Sources in the know confided to Bloomberg that Apple is working on a smaller iPad and that this new tablet will use LCD displays from AU Optronics and LG Display. Said to feature a diagonal length of 7.85 inches, this new iPad mini is anticipated to be released in October.
TPK Holding Co. (3673) and Yeh Cheng Technology, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, will supply the lamination coating for the device that will measure 7.85 inches diagonally, said the people, who declined to be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. Current iPads measure 9.7 inches.
Offering a smaller tablet may help Apple hold onto share of a market it dominates in the face of new devices from Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. The orders will mark the first time AUO, a maker of panels for Apple’s MacBooks and Sony Corp. TVs, is supplying screens for Apple handheld devices.
