Report Claims 7-Inch iPad in August, New iPhone in September, New 10-Inch iPad by End of Year

Digitimes has had a hit-or-miss track record when it comes to Apple rumors, but with the site having offered some accurate information in the past, its claims continue to be closely watched. In its latest report, the site lays out a timeline for Apple's iPhone and iPad plans for the remainder of the year, basing its claims on sources within Apple's supply chain.

The report focuses on Pegatron, which has served as an alternate assembly partner to Foxconn for a number of Apple products. According to Digitimes, Pegatron has landed orders for both a new iPhone planned to launch in September and a new iPad scheduled to debut "in the fourth quarter".

The iPhone claim appears to be a reasonable one given current thinking that Apple will return to a roughly one-year interval between iPhone updates, with a September launch coming just under a year after the early October introduction of the iPhone 4S last year.

But the iPad claim is a more troublesome one, as Apple has so far stuck to a yearly schedule for iPad hardware updates centered around the March-April timeframe. A late 2012 release of a new "10-inch iPad" presumably arriving as a next-generation version of the current device would mark a significantly shorter lifecycle for the current model than would be expected.

Similar rumors of a late-year iPad update surfaced last year before being quashed amid reports that work on the new Retina display would keep Apple on its yearly update cycle.

ipad mini mockup iphone
Mockup of 7.85-inch iPad next to an iPhone (courtesy of CiccareseDesign)

Digitimes makes one final claim in its latest report, indicating that Foxconn will be a manufacturing partner for a smaller 7-inch iPad, which is planned for release in August. Claims of such a device have been circulating for some time with some reports similarly pointing to a Q3 launch, and it seems likely that Apple has at least toyed with the idea. It is unclear, however, whether the company truly has any intentions of bringing it out of its design lab.

Related Roundups: iPad, iPad mini
Related Forums: iPad, iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Joshwawilson Avatar
175 months ago
I'm tired of this stuff. Seriously, it's the same old news we've heard many times before
Score: 76 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Boe11 Avatar
175 months ago
Every time they cite digitimes stories, this site loses credibility with me. I realize news has been slow lately, but come on.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KSpider Avatar
175 months ago
I'm tired of this stuff. Seriously.



No kidding, where are my freaking MBP and iMac updates
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
levitynyc Avatar
175 months ago
the 7" iPad rumor...it just won't die, nor will it happen.

iPhone 5 makes sense in September

The 10" iPad in December rumor is idiotic.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
175 months ago
How do I get a job with any of these folks? A new iPhone is being released this year, paycheck please.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ciclismo Avatar
175 months ago
Bla bla bla...fits in a woman's purse more easily...bla bla bla!

Although most women I know carry "purses" that could conceal a 27" iMac, there is no room in there for a 7" anything, because they carry so much crap in these leather duffel bags that whenever they are searching for something it sounds like a kid digging for parts in a giant box of Legos.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)