Apple iPad 5 Release Date Nears: Redesigned Specs Surface In Photos And Video

Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL) is expected to release its fifth-generation iPad, the alleged iPad 5, within the next couple of months. And as is customary for any Apple product prior to its release date, the Internet has recently produced convincing photos and video of the iPad 5’s alleged parts, including its rear shell and faceplate.

Though the rear shell of the iPad 5 had surfaced in January, smartphone blog FanaticFone on Aug. 1 shared some new photos of the iPad 5 specs, including its narrower rear shell, new volume buttons, and dual speakers flanking the iPad 5’s Lightning connector. In many ways, the iPad 5 specs look similar to those of the iPad mini, including its slimmer form factor and silver Apple logo. Check out the photos of the iPad 5 parts below.

The iPad 5 is rumored to be exactly as thin as the current iPad mini, at 7.2 mm thick. In December, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara predicted specs of the iPad 5, saying the new tablet would measure 237.2 mm tall (4mm shorter than the iPad 4), 168.7 mm wide (17 mm were shaved off thanks to those thinner side bezels), and about 7.4 mm deep, which is a tad thicker than the iPad mini. A schematic leaked from French site NowhereElse said the iPad 5 will be slightly longer, wider and thicker than Macotakara’s predicted specs -- pegging the iPad 5 dimensions at 232 mm long, 178.5 mm wide and 7.9 mm thick. Exact measurements aside, the general form factor of the iPad 5 aligns well across all our previous iPad 5 leaks, which range from external shells to third-party cases and accessories.

If photos weren’t convincing enough, Macotakara (via Sonny Dickson, the famed Apple product leaker) posted videos of two new Apple products on Aug. 3, including a video of the rear shell and front panel of the iPad 5, which appear assembled together for the first time. The iPad 5 has the same 9.7-inch Retina display as its predecessors (not pictured), but with narrower side bezels and a tapered back made from anodized aluminum (also like the iPad mini), the iPad 5 will be smaller and thinner while preserving the iPad’s typical display size and quality. In fact, Apple is said to have improved the display, with U.K.-based blogger Tactus (among several others) believing the iPad 5 will be released with Sharp's proprietary IGZO technology to house an even denser Retina display.

While these photos and videos haven't been confirmed by Apple – Apple refuses to address rumors about any of its products prior to respective release dates – these iPad 5 parts certainly appear legitimate, especially considering how long the iPad 5 has been in the rumor mill.

Apple iPad 5 Rumors: When Is The Release Date?

No Apple product exists in a bubble; everything is interconnected, including every release date for its various devices. We believe the release date for the iPad 5 will coincide with the release date for iOS 7, Apple’s redesigned mobile operating system for iPhone and iPad unveiled in June, simply because Apple would never release new software without some hardware to go with it.

We believe Apple will announce iOS 7, as well as the iPad 5, iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 at an event taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 3, which would mean Apple would release iOS 7 about one week later on Wednesday, Sept. 11. We also believe Apple will release its newest and perhaps riskiest smartphone yet, the plastic iPhone 6, on Friday, Sept. 13, but we also believe the iPhone 6 won’t launch alone on that date. With consideration to the adjusted release date timeline from trustworthy KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we believe Apple will release the iPad 5 the same day as the budget iPhone, on Sept. 13.

What are you hoping to see in the iPad 5? Do you care more about the new form factor or the tablet’s enhanced specs? Give us your thoughts on the iPad 5 in the comments section below.

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