The Apple rumours are now heating up with new reports suggesting the tech giant will release the next version of the iPad in early April, with some major design changes expected including ridding the gadget of the physical “home” button.
The new reports also come alongside rumours chief executive Steve Jobs will stand alongside media mogul Rupert Murdoch next week, when the News Corp tablet newspaper The Daily is released on January 19.
The publication has been said to be in production for some time, with over 100 staff already hired. Murdoch has previously confirmed the company would be working on a tablet publication, but has declined to give further details.
A new report from MacNotes.de claims the next iPad will be released in the US on either April 2 or April 9, both of which are Saturdays. The publican reports that according to “reliable sources”, the launch will be US-only for three months, and that more countries will follow in July.
This would echo last year’s release, which occurred over Easter in April, while the Australian release occurred later on in June. The July release data may have been set after the company experienced significant delays in bringing the iPad to Australian stores.
The report also indicates the gadget will ship with a USB port, two cameras and a high-resolution screen. This would coincide with reports from Chinese manufacturers, along with pundits including Digg founder Kevin Rose.
Meanwhile, a separate report from Boy Genius Report predicts the next models of the iPhone and iPad will do away with the “home” button, forcing users to interact with the device purely with the touchscreen alone.
The move comes alongside the introduction of new multi-touch gestures added in the iOS 4.3 build, which will allow users to reach the home screen by using a number of different hand movements, the report predicts.
Rumours have spread through the tech industry for years that Steve Jobs never wanted a home button in the frist place, with that dream possibly becoming a reality.
The report also states the Photo Booth application will appear on the next version of the iPad, and that it is “very possible” customers will see the iLife suite also made available on the iOS platform.
Finally, new reports suggest News Corp’s tablet newspaper, The Daily, will be unveiled next week on January 19. The publication was originally set to be revealed last month, but delays pushed the announcement into January.
The Associated Press has also reported the event will take place at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art – given this is Apple’s home town, the location would make sense.
Meanwhile, a separate report from Poynter has also unveiled a suspected picture of the tablet magazine, although it warns this is likely a side-advertisement and not representative of the final, finished product.
Poynter points out the website thedaily.com has been registered and appears to be integrated with the tablet magazine itself, although at this point the extent of the integration is unclear. The report also raises questions of how the magazine, which will cost $US4.25 for a monthly subscription, will operate with potentially free content on the website.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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