iPad 6 Details Emerge as iPad 5 Event Nears

The iPad 5 is still rumors and leaks, but iPad 6 details are already emerging with talk of a Retina+ display option and no larger screen iPad for 2014.

The iPad 5 is expected on October 22nd with a new look but the same size 9.7-inch display, and new analyst chatter indicates Apple could be planning to dramatically enhance the iPad’s Retina resolution in 2014 with the iPad 6.

The iPad 6 could deliver the first change in Retina Resolution and could lead the charge for a change to the Retina Display on the iPhone 6 which a separate report claims will come with a 720P 4.7-inch display and a 1080P 5.7-inch display in 2014.

The new iPad 6 display talk comes from Ming-Chi-Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities who is responsible for sharing Apple’s secrets well ahead of product announcements.

In the latest note to investors, Kuo downplays rumors of 12 or 13-inch iPad with a report that claims Apple will boost the resolution of the current 9.7-inch screen found inside the iPad 4 and the upcoming iPad 5. In the report shared on MacRumors Kuo claims the iPad 6 will feature a screen with a 30-40% higher pixel density.

The iPad 4 uses a 9.7-inch display with a 2048 x 1536 which delivers a pixel density of 264 pixels per inch. An increase of 30-40% would boost this to 343 ppi to 369 ppi. Kuo doesn’t detail the exact resolution of the iPad 6 panel in his report. If the display size remains at the current size Apple would need to use a non-standard resolution to hit this ppi rating.

A 4k display on the iPad 6 would deliver a 454 ppi pixel density which is 70% increase. The WQXGA resolution of 2560 x 1600 is only a 17% boost in pixel density. Apple routinely uses rather unique resolutions on the iOS devices, so we could see something similar this time around.

Previous rumors pointed to a 12.9-inch iPad display with a 2732 x 2048 resolution. While Kuo suggests the larger screen will not happen for the iPad 6, this resolution would deliver a 352 ppi density on the 9.7-inch display Apple uses in the full size iPad. One possibility is that multiple rumors are crossing paths in Apple’s supply chain, resulting in mixed messages about a product that is still one generation out.

Apple is reportedly planning an iPad event for October 22nd where we should see the iPad 5 and the iPad mini 2. Apple is reportedly adding a Retina Display to the iPad mini 2 this time around.