Apple Rumored To Launch iPad Air 2 In October, Next-Gen Retina iPad Mini In Early 2015

Apple’s next-generation 9.7-inch iPad, dubbed the “iPad Air 2,” is set to enter mass production this month ahead of its expected release in October, but the launch of the second-generation version of the 7.9-inch Retina iPad mini could be delayed until early 2015, a report said Monday.

According to Taiwan’s Commercial Times, Apple is not likely to release a new version of the iPad mini with Retina display alongside the iPad Air 2 as some reports had suggested earlier. Instead, the company could push the device’s launch to the first quarter of 2015, according to a new timeline that a report from Apple Insider called “a bit suspicious given Apple's most recent iPad release cycle.”

In addition to the two iPad models, the report also talked about the much-speculated larger iPad, presumably called the “iPad Pro,” which is rumored to feature a 12.9-inch display. According to Commercial Times, the iPad Pro is expected to go into production in the second quarter of 2015 and could be launched soon after that.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that Apple’s suppliers are preparing to produce the company’s largest-ever iPad, which could enter production by the first quarter of next year. The report also said that potential customers for the larger iPads would be businesses, where the new tablet could replace traditional laptop computers. If the bigger iPad becomes a reality, it will directly compete with Microsoft’s 12-inch Surface Pro 3 and Samsung’s Galaxy Note Pro, which features a 12.2-inch display.

According to a report from DigiTimes earlier this month, the upcoming iPad Air 2 is expected to feature the same 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels (264 ppi) found in the current-generation version of the device. However, the new iPad Air is likely to be thinner and faster than its predecessor, thanks to a more powerful processor.

Taiwan’s TechNews also recently claimed that the new iPad Air could get a memory upgrade, increasing its RAM to 2GB from 1GB. But, the second-generation Retina iPad mini is expected to continue featuring a 1GB RAM.