Apple iPad Production Ramps Up With Anti-Glare Screen

Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad production is reportedly underway as the company looks to turn around declining sales of its line of tablet devices.

Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday that suppliers have started manufacturing a 9.7-inch screen iPad for possible release at the end of this quarter, or the beginning or early next quarter, according to unnamed sources. A new version of the iPad Mini is also in production and expected to be released before the end of the year.

While not much is known about the internal hardware of the next iPad or its external shape, the new iPad will reportedly sport a new anti-reflection coating to reduce glare experienced while using the device out in the sun or under bright lighting.

With Apple ramping up production on all its devices, the Cupertino, California, tech titan is poised for a busy launch schedule right in time for the holiday shopping season. Starting Sept. 9, Apple is expected to unveil its highly rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 during a media event. Following the announcement of the iPhone 6, rumors point to another device announcement in October, which may be the anticipated iWatch, Apple’s first entry into wearable devices.

While this may be beneficial for Apple’s mobile and wearable devices, it is yet to be seen how Apple will position the iPad to pull the device out of two quarters of a sales decline. But with tablet sales across the board crashing, analysts say that companies such as Apple will have to look to emerging markets and volume sales to make up the losses.

“With volume shifts to lower-priced iPad mini and mini with Retina display SKUs, volume growth is the only way to make up the revenue shortfall,” ABI Research analyst, Jeff Orr, told International Business Times in a previous interview.