With the first iPads, Apple gave users the possibility to enter a whole new world when it comes to hi-tech personal gadgets and innovation has been the key concept. Now, all Apple fanatics are excited to find out what the new generation will bring. The good news is it won’t be long, as Apple begins iPad 3 production.

News from DigiTimes cite unnamed sources in Apple’s component supply chain that say the iPad 3 will be launched sometime in the next three to four months, but it is more likely to witness the launch between mid-March and mid-April.

The new iPad is said to be very slightly thicker than the iPad 2, but it will feature the new high resolution Retina Display screen. At the same time, the company seems to be preparing an iPad mini, which should be released soon after the iPad 3. According to DigiTimes, there’s an increasing demand for a smaller tablet, as a way to “cope with increasing market competition, including the 7-inch Kindle Fire”.

Trefis Team said on Forbes.com: “We believe the iPad 3 will be a high performance iPad with some attractive features such as voice recognition service Siri (…) The new iPad might also have high resolution screen”.

Computerworld.com claims that, according to various reports, production of Apple’s new tablets has been pushed forward in suppliers’ factories, ahead of Chinese New Year on January 28-28.

This weekend, Apple’s supplier Pegatron suffered an explosion. 61 workers got hurt during the blast. Charles Lin, Pegatron Chief Financial Officer, said: “The factory has not started operations yet. Part of the facility is still under pre-operations inspection and part is running trial production”.

The factory was being re-tooled for a new product that was supposed to be launched within the next 3 to 4 months.

All data and reports point out that Apple is cooking something and it will launch it within the first months of 2012. Earlier reports were pointing out that February might be the release month, but the mid-March and mid-April term does make more sense. In February 2012, Samsung will release its new tablet at the Mobile World Congress and other competitors are expected to come up with better gadgets to put Apple in difficulty.