Apple iPad 5 Rumors: Apple Inc. (APPL) Reveals Lighter, Thinner, More Efficient 5th Generation iPad

Apple (APPL) is coming out with a new iPad that is expected to be lighter, thinner and all-together more efficient than any iPad that has come before.

This new fifth-generation iPad will be 9.7 inches, 25% lighter, and 15% thinner while still managing to hold a lot of space and make other improvements over past generations, according to Appleinsider.

Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities believes that "Apple's third and fourth generation iPads didn't sell as well as anticipated because they were both heavier and thicker than the iPad 2."

"We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15% thinner than iPad 4," Kuo wrote in a report, according to Appleinsider.

This new iPad will utilize new GF2 screen technology and this will help reduce the rate that the power is used up.

"Kuo sees the 'iPad 5' as requiring less juice, and expects a 25 to 30 percent decrease in battery size.  Compared to the existing version, the cells will be reduced from three to two and will see a 15 to 20 percent reduction in thickness," according to Appleinsider.

The look of the new iPad will be similar to that of the iPad mini, which may result in "thinner bezels and a more curved casing," as well as other new accessories to accompany the new design.

The new iPad is expected to utilize new technology to become be more efficient and more powerful than its predecessors.

The main difference between this iPad and those in the past is that the battery size will be significantly smaller, which will allow it to be both thinner and lighter.

Some things will be kept the same, however.  According to Appleinsider, "There shouldn't be a change in camera specs, meaning the fourth-generation unit's 5-megapixel shooter will be carried over, as well as the front-facing FaceTime HD package."

"Kuo expects production to start ramping up in July and August ahead of a shipments in August or September," according to Appleinsider.  "Kuo expects shipments of 15 million units by year's end."

This report also mentioned that, "an iPad mini 2 is set for release in the second half of 2013 and will account for 60 to 65 percent of all iPad shipments."