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Latest iPad Mini rumours suggest new tablet coming this fall

Apple appears to have begun production on a product Steve Jobs would have never approved during his time as CEO.

According to a report from Liberty Times, the makers of the iPad have selected two LCD panel suppliers to produce 7.85-inch screens for the iPad Mini, a new tablet expected to be released this fall.

"The paper (Liberty Times) claims that LG and AU Optronics have been certified to produce the panels for the much rumored device," reveals Seth Fiegerman in a Business Insider piece. "The report also says that two other companies — TPK Holding and Chimei Innolux — have signed on to produce six million backlight modules for the iPad Mini screen."

Since the emergence of the seven-inch Kindle Fire, which provided a healthy boost to Android's tablet market share, the internet has been replete with rumours of an iPad Mini.

"Apple has since regained lost ground and remains the dominant player in the tablet arena," says Lance Whitney in a CNET blog. "Still, the iPad has watched its lead decline amidst a swarm of Android tablets, large and small, released over the past year."

"An iPad mini could be the ticket to combat the Kindle Fire and other smaller tablets. But Apple typically sets the trends rather following those already set by others. So if we do see an iPad mini this year, I'd expect Apple to add some kind of twist to distinguish it from its Android rivals."

We're a little short on specs, but some believe the iPad Mini will offer eight gigabytes of storage with a price range of $249 to $299.

(Screengrab Business Insider)