An official from Samsung told the Korea Times that Apple is planning to buy around $11 billion in parts from the Korea-based supplier in 2012. Part of the deal will include components for the rumored iPad mini. The unnamed Samsung employee said their deal with Apple is expected to increase from around $9.7 billion to $11 billion when Apple releases a smaller iPad at the end of the year.

A source in the supply chain told the DigiTimes on Monday that Pegatron Technology has been chosen to assemble the iPad mini instead of Foxconn. The same source said that the iPad mini will not feature the same Retina display technology as the iPad 3, but will most likely feature IPS/FFS panels manufactured by LG Display and AU Optronics.

The online betting website SkyBet has released their odds for the upcoming iPad 3 specifications. I wonder what happens if Apple doesn't call their next tablet the iPad 3? Can you still collect if Tim Cook announces the "iPad plus"? SkyBet also forgot about the iPad mini, camera type and the size of the next generation tablet.

I would bet "Yes" on Retina display since many sources and leaks have pretty much confirmed it.

Production on the iPad 3 is moving along and the next generation device should be ready to launch in February, according to Citi analyst Richard Gardner. Gardner wrote that "several sources" have confirmed the iPad 3 will launch early next year.

The new 2048 x 1536 displays for the iPad 3 started shipping in November making earlier estimates for a release in March. The new iPad is rumored to be thicker to accommodate the new dual OLED backlights, and there may return of the curved profile we seen in the original iPad. The iPad 3 should also feature the new A6 chip which is currently being produced by Samsung.

The iPad 3 will sport a quad-core A6 processor manufactured by Samsung according to a report sourced from the Korea Times. Despite Apple and Samsung's public feud over patents and competing mobile devices, Apple will continue to rely on Samsung to deliver the next generation processor.

Industry sources claim Samsung has increased production of the Apple-designed A6 quad-core chip using advanced 28-nanometer technology at its manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas. Apple is one of Samsung's largest clients, and Apple relies on Samsung's proven track record.

As the Tablet Wars heat up, Apple is keeping the pressure on Samsung by winning an injunction blocking German sales of the Galaxy Tab 7.7. This weekend Samsung was forced to pull the device and its advertisements from the IFA show floor and its German website.

The Tab was originally on display with a note that read "Not for sale in Germany," but on Saturday Engadget noticed that Samsung's entire display had been removed from the event.

Samsung has agreed to halt sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 due to its intellectual property battle with Apple. The Korean manufacturer announced on Monday, that it would refrain from advertising or selling the tablet in Australia until September 30.

Apple lawyers told the court that Samsung's modified tab still infringed its patents. Apple said the new version, which was supposed to launch in Australia on September 12, did feature some reduced functionality, but it still copied the iPad's design. Samsung called shenanigans, saying Apple has presented no new evidence on how the modified Galaxy Tab still infringes.

Did Samsung really use Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, as a defense in their intellectual property battle with Apple?

According to Foss Patents, Samsung submitted a screen grab of the Kubrick film that depicts two astronauts using tablet computers while eating lunch. Samsung claims the photo proves that prior art for the general design of the iPad existed before Apple.

Samsung explains:

"Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a true and correct copy of a still image taken from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." In a clip from that film lasting about one minute, two astronauts are eating and at the same time using personal tablet computers. The clip can be downloaded online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ8pQVDyaLo. As with the design claimed by the D’889 Patent, the tablet disclosed in the clip has an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, a flat back surface (which is evident because the tablets are lying flat on the table's surface), and a thin form factor."

If the cases in this photo look familiar, then you probably own an Apple Smart Cover for iPad 2. Even if you don't have one of your own, the Anymode Smart Case for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a clear ripoff of the Smart Cover. Even the colors and name are strikingly similar.

Samsung was prompted to pull the product after it came to light, citing a lack of "Designed for Samsung Mobile" certification. According to Samsung, Anymode did not have permission to use the mark on the Smart Case and none of the units were sold.

Industry reports indicate that Apple will change its iPad 2 screen supplier to Samsung and may adopt new display technology in the process. Samsung Mobile Display revealed its Super Plane to Line Switching (PLS) LCD panel in November, and Apple is already rumored to have shown interest in the display.

Super PLS improves viewing angles over the already impressive In-Plane Switching (IPS) displays found on current iPad models. In addition, Samsung's PLS screens are at least 10 percent brighter than existing IPS components.