'The tide is turning' between Apple and Android tablets, research shows

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Can Android finally claim the top tablet spot?

A research group said today that Android tablets will finally beat the iPad in 2013 as tablet sales rise 38 percent over sales in 2012.

ABI Research predicted that 150 million tablets will ship in 2013, a figure that's up significantly from last year.

But it's not surprising that tablet sales are rising while PC sales continue to get more and more pathetic.

What's more interesting is what ABI predicted for Apple and Android.

Taking a bite of the Apple

The ever-waging war between iOS and Android is about to shift toward Google's OS, at least in the tablet space, ABI Research said.

"The tide is definitely turning toward Android-based tablets," Jeff Orr, mobile devices senior practice director at ABI said in a press release. He added that "Apple will not slouch as it feels the competition approaching."

Nevertheless, the firm forecasted that Android tablets are about to finally overtake the iPad, despite the "timely" introduction of the in iPad mini in 2012.

It also predicted that Samsung will be the breakaway challenger that will differentiate itself the most from the Android pack. "A well-executed Samsung tablet strategy could double the company's market share this year," said Orr.

And so it goes

Apple shouldn't exactly feel blindsided by ABI's findings, as analysts have been predicting Android's eventual victory for years in spite of iOS's continued dominance.

In 2010, the year of its debut, the iPad had 87 percent of the tablet market, but during 2012 Android's growth more often than not outstripped Apple's, and the future that's being predicted now wasn't hard to see.

RBC Capital Markets researcher Mike Abramsky said in early 2011 thatAndroid would dominate the tablet market by 2014, a prediction that looks like it will come true.

And the International Data Corporation (IDC) made the same claim in March this year, saying that Android tablets will overtake iPads in 2013 thanks to price-conscious consumers choosing more affordable options.

IDC said Android will take up to 48.8 percent of the market, while Apple could drop to 46 percent of tablets sold. Its overall sales forecast of 190.9 million tablets shipped was much higher than ABI Research's more recent figure of 150 million, though.

In any case, the same thing has already happened in smartphones, withAndroid devices pulling ahead of the iPhone last year.

ABI said that 60 percent of tablets shipped in 2012 were iPads and iPad minis, while 37 percent used Android (including OS branches like the one used on the Kindle Fire HD).

Unless Apple has an ace up its sleeve, it could finally lose the top tablet spot to Android this year.

iPad mini 2 release date, news and rumours

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Apple might clear things up on the next iPad mini

Could this be the new iPad mini casing?

The iPad mini has been on sale since November 2012, so when will we get the iPad mini 2?

It seems like Apple was surprised by the iPad mini demand - it sound three million of the new iPad 4 and iPad mini in three days.

The story goes that the iPad mini 2 will have an even sharper display of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels packed into the same 7.9-inch space.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Doug Freedman - who was in China visiting chip companies in mid-December 2012 said: "iPad Mini Gen-2: Apple's gen-2 iPad mini is getting pulled-in, and is likely to have several new suppliers, with TXN gaining content."

When retailers start to price cut that can sometimes mean they're making way for a newer model, and as Cult of Mac notes, in the US that's just what Wal-Mart, Best Buy and MacMall are did on Wednesday 3 April, reducing prices of the iPad 3 and iPad mini prices by about 30%.

And could the iPad mini 2 also have the A5X processor under the hood? It seems likely, but as GottaBe Mobile reports, it's unlikely that Samsung will be the manufacturer of whatever part appears in the device.

iPad mini 2 casing

Images of what could potentially be the casing for the new iPad mini 2 leaked online in February. The photos come courtesy of the Chinese Weiphone forum, showing a silver rear casing for an iPad mini.

Most immediately noticeable on the casing is that the Apple logo and text is a sky blue color, rather than the typical black.

After you get over the color distraction, the more important point is a more subtle difference from the current mini, in that the casing appears to indicate a thicker device that the existing model.

The iPad gained a little extra girth when Apple upgraded it to a Retina display, so a thicker casing in these alleged iPad mini 2 shots seem to point to some Retina presence in this model.

iPad mini 2 release date

With production of the sharper screens projected to start by the later half of 2013, the iPad mini 2 release date could be mid to late 2013? And could it be that April is the release date for a revised version as well as the debut of the iPad 5? It doesn't seem that likely.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a financial analyst with KGI Securities, has published what is believed to be a leaked roadmap of Apple products for 2013. That points at an iPad mini 2 being released late in the year.

BGR cites a pair of reports that agree with the late 2013 release date, in time for the Christmas rush.

iPad Mini 2 display

The grown up iPad 4 has a Retina display, and the next mini should either have that Retina tech or something similar.

The biggest criticism of the current iPad mini so far is its relatively low 1,024 x 768 resolution. Critics wonder why a Retina display wasn't incorporated into the first iPad mini to begin with, but it seems it was largely to do with the speed of the product's announcement.

Some said Apple went with a lower resolution so it had some low hanging fruit to grab for the next upgrade. Production problems surrounding the iPad mini might also be the culprit.

The forthcoming iPad mini 2's retina display is said to have a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, doubling the current iPad mini's 1,024 x 798 screen and packing more pixels than the iPad 4's 264 ppi.

Anand Lal Shimpi and Vivek Gowri of Anandtech suggest that there are three things Apple has to do to bring a retina display to the iPad mini.

Reports in February 2013 suggested the iPad mini 2 retina display was already being manufactured. It's suggested that it will have a pixel density of 324ppi. As we saw with the iPad 4, could a better iPad mini 2 display also mean a bulkier product? Not it, as rumours suggest, the screen is a tough Sharp IGZO display.

GottaBe Mobile believes that Apple will certainly "actively [move] away from Samsung for the next generation of mobile products." Apparently Apple sent out a request to parts manufacturers for estimates for the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2, Samsung was not a recipient of the request.

iPad mini 2 price

When the iPad mini was first released, reports said the steep price point of $329/£269/AU$369 was due to manufacturing difficulties. Indeed, well into early 2013, iPad minis were not shipping quickly.

The new GF DITO touchscreen technology that helps make the mini so small is reportedly one of many production hurdles.

AU Optronics (AUO), the company that produces the current iPad mini LCD panels, was also having yield issues with the mini screens at first, so a Retina-like display could have caused additional production headaches.

However, AUO claims it smoothed out production problems surrounding the current panels, already resolving the light leak issues that held up fabrication.

Would a retina display iPad mini 2 also push the price upwards? There may also be retina and non-retina variants to keep the basic price low.

Microsoft push WP8 first update lock screen constantly WiFi

This news may make just starting or Windows Phone 8 devices users are ready to buy a little comfort, Microsoft has begun to push WP8 first update.

It is reported that the updated system version upgrade from 9905 to 10211, major repair unexcused automatically restart, and also brought the long awaited lock screen constantly WiFi capabilities.

Now the user can set in settings whether WiFi connection when lock screen, of course, in order to save power, you can still ignore it. This update OTA form takes approximately 10 minutes to download and install.

Restaurant leaked Nokia Windows tablet is coming

Since the Nokia hold on Microsoft's "thigh" People have been circulated to Nokia about to launch a tablet PC equipped with Windows system, and even foreign media continue to release the suspected spy, but that is ultimately the outsiders subjective assumptions. But in a few days ago, a Finnish restaurant seems to know more, inadvertently leaked the Nokia tablet whereabouts.

In Nokia Finland home, a restaurant in order to attract customers at the door hit an eye-catching posters, where consumption in the restaurant a sufficient amount of users will have the opportunity to raffle in March next year, and the prize is a Nokia Windows tablet.

The MMC mobile annual general meeting will be opened at the end of February 2013, Nokia Windows 8 tablet to be listed in March next year, the MWC 2013 conference is definitely a great time of the tablet debut.

As early as in March of this year, there are rumors that Nokia is developing a 10.1-inch screen and a Qualcomm dual-core Windows 8 tablet, Nokia CEO Elop earlier interviews attitude has been hinting flat products will be introduced in the future.

iPad is not big enough Japanese manufacturers push 21.5-inch flat-screen

The smart TVs combine TV with Android operating system is not uncommon in the current, but the smart TV as flat propaganda I am afraid only of Japan rontier .

Frontier Japan recently launched a 21.5-inch smart display device, equipped with a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 dual-core 1GHz processor, built-in 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM, 21.5-inch touch screen resolution of 1920 × 1080, provides a 1.2-megapixel front camera, pre-installed Android 4.0.4 operating system, need to be powered by the power adapter.
From a volume perspective, it is called a smart TV should be more appropriate, but the manufacturer does it as a tablet PC propaganda. Promotional materials, manufacturers use it to compare the Nexus 7 and iPad products, people believe that this really is a tablet.
However, the power adapter or betrayed him, and there will be Which tablet will use the adapter to power it? Portability basically will be equal to zero. We regard it as a humorous Japanese companies publicity to it.

Anyway, if there is really such a 21.5-inch tablet PC, you will buy it?

iPad 5 rumors: Published prices and Design

IPad 4, iPad mini line version just arrived, but the network has been a lot of rumors about iPad 5, such as the iPad 5 release date, price, Let's look together.

Date
In the iPad 4 before the release, Apple have been guided by the law of the year to release a iPad. In view of the strong pressure brought by the Microsoft Surface and Google Nexus7, the next-generation iPad is likely to be released in March 2013. The current rumors generally point to mid-March 2013. Of course, iPad 5 may be released in November next year, so the iPad enough cycle.

AppleInsider reports, company a KGISecurities securities analyst Ming-ChiKuo, said that, under pressure, as well as to maintain Apple's dominance in the tablet market, Apple will release the new 9.7 inches iPad 5.

He said, a 9.7-inch thinner and lighter iPad iPad mini will be a great success, but released it is more important to Apple's strategy.

Design
Shape, iPad 5 will have a new modified shape design, its design may bias iPhone5 or iPad mini. The most important is the iPad 5 thinner than the iPad 4 of 9.4mm thickness.

Price
iPad 5 will have three versions, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB WiFi version is priced at 399 pounds, 479 pounds and 559 pounds; the the Wifi/3G version priced at 499 pounds, 579 pounds and 659 pounds

iPhone5S With Super HD screen in June next year?

Can be described as the continued rumors of the next generation iPhone, after another small series production in the end of this year and early release news broke, foreign technology website Business Insider reported that, Jeffries analyst PeterMisek recently said that Apple will be released in June a new iPhone, its name may be for the iPhone 5S will be an upgraded version of the iPhone 5 now in the market.

Number of hardware upgrades

According to foreign technology website Business Insider reports, Jeffries analyst Peter Misek, the next generation iPhone hardware upgrade, including a higher pixel camera, add support for NFC near field communication functionality. Moreover, Apple iPhone5 just upgraded the resolution of the touch screen, but perhaps against the Android system many FHD Full HD touch screen models challenges, the touch screen of the Apple iPhone 5S will SuperHD (ultra high definition) "Specifications As for the specific resolution or what will be improved, there is no more news.

In addition, the analysts think the iPhone 5S future fifth-generation Apple iPod touch will add more color versions, and may even reach six to eight kinds of mobile phone battery life, and will further improve.

Or will be released in June

As in the past the media the the iPhone5 called "the most short-lived," generation iPhone, this or the new machine named iPhone 5S will be officially launched in June next year. As for Apple to change the past, product strategy and released ahead of the next-generation iPhone's reason, in addition to the needs of the competitive market, and Apple's product strategy shift, according to the outgoing message of the past Apple's supply chain disclosure, Apple iPhone5 incell touch panel yields due to poor the Apple plan to monolithic glass touch panel (OGS), and in the next-generation iPhone ahead of the formal launch in the first half of next year iPhone5S.

"Business Times" According to Taiwan media reported last month that Apple iPhone 5S trial production has already begun, and Apple plans to start in the first quarter of 2013, a large number of Distribution. Therefore, many rumors now frequently appear iPhone5S may not feel the accident.

iPhone6 ​​will be equipped with a 4.8-inch screen

It is because of iPhone5S early stage, so about iPhone6 ​​rumors naturally began to spread. The same report from analyst Peter Misek also claims that Apple has prepared a variety of prototype iPhone 6. One is the most people interested in the 4.8-inch touch screen with Retina IGZO display. In addition, rumors in the iPhone 6 is also equipped with more powerful A7 quad-core processors, and cancel the Home key, and add a touch of support for the whole gesture.

Of course, the above information are one of the words of market analysts, its true extent remains to be further verified. It seems almost certain that Apple will transition the products mode, to speed up the replacement should be more reliable.