The news that Apple is making a new iPad is nothing new to those of us that follow the mobile industry, but what we're not so sure about is just when that new device will launch.  The latest prediction comes from analyst Brian Marshall of Gleacher & Co. is that Apple will go with a yearly refresh of the iPad, just like they do with the iPhone, iPod, etc.  Since the original iPad launched in April of this year, that means that, according to Marshall, we'll be seeing an iPad 2 in April 2011.  Interestingly, Marshall makes no mention of all of the rumors of a carbon fiber housing, Retina Display, and thinner body, claiming that the next iPad will be largely the same as the current model except that it will have a camera around back and on the front of the device.

While this type of minimal update would be pretty disappointing, it wouldn't be too surprising when you consider some of Apple's updates in the past.  For example, the move from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS was much more minimal than expected, with just a few changes on the internals to set the two devices apart.  Then again, you would expect that Apple would want to refine the design of the iPad 2 at least a bit, especially considering that one of the biggest complaints about the OG iPad is its weight.  At this point, it seems that just about everything about the iPad 2 is still up in the air except that it's coming and, given the fact that Apple seems to be going all in with Facetime, that there'll be at couple of cameras on board, too.  Do you have any predictions for the next iPad?  Shout 'em out below!

Via SlashGear, Computerworld