Apple’s iOS-based smartphones and tablets clearly transformed Apple from a niche maker of personal computers and digital media players into one of the leading computing and consumer electronics companies today. Both iPhone and iPad remain tremendously successful on the market and few companies can keep up with their progress. Apparently, Apple wants to widen the gap and shrink iPad’s development cycle to just six months.

Apple unleashed its fourth-generation iPad 9.7” as well as iPad mini just about two months ago and plans to refresh both lines in March, 2013, according to Mac Otakara and Zol web-sites. The fifth-generation Apple iPad will feature 9.7” retina-class screen, but will be generally thinner (thanks to optimization of backlight) and sleeker (with some design elements from the iPad mini). It is unclear whether Apple will implement other improvements, such as increase the amount of RAM, storage or improve application processor. The second-gen iPad mini will likely come with improved display and system-on-chip.

In case the information about the new iPads due in March, 2013, is correct, then it is noteworthy that Apple intends to considerably shrink the development cycle of its media tablets. Six-months development cycles for iPad will allow Apple to quickly implement new technologies, such as improved screens, faster application processors, thinner batteries and so on. Potentially, this will ensure that Apple will be at least one step ahead of its rivals on the market of tablets.

While Apple iPhone clearly remains among the most popular smartphones, it is obvious that it has many more rivals than the iPad media tablet. It is unknown whether Apple has plans to shrink development cycle for the iPhone product line as well, but given Samsung Electronics’ aggressive plans for Galaxy S-series, it is at least a logical move.

Apple did not comment on the news-story.

Tags: Apple, iPad, iPhone, iOS