According to a new report from Focus Taiwan (via 9to5Mac), Apple may be planning to release the iPad 3 on February 24th – Steve Jobs’ birthday! The company is reportedly pushing their suppliers to meet the deadline.
A local Chinese-language newspaper reported Friday that iPad3 might be launched on Feb. 24 to mark the anniversary of the birth of Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs.
The report cites sources close to the Taiwanese iPad 3 manufacturing chain, with Economic Daily News stating that the gadget could be launched in the middle of Q1 2012, or by the end of next March at the latest.
Workers will reportedly have very limited time off during the time, with many workers reportedly being required to work overtime around the Lunar New Year holiday celebrated in the country (on January 23rd).
Many sources have previously reported early 2012 release dates for the iPad 3, which falls in line with Apple’s established release schedule for the iPad.
It’s worth applying a skeptical lens to this report, however, as Focus Taiwan doesn’t have an established track record for Apple rumors, and the release date does seem a bit fantastical.