Today 9to5Mac details some new reports that point at an early release for the iPad 3 next year. These say that the iPad 3 will be launched in February 2012, and on a very specific and meaningful date:

According toFocus Taiwan which cited a local report in the Chinese Economic Timesnewspaper, Apple is shooting to launch iPad 3 on Steve Jobs’s birthday anniversary on February 24.

We’ve seen a number of rumors around over recent months suggesting that iPad 3 production was already being ramped up to target a February launch.

I’m sure Apple are not going to rush the release of the iPad 3 just so it can be released on a sentimental date – but if it does happen to be ready to go at that stage and is launched on that day, that would be a heck of a nice little tribute.

Even if these rumors prove way off the mark, the good thing is that as we roll into 2012 the iPad 3 launch is not far off.