Apple's Cortex A6 CPU for next iPad to arrive in 2012

Early rumours suggest that Apple will be releasing the next revision of the iPad in 2012 itself. Although that seems to be unlikely, a new iPhoneis likely to hit stores by the end of the year. It will be the first iPhone to be released after Tim Cook takes over position as CEO. Steve Jobs resigned from the post earlier last week. The chances of the iPad 3 coming out are even slimmer, since there’s news that Apple’s A6 (Cortex A9) won’t be ready till next year. The new processors will be manufactured by TSMC, instead of Samsung. The new processor is likely to be built on a 28nm 3D fabrication process and could be a quad-core processor. 

Apple's A6 processor may not make it in time for the iPad3

There are other developments taking place in the ARM processor race around the same time. Qualcomm, for example is working on the MSM8960, which is a dualcore A15-class 1.7 GHz processor. NVIDIA too has a quad-core A9 processor lined up for around the same time. The performance of Apple’s A6 is doubtful and we’re expecting to see Apple market the Retina display to sell the iPad 3, if it is to happen in January 2012. According to the Linley Group, the A6 implementation might even happen first on the next iPhone in 2012, and on an upgraded iPad in early 2013.