Next gen iPad Air to feature the A8 processor

Apple is expected to release a wide range of new products this fall, including its first smartwatch and a new iPad Air. While rumors claim the iPad Air 2 will have the same screen as the current model and its design will not suffer any major changes either, the new Apple tablet is said to incorporate the A8 processor and a new 8 MP rear camera.

According to industry insiders quoted by Korean news portal ETNews, "Apple will begin production of the iPad Air 2 displays this month" with other key parts expected to enter production next month. LG, Samsung and Sharp will manufacture displays for the new iPad starting this month. The 9.7-inch screen will have 2,048X1,536 pixels and 264 ppi. Rumors claim more than 10 million displays will be manufactured between June and September.

The iPad Air 2 is expected to offer a 50 percent increase of processing performance (CPU and GPU) and improved autonomy, while the 1.2 MP and 5 MP cameras currently featured by the iPad Air will be replaced by a 1.5 MP frontal camera and an 8 MP snapper on the back.

Since production of iPad Air parts began in August and the slate launched in October, the new iPad Air could arrive in early September or even earlier but there is no official information about the device's launch date available for the time being.