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A thinnner, lighter iPad mini-esque iPad 5 to arrive in March? Speculation out of Japan suggests the next-gen Apple tablet is already close to launch

Just because its Christmas Eve, doesnt mean were taking our eye of the ball when it comes to bringing you spurious Apple rumours. This time, a Japanese site has tipped the iPad 5 for an unfathomably early March 2013 launch.

Japanese site Macotakara reckons that the next-generation 9.7-inch slate will receive a design overhaul, taking inspiration from the recent iPad mini launch, in time for spring.

That would mean a thinner, lighter design, according to the sites sources.

The post read: "According to my inside source, iPad(5th) may be released in March, 2013. Source told that, design of this new iPad will be like iPad mini in detail, and be thinner and lightweight. (The expectation comes to have a small 4mm in height, 17mm in width, depth 2mm)."

Those dimensions dont really seem too realistic and neither does the launch date, considering Apple only updated the iPad in October this year, and previously in March 2013.

Launching three 9.7-inch iPad models in the same 12-month period would be a brazen move by Apple, and would surely upset customers who so recently splashed out on a brand new model.

However if the company has the tech in place to launch in March and stay ahead of the ever-improving Android crowd, then perhaps the iPad 5 is only a couple of months away after all.

Source: T3