Follow-up claims iPhone 5S, new iPad mini still distant
updated 03:32 pm EST, Fri January 25, 2013
Second-gen Mini said to be getting Retina display
An iPhone 5S and the second-generation iPad mini are both relatively far away from launch, according to iLounge. Following up on earlier claims about Apple's device lineup, the site says it has learned from a source that the 5S is still "months away" from production, although July is believed to be a target date. Current prototypes are allegedly codenamed N51 and N53; the source speculates that the phone's main feature will be a better rear camera, including not just a previously-mentioned flash upgrade but a better sensor, one possibility being a 13-megapixel Sony model.
The fifth-generation iPad, meanwhile, is reportedly codenamed the J72; the second-generation iPad mini is the J85. Both devices are not expected to launch until October, although iLounge indicates that the Mini will probably upgrade to a Retina display, solving the biggest complaint about the tablet. That may force Apple to switch to a different panel technology, such as IGZO, to keep size consistent.
If new iPhones and iPads are only set to be released in late 2013, it's uncertain what if anything Apple might announce this quarter. The company rarely goes through a quarter without at least one major product announcement, and since 2010, the March period has revolved around the iPad.
