iPad mini 2 with Unchanged Design to Roll Out in Two Months from Now, Analyst Says

Checks with industry sources at CES 2013 have led analyst Brian White to believe that Apple is planning to release two new iPad models in March 2013, one of which will be the second-generation iPad mini.

In addition to a rumored iPad 5, which is said to be even thinner and lighter than the current-generation model, Apple will launch the second-generation iPad mini with an unchanged design, and beefed up internals, according to Topeka Capital Markets analyst, Brian White.

“Our checks at CES indicate Apple will release the iPad 5 and the second-generation iPad mini this March,” the analyst says in a research paper.

“The iPad 5 is expected to be lighter and thinner than the iPad 4 that was released in October, while the form factor of the iPad mini should be similar to the first generation iPad mini that debuted in October.”

The new iPad mini 2 will likely include a faster processor. The current-generation tablet uses the A5 SoC (system on a chip) debuted with the iPhone 4S. An A5X chip, or even the A6 could be added in the next iteration. The diminutive tablet PC could also be equipped with a Retina display in March.