Various rumors of the upcoming iPhones and iPads have been making rounds but Apple is yet to confirm a launch date for its upcoming iDevices.

A recent report indicates that Apple will launch the highly-anticipated iPad 5 in September this year, as predicted by many market observers. Apple launched the iPad 4 in Oct. 2012, which was just six months after the launch of the iPad 3. The launch of two iPads within a short period of time prompted many iFans to hope for a next-generation tablet launch in March or April this year. However, Apple has not released that new iPad.

"Apple is expected to announce its fifth-generation 9.7-inch iPad in September as scheduled, while its next-generation iPad mini reportedly may receive further upgrades in specifications, according to sources from the upstream supply chain," claims a new DigiTimes report.

Just like the other iPads, the iPad 5 will also feature top-end features to entice customers and compete with other tablets in its segment. The tablet is rumored to be lighter and thinner than its predecessors. The iPad 5 is also expected to have thinner bezels and adopt some design cues from its smaller sibling - the iPad mini.

The upcoming iPad 5 is also expected to have a faster A7 processor and a stylus. Apple has already revealed its latest operating system iOS 7 and it's safe to assume that the iPad 5 will come running on the company's latest OS.

The DigiTimes report also cites sources in the supply chain and reports that suppliers are yet to receive a confirmed mass production schedule from Apple. For now, they are mainly shipping products for pilot production, which will meet the demand for the initial launch, according to the report. The suppliers expect to receive a shipment estimate from Apple by the end of July or early August.

Apple has launched four iPads till now but the core design of the tablet was the same. With rumors indicating that the next-gen iPad will feel smaller in hands, many iFans will be keen to get a glimpse of the iPad 5.