Rumor: 7-inch iPad to feature slim bezel display

Apple has been rumored to unveil a 7-inch iPad for years now, and we most recently heard the Kindle Fire competitor is set to launch sometime this fall. Earlier this month, leaked Samsung documents helped tighten up some of the rumors.

Today, Asian publication Digitimes is reporting that the 7-inch iPad will feature a slim bezel display, that will bring less space between the display and outside of the device…

The slim bezel display would help the 7-inch iPad achieve a larger, more optimal, viewing area. I like the idea, because it would give you the most space possible. iPads haven’t had the most slim bezels in the past.

You’d think the 7-inch tablet would feature a Retina display like the new iPad, however, according to the report Apple will use IPS/FFS panels from LG Display and AU Optronics.

Pricing for the 7-inch iPad is rumored to be similar to that of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and others. If the 7-inch iPad actually sees the light of day, it should be priced around $199 – $300.

There has been a lot of skeptics, including me, of the 7-inch iPad. Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs even discredited the rumor around a year ago, but hey, Apple changes its mind all of the time.

What really strikes as odd to me is why Apple wouldn’t include a Retina display on the device. If they can do it on a 10-inch tablet and 4-inch phone, why can’t it be done a 7-inch tablet? My best guess is to save money.

Do you think Apple will launch a 7-inch iPad?