Is The 9.7-inch iPad Coming This Year?

The exhilarating 9.7-inch iPad will get buried by the iPad Mini in 2013, according to what NPD DisplaySearch said today in a research note. Also, it is predicted that 55 million iPad Minis (7.9")and 33 million iPads(9.7") is going to be sold by Apple.
If you are interested in that, you may want to have a look at the display trends for smaller tablets in 2013, according to DisplaySearch:
•    Resolution: Very high-resolution 7.9-inch tablet displays could come in at least a couple of varieties. For example, UXGA (1,920x1,200) with a pixel density of 250 pixels per inch (PPI) or QXGA (2,048x1,536) with a PPI of 324. The latter is the resolution that Apple uses on the 9.7-inch Retina iPad.
•    Display technologies: This determines how thin, bright, and power-efficient the display is, among other things. There are three technology choices in the 7.9-inch segment: a-Si (amorphous silicon), LTPS (low temperature polysilicon), and oxide technology, such as IGZO. Which technology is used depends, to a large extent, on which display manufacturer Apple (and other tablet vendors) choose. Different display manufacturers favor different technologies.
•    Slim bezels: Due to the "popularity of the iPad Mini's slim bezel, slim bezels with thin panel frames have become important in the tablet PC market," DisplaySearch said. Some panel makers believe that LTPS, with the driver IC integrated, is the only way to realize a slim bezel. And others see LTPS as the only solution for slim-bezel tablets with a very high QXGA resolution. "However, the yield rate and huge investment of LTPS remain question marks."
•    Pricier 7.9-inch tablets : To date, 7.9-inch class tablets have been inexpensive, but this will change. "With upgrades in resolution, function, and product design these tablets may become pricier."

iPad Mini to bury 9.7-inch iPad in 2013