iPhone 4S, iOS 5 Launched; Is iPad 3 Coming Next Year?

Rumor mill, which was running hot for Apple's iPhone 4S and iOS 5, now involves iPad 3.

A supply chain analysis done by Susquehanna Financial analyst Jeff Fidacaro suggests that Apple has pushed iPad 3 into production, AllThingsD reported.

According to the report, Fidacaro analyzed that Apple is increasing its fourth-quarter iPad production to between 12 and 14 million units from 11 and 13 million as prior estimates. The increased production is said to be due to an early iPad 3 production run. Since our last month supply chain checks we are now seeing 600,000 to one million iPad 3 builds showing up on the plan for the fourth quarter of calendar 2011, Fidacaro toldAllThingsD.

The report also suggests towards an early 2012 release of the new device. As iPad 2 was released in March, its successor can also be unveiled in same month.