be in Apple's plans for 2013, with a focus on China Mobile as Apple seeks to lower the cost of entry for the world's largest carrier.

Finally, Horwitz says that the rumored "iPhone Math" is indeed in development, but that it will not be appearing this year, if ever.

Addressing the so-called "iPhone Math"--hinted by one source as a mistranslation of "iPhone +"--we've been told that this is another new model and in early prototyping stages, certainly not expected in 2013. It supposedly has a 4.7" screen, at least for the time being. It might never make it to market, and plenty could change before it does. Consider it Apple's "just in case / Plan B" hedge against ever-growing Android phone screen sizes.

Horwitz has shared fairly accurate information on Apple's product plans several times in the past, suggesting that he does indeed have reliable sources with access to Apple's supply chain.

Article Link: iPad 5 Set for October Debut with Design Similar to iPad Mini? iPhone 5S and Lower-Cost iPhone Moving Forward

[Jetson]

iPad 5 on order now!!!

Or whenever it's released.

[TheRainKing]

edit - nvm just read article

delete please

[medi.freak]

I want an ipad mini 2 !!! IN MARCH!

[Jetson]

Originally Posted by medi.freak

I want an ipad mini 2 !!! IN MARCH!

That's what I'm talking about!

However, if the iPad 5 will be similar to the iPad Mini in terms of size, of what use is the Mini?

[cgc]

Originally Posted by Jetson

That's what I'm talking about!

However, if the iPad 5 will be similar to the iPad Mini in terms of size, of what use is the Mini?

I think "similar" means thinner, same bezel, etc. Not the same size...

[moderngamenewb]

Originally Posted by Jetson

That's what I'm talking about!

However, if the iPad 5 will be similar to the iPad Mini in terms of size, of what use is the Mini?

In that case, I think the iPad Mini will be to the iPad 5 what the Macbook Air is to the MacBook Pro. I bet there will be different technical specs, such as processor speed. The mini could be used more for e-readers and web browsing with some gaming, where as the iPad 5 could be more for watching videos, and heavy gaming, and even better multitasking.

[HurryKayne]

Originally Posted by medi.freak

I want an ipad mini 2 !!! IN MARCH!

Me too,
add A6 and 1GB of Ram then take my money!
But..i don't think it will happen unless Apple releases an Iphone 5S Core A6 (quad?)
in a March (even if i don't like the "S" idea...)
...i mean...less people would buy an Iphone 5 if i could take the Ipad Mini with the same A6..to stay beside the new Galaxy S4 rumored to be out in Spring..i will do it..so
Ipad Mini Retina A6 plus Iphone 5s in Spring-June
Ipad 5 and Iphone 6 with A7 next Fall.
ps...
but...an A6 Ipad mini would overtake Ipad 4 in sellings..so..
maybe the Fall Ipad/A6 mini Retina,Iphone 6/A7 and Ipad / A7 makes more sense.

[myrtlebee]

"only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements."

Does this mean the bottom bezel (with the home button) will be thicker than the top?

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by myrtlebee

"only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements."

Does this mean the bottom bezel (with the home button) will be thicker than the top?

Either that, or you'll have a smaller home button.

Though why all the hate for bezels? It's not like I'm bothered by the one around my iPad right now. Sure, it could make for a potentially smaller device if the front is mostly screen, but it'll also make it that much more difficult to hold.

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by Renzatic

Either that, or you'll have a smaller home button.

Though why all the hate for bezels? It's not like I'm bothered by the one around my iPad right now. Sure, it could make for a potentially smaller device if the front is mostly screen, but it'll also make it that much more difficult to hold.

This rumor really doesn't make any sense for the full size iPad, but it's exactly what I'm hoping for on an upcoming mini.

Just cut the weight of the full size iPad -- reducing the bezels would only make it more difficult to use (even with good touch rejection). What would be gained from it? It still wouldn't get it into the range of what could be considered pocketable. What would be the point?

The mini, on the other hand, would become my dream large(ish) portable device with this bezel reduction. I'm hangin with the Nexus 7 till this hopefully comes along.

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by knucklehead

This rumor really doesn't make any sense for the full size iPad, but it's exactly what I'm hoping for on an upcoming mini.

Just cut the weight of the full size iPad -- reducing the bezels would only make it more difficult to use (even with good touch rejection). What would be gained from it? It still wouldn't get it into the range of what could be considered pocketable. What would be the point?

The mini, on the other hand, would become my dream large(ish) portable device with this bezel reduction. I'm hangin with the Nexus 7 till this hopefully comes along.

Yup. That's what I'm thinking. It makes sense for the Mini. I haven't seen one in person yet, but it looks small enough to grip in one hand hand, and it's probably light enough to hold it from the bottom with your thumb and index finger without it feeling too unwieldy. The only bezel you'd need for it would be along the top and bottom.

The iPad though, no matter how light and thin they make it, you'll still need an equal sized bezel all the way around. It's too big a screen to hold it from the bottom. It'll feel off balance holding it like that, jabbing at it with your finger. No matter if you're in portrait or landscape, the size will always make you want to hold it from the side.

[DanteMann]

Of course there will be a bigger iPhone. Apple didn't even want a 4 inch screen, but they were pushed by the market. Just put an iPhone 4 next to the current batch of high end Android phones and see how pathetic that screen size holds next to those gorgeous 4.7-4.8 screens. Keeping 3.5 inches would have been a complete joke. So 4 inches they went. Apple even had to saturate the colors on the iPhone 5 screen from previous screens just to show better on the sales floor against the vibrant SuperAmoled Screens. On the sales floor, the vibrant colors of the SuperAmoled just pop and look amazing. Nobody is doing any major photo editing on their puny 3.5-4 inch skinny smartphone screen to require accurate colors.
Tim believes they have the perfect screen size at 4 inches. So what about all those past years at 3.5 inches which they professed was the perfect size. What a joke.

[JaySoul]

Focus on improving iOS.

[rtr1985]

Of course October. They want to put the A7X in it.

[camnchar]

Apple probably needs to redesign the iPhone every year now. Squatting on a single design for two years with all of Android's various and ever-changing form factors is not the best recipe for long-term growth -- especially with a similarly stagnant OS.

[Popeye206]

Originally Posted by JaySoul

Focus on improving iOS.

+1... iOS makes up 90% of the features anyway... make it better... give us something new without changing the hardware. I really don't care about 5 inch screens or NFCs.

Otherwise... hurry up with something on the TV side! I want to dump my cable by the end of 2013.

[Danoc]

An iPad 5 with the iPad mini design, retina display, 500 grams, ios7. You can be sure it will be the hottest product for the Christmas season. Outsold for months easily.

[macs4nw]

Originally Posted by Popeye206

.....hurry up with something on the TV side! I want to dump my cable by the end of 2013.

or soooooner, PLEEEASE! I soooo want to give them 'directions'

[Gemütlichkeit]

Originally Posted by JaySoul

Focus on improving iOS.

this is seriously what apple needs to be doing right now. Take a break on hardware and improve the performance of your OS, patch bugs, etc.

[driceman]

As many have said earlier, the focus needs to be on SOFTWARE. Personally I think a lot of great hardware came out in 2012, but the software was a bit lackluster, especially with iOS 6.

I like the iPhone 5's design. Having the same number of apps per screen as on the iPad was a logical move, but then again, a revamp with iOS 7 could make that completely irrelevant. If they make the screen bigger in the next year or two, maybe changing the rows-of-icons setup would make the transition easier/more interesting? A bigger screen would be cool, although I'm not bothered by the current size.

Of course, the thing is I'll be buying the 5S one way or another because of the ecosystem, and the simple fact that I think the iPhone blows away the competition. My iPhone 4 needs an update. :P

[mobilebuddha]

Unlike other companies, Apple has the size, human resources, capital to improve BOTH hardware and software. It is inexcusable for Apple to only focus on the software.. not that it shouldn't. There are many things that I prefer on Android over iOS.

Originally Posted by Gemütlichkeit

this is seriously what apple needs to be doing right now. Take a break on hardware and improve the performance of your OS, patch bugs, etc.

[Eric E. Schmidt]

phones will soon die off, the ipad is where it's at. the iphone, while successful, is merely a side step, a dip in a world where people rely on traditional voice services. i expect the ipad to shrink to pocketable size rather than iphone to grow.

[newyorksole]

Originally Posted by JaySoul

Focus on improving iOS.

this this this.

also, I'm willing to bet everything I have that there will be NO lower cost iPhone. the previous generation iPhones ARE the lower cost models.

and an iPhone Math is possible. definitely not this year. definitely not with the name "Math".

[slffl]

Originally Posted by JaySoul

Focus on improving iOS.

What's wrong with it exactly? I hear the anti-Apple zealots always saying how iPhone sux, iOS sux, but they never say why. "because you are bored with the home screen" isn't a reason either. I can tell you a dozen reasons why Android sucks though.

----------

Originally Posted by i4Collin

Apple is becoming dead to me. The iPhone is becoming very dated and nothing is being done to stop it. I used to be the biggest Apple fan in the world but this sucks. More and more I find my self enticed by products like the Galaxy SIII. They haven't released a 100% new and innovative product since the iPad in 2010 and everything they make now blends in to the point nobody even notices it's new anymore. The rMBP I spent $2199 on lags and is more glitchy than my old Windows 7 HP and when I use my iPhone 5 it feels no different than when I used my 4 or 4S. I am very sad to say that the special or magical feeling I used to get when using Apple products is completely gone.

What does the SG3 have that's enticing you? A larger, but inferior, screen? What is it about Samsung that people think is so innovative?

I for one want my phone to be as small and light as possible. I carry it in my front pocket, I run and workout with it, I use it with one hand while holding coffee walking down the street. These large phones may be good for people who always have two hands free, or for women who put them in their purse, but that's not me.