KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo expects this year's Apple iPads to have A8 chip and Touch ID

KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is what you might call "well-connected" at Apple. Last year, he was spot on with his call for a fingerprint scanner to be embedded in the home button on the Apple iPhone 5s. He even correctly predicted the use of sapphire for Touch ID. Now, with every analyst and his Uncle concentrating on the next iteration of the Apple iPhone, Kuo is focusing on the Apple iPad.

According to the "plugged-in" analyst, the Apple iPad Air 2 will launch late in the third quarter, a little earlier than usual. The new flagship tablet will be equipped with a TSMC produced A8 processor, Touch ID and a rear-facing 8MP camera. And while the Apple iPad mini with Retina display failed to set sales records for the gang at Cupertino, it too will be updated to include an A8 CPU and Touch ID.

Ming-Chi Kuo explained that the reason why the iPad mini with Retina display didn't take off, had to do with the thicker form factor necessary to include the higher resolution display. And while the public didn't seem to favor the change, the analyst says that the new model coming this year will have the same form factor.  He expects Apple to release the new version of the tablet in limited quantities, while it continues to offer the current version of the slate at a discounted price.

Kuo also says that Apple is working on a 12.9 inch tablet that will not be launched until 2015, so that the company can add special features for the large-screened device. The tablet will have a new UI that features an input that will be as "efficient as a device with keyboard," said Kuo.

Will the analyst be right again? If so, we should know before the start of the fourth quarter.

source: AppleInsider