The rumor mill for the next-generation iPad 5 has been going on for quite a while now and many rumors indicate that the tablet will be around 25 percent thinner than the current iPad 4. But do we know what's the secret behind a thinner iPad 5?

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently published a new research note detailing his expectations for Apple's next-generation iPad. Kuo also expects that the tablet will go into mass production and shipments of the new iPad will likely start in August or September this year. Kuo also remarked that the device will be around 15 percent thinner and 25 percent lighter than the current iPad 4.

"We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15% thinner than iPad 4. The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25% lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4's (front HD, rear 5MP). The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini's," reports Kuo.

The forecast of a 7.5 mm to 8.0 mm (0.29 inch to 0.31 inch)-thick iPad 5 is in line with previous rumors that the next iPad will see a 2 mm (0.07-inch) reduction from the current 9.5 mm (o.37-inch) thickness.

Kuo also predicts that iPad 5 will have the same GF2 touch technology used in the iPad mini, enabling Apple to design a thinner display for the new full-size iPad. Interestingly, Kuo also indicates that a more efficient display and chip technologies will bring down the device's overall power consumption, allowing for a smaller and thinner battery.

"We therefore think that iPad 5's battery capacity will be 25-30% smaller, at 8,500-9,000mAh, than iPad 4's, and the battery's thickness will be 15-20% smaller, at 7.5-8.0mm, and the number of cells will be reduced to two from three," notes Kuo.

We have seen a thinner iPhone 5 and if the KGI Securities report is to be believed, then the GF2 touch technology coupled with a smaller capacity battery will be the secret behind a thinner and lighter iPad 5.