Apple may launch iPad 2 Plus in 2011, says analyst
"Indications from the supply chain" lead one analyst to predict that Apple could launch an updated iPad toward year's end, according to the International Business Times.
Apple could hit the market with a new version of the iPad 2 this year, FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger said today in the International Business Times .
Detailing his forecast in a recent investor's note, Berger said he believes that a device dubbed the iPad 2 Plus could launch in late 2011. Citing "indications from the supply chain," the analyst said that Apple has sent out requests for quotes to different suppliers for the new tablet, though no specific schedule for production has been confirmed.
Berger added that the display for the iPad 2 Plus could be anywhere from 250 to 300 pixels per inch (ppi) compared with the current iPad 2's 132-ppi resolution, IBT reported.
Despite hints from the supply chain, the analyst is waiting for further proof before calling this a done deal.
"While we find this new commentary interesting, we await more confirming data points from other supply chain contacts before fully believing a new iPad device is coming in 2011," Berger said.
Looking at the current iPad 2, the analyst is eyeing sales of 10 million units in the second quarter and 16.5 million in the third.
Berger's report follows a recent story from DigiTimes claiming that Apple is gearing up an iPad 3 with a 250-ppi display. The iPad 3 would launch in October at the same time that a new iPhone would reach consumers, according to DigiTimes.