A slew of reports popped up on Thursday about Apple's potential product pipeline, such as the elusive iWatch, and now more information has come to light about the fifth-generation iPad possibly launching after the "iPhone 5S" with a rear microphone.

Japanese blog Macotakara claimed earlier today that a low-budget iPhone was being tested in a range of colours with production beginning in July, and it also gave some interesting details about Apple's forthcoming 9.7-inch iPad.

The report indicated that the tablet will feature a rear-microphone next to the camera, much like the iPhone 5, and it further claimed original prototypes of the iPad mini had rear microphones too. AppleInsider said Apple dropped the microphone found in those iPad mini prototypes right before the final version shipped last autumn.

READ: Apple to begin iPad 5 production in July, for September launch?

Also this week, Taiwan-based Digitimes, which has a haphazard reporting record, claimed Apple's new full-sized iPad would sport a thinner 0.2-millimeter glass substrate and GF2 touchscreen technology. It will also allegedly be 33 per cent lighter than the fourth-generation iPad. 

Additional rumours suggest the fifth-generation iPad will use just one LED light bar for backlighting, instead of two, and it will look strikingly similar to the iPad mini. As for when the tablet will release, Macotakara, citing unnamed sources, said: "Unfortunately, new iPad will be shipped after iPhone 5S."

Many expect Apple's next iPhone - the "iPhone 5S" - to launch around September 2013.