iPad returns
Apple is rumoured to have started production of its second iPad model, which has a built-in camera and faster processor, according to rumours.
The WSJ reported that sources told it the new model of the best-selling tablet will be lighter and thinner with at least one camera on the front so would-be owners can use it for video conferencing.
It is thought the iPad 2 will have more memory and a better graphics processor but that the screen resolution will be similar to the current models, which might prove disappointing for some people. Foxconn is apparently assembling the new tablets.
Of course Apple has reportedly refused to comment, but it has been widely speculated that the iPad will be refreshed in the next few months.
Apple has reportedly sold almost 15 million tablets and in Q4 the iPad made $4.6bn, which equates to 17 percent of the company's entire revenue.
Piper Jaffray & Co told The WSJ it predicts Apple will shift 27 million iPads in 2011, while some investors reckon it could be as many as 35 million.
However, while the iPad might be the most recognisable and currently most popular tablet, other firms are working on slates with extra features such as support for 4G networks, which will probably be lacking in Apple's next offering.
While it is thought that Apple currently controls around 95 percent of the tablet market, research firm iSuppli reportedly reckons that Apple's share will have dropped to around 50 percent by 2013, as there will be more choice for consumers.
