Earlier today, Apple seeded iOS 5.1 beta 1 firmware for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to developers. While the next major update to iOS 5 is still in beta, it does come bearing some exciting references inside its code. New 2012 iPad and iPhone both have been referenced in iOS 5.1 firmware.
For long it has been rumoured that Apple will be launching iPad 3 in March 2012. Trial production of the iPad 3 began in October 2011 and its expected to be ready for public release around March. Recently it has been rumoured that Apple might release an iPad 2S this March with minor improvements while a full fledged iPad 3 will be released later in Fall 2012. The release dates are not confirmed at the moment, however we do know that the next iPad is going to have a quad-core A6 processor and possibly a thinner as well as a lighter profile.
The image posted above displays references to the new 2012 iPad. References of iPad 3,1 and iPad 3,2 have already been uncovered earlier last month and now in iOS 5.1 beta 1 code, there is a reference to iPad 2, 4. It's highly likely for this iPad 2,4 to be the iPad 2S that's been rumoured these days. This reference does hint at minor changes. The upside to this discovery is that the iPad 2S has been rumoured for release in March 2012, which isn't that far off so we'll soon get to know which device this reference is really of.
On the other hand, Apple took consumers by surprise after it released iPhone 4S instead of iPhone 5 which was heavily rumoured. The iPhone 5 was said to have a bigger screen along with being thinner and lighter than any previous iPhone. It was later discovered though that manufacturers were having trouble fitting all of the components inside the ridiculously thin structure of iPhone 5 so that project was scrapped altogether and Apple went full speed ahead in manufacturing iPhone 4S just so it could release a new variant of the iPhone in 2011.
The image posted above displays an iPhone 5,1 reference inside iOS 5.1 beta 1 firmware code. The jump from iPhone 4S 4,1 reference clearly indicates that the new 2012 iPhone is going to be a major upgrade on the inside as well as the outside in terms of design. Its possible for the next 2012 iPhone to have a quad-core A6 processor and we know for sure its going to be thinner than its predecessors. The only question is that when it will be released. No one knows that, though its possible for Apple to announce the 2012 iPhone at WWDC 2012 or they might stick to their one year release cycle and announce the next iPhone in October 2012. Hey, we can only guess for now.