Apple is reportedly in the midst of manufacturing a new iPad with a 12.9-inch ultra-high definition display, slated for an early next year launch.  

Rumors of an upcoming gadget are as many as sand grains on a beach. But they help in building up hype around a possible device, especially from well-known companies like Apple. In a similar case, Apple has long been rumored to be working on bigger screens for its tech gadgets. The most popular one that has got everyone's attention is its big screen iPad Maxi that is likely to feature a 13-inch display. But how far it is true, is anybody's guess.

In a most recent report citing a "first-tier display supplier," Apple is currently manufacturing a new 12.9-inch iPad with Retina display, which will hit the stores "sometime early next year." The new display is being tested and manufactured in a supplier plant in Korea, according to a Korea Times report.

This is not the first time that reports of Apple's iPad Maxi have surfaced online. Earlier in July,  the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple and its suppliers were testing iPads and iPhones with larger handsets. Since then several tech blogs have cited numerous sources confirming the existence of bigger screen iPad Maxi. But there has been no official statement by Apple regarding its shift in focus to larger  displays.

Apple currently hosts a lineup of iPad devices with maximum 9.8-inches when measured diagonally. The most recent iPad Air features the biggest screen and the iPad 2 adapts the same size of 9.8-inches. However, the company also offers smaller tablets like the 7.9-inch iPad Mini with retina display and the same model without retina display.

Apple's approach towards bigger screen iPads is a step to gain solid ground as tablets are getting more popular and people are choosing them over PCs. This will also put Apple in competition for big screen tech gadgets against the likes of Samsung, LG, Nokia and others.