Apple will unveil new iPad Air on Sept. 9, says analyst
Apple may not wait until October to introduce its new iPad Air. At least, that's the take from one analyst. In an investors note from KGI Securities released Thursday and picked up by AppleInsider, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes Apple will show off its new iPad Air at next Tuesday's launch event packed with several key new features. If true, that would mean a departure for Apple, which typically unveilsits new iPad in October. That would also lead to a crowded schedule as Apple is also expected to unveil the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch editions of the iPhone 6 and potentially a wearable device on the same date. Would Apple really cram in all of these product announcements on the same day? It seems unlikely, but Kuo has been on the money with many of his past predictions. Feature-wise, the next iPad Air will adopt the same Touch ID fingerprint sensor that Apple added to the iPhone 5S last year, according to Kuo. That seems like a safe prediction as Apple would certainly want to expand the security feature to its popular tablet. Related storiesPhablets are going to be bigger than tablets, laptops, IDC saysHow to prepare your iPhone or iPad for iOS 8Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9 Further, the analyst said he believes the new iPad Air will come with an anti-reflective screen coating, a new gold casing, a fully-laminated touch panel, and a beefier A8 processor, AppleInsider said. But iPad Mini buyers looking for big changes in the next edition may be disappointed, at least based on Kuo's crystal ball. The analyst believes the new Mini "may" adopt the Touch ID sensor but might not see many other major improvements.Responding to a request from CNET, an Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Kuo's prediction. CNET will also host a live blog of Apple's launch event on Tuesday, September 9. (Via AppleInsider)
