Production of 7.85-Inch iPad Rumored for 3Q 2012 at the Earliest

DigiTimes, which has several times in past addressed rumors of a smaller 7.85-inch iPad, has published a new report today claiming that Apple's manufacturing partners have been delivering samples of the device to Apple ahead of mass production that would start in the third quarter of this year at the earliest.

Makers in Apple's iPad supply chain have started delivering samples of 7.85-inch iPads for verification, with volume production likely to begin in the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest, according to industry sources.

The report suggests that Apple will price the smaller iPad in the range of $249-$299, with a rumored 8 GB iPad 2 occupying a price point at $349-$399. The report also claims that Apple could continue offering the 16 GB iPad 2 at $449 to fill out a low-end grouping below the flagship iPad 3 lineup.

iPad Mini comparison t
We previously mocked up what a 7.85-inch iPad would look like, creating print-suitable documents to allow readers to test out the size for themselves either on paper or displayed on a current 9.7-inch iPad. With the device rumored to carry the same 1024x768 resolution of the iPad 2 but at a smaller physical size, some user interface elements would become rather small, but primary elements such as icons and the keyboard seem very usable at the smaller size.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

pewra Avatar
182 months ago
Not gonna happen.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pancakedrawer Avatar
182 months ago
Digitimes is working hard to churn out the BS today!
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Warbrain Avatar
182 months ago
Scheduled for 3Q. Why? Because it doesn't exist and won't exist this year.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bb426 Avatar
182 months ago
We keep seeing these "two releases in the same year" stories. When are they gonna learn...?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
182 months ago
Look—Digitimes can keep making up stuff about the iPad mini all day long. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen. First it was spring last year, then the end of 2011, then in the spring, and now it's back to autumn 2012. It just isn't going to happen. Get over it Digitimes. The 9.7" iPad is a runaway success.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brad9893 Avatar
182 months ago
Has DigiTimes ever been reliable?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)