Apple's new generation iPad will enter mass production soon with the launch set for March 2012, according to sources from the upstream supply chain; however, the sources revealed that internally Apple does not view the new iPad product as iPad 3, but rather an upgraded iPad 2 and the real iPad 3 will not be launched until the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest.

The iPad 2 upgrade will be thinner than iPad 2, and will offer longer battery life. Due to the Lunar New Year holidays in China in January, Apple has decided to start small volume shipments in the fourth quarter of 2011, the sources noted.

Some channel retailers also pointed out that iPad 2 is still the most popular tablet PC product in the IT market currently and Apple has no need to rush to launch a new model.

Source:digitimes