A new report says Apple has next-gen iPads in production with an anti-reflective coating for better outdoor readability – but there might be a hitch.
A new anti-reflective coating will deliver better outdoor screen readability, which is a feature Microsoft’s Lumia 930 smartphone ably demonstrates with a screen that outperforms iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models under bright light.
But Bloomberg says there may be “manufacturing complications” with the application of the coating, which could restrict 9.7-inch iPad output.
 Click to enlarge |
| Apple’s next iPad should have an anti-reflective coating. |
Even so, Bloomberg expects an unveiling “at the of this quarter or early next”, with the new 7.9-inch iPad Mini entering production soon and due for release “by the end of the year”.
Unlike the iPhone 6, which has seen parts, renders and alleged retail boxes widely leak, there hasn’t been much news on the next iPad Air or iPad mini.
The fingerprint Touch ID reader is expected to launch on both tablets following its successful introduction to the iPhone 5S last year, alongside a faster A8 processor, thinner profile, better camera and more sensors to interlink with a potential iTime/iWatch.
Bloomberg also notes that iPhone 6 production began in July, and that the timely launch of new iPads is crucial given Apple’s soft iPad sales over the last two quarters.
Reports of a larger 12-inch sized iPad also seem to have fallen by the wayside, potentially pushing any super large iPads to 2015, unless Apple has “one more thing” to surprise the world with when its newest iPads finally arrive.
