“The iPad 3 will be thicker, claim ‘Asian intelligence sources’ cited by Macotakara,” Electronista reports.
“The change will allegedly render cases fitting the back of an iPad 2 useless,” Electronista reports. “The front of the 3 is expected to remain largely the same though according to a parts supplier, to the extent that Smart Covers made for the iPad 2 will still function.”
Electronista reports, “A thicker design might be necessary for some elements though; the iPad 3 is believed to be getting a quad-core processor and a 2048×1536 display, and possibly an LTE receiver.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Oh! I get it.. so no 7 inch.. but HD..ok
If this so-called “iPad 3” is going to be released in the March-April timeframe, there is NOT going to be a quad-core processor in there.
Also, since I have not heard any leaks (and fuzzing pictures) about a 2048×1536 touch-screen display being produced in the tens of millions ahead of iPad manufacturing, I doubt this new iPad will have a different display.
However, if Apple does something like keeping iPad 2 going until Fall (so it will be “iPhone 5” in the Summer followed by “iPad 3”), then maybe we’ll see a quad-core CPU and higher resolution display in the next iPad.
I do not remember that many leaks on iPhone 4 Retina display production prior the phone’s release, too.
Also, Apple does not usually order production of components more than one-two month before actual sale of device. For example, the very first iPad 2 sold in March had A5 SoCs manufactured in January of this year.
So it is still possible for iPad 3 to have Retina display; lets see if yields will be proper enough for that to happen. There were rumors that 1920×1200 10.1″ panels are going to be produced, so it might be really time to have better 2048×1536 9.7″ screen for Apple.
I do…
Gizmodo…
Seriously? But then, again, iPad 3 still could easily have Retina display — there is enough time for that yet.
“Asian intelligence sources” is that like putting Omega 3 in soy sauce?
Thicker than the iPad 2? I don’t think so. While I don’t pretend to know the mind of Mr. Jobs, I would imagine he’d see this as a backward step and wouldn’t allow a release of a thicker iPad – he would though inspire the design teams to make it all fit into at least the same thickness as an iPad 2.
Hopefully Apple will continue the legacy of uncompromising excellence in design that Steve Jobs left.
I think they may be describing an experimental prototype iPad, which may actually exist. A prototype could be thicker (and have experimental parts), because Apple’s designers have not yet optimized the design for the final product.
It was probably a stolen experimental “iPhone 5” prototype that got those Chinese case makers to make cases for a phone that never existed as a product. Same story here… And they’ll probably start making and selling cases again, for another Apple product that does not actually exist.
If there’s a new iPad model due in March-April, its design will be finalized by now. It would be entering production in January. And you are correct… It’s NOT going be thicker (and heavier) that the current iPad, if the screen SIZE remains the same.
RE: “Hopefully Apple will continue the legacy of uncompromising excellence in design that Steve Jobs left.”
They still are Downunder.. If I remember right, the iPod classic (as it is known today) sometimes became larger in certain hard drive specifications as time went on. The pursuit of perfection does not necessarily mean making everything thinner. If Apple needs to make the iPad thicker by a millimeter or two in order to give us cool new features, they will do it. And it will all fall in line with what Steve would have wanted.
Come on guys, we all have read the stories about the Chinese knock-offs and this is just another cheap iPad clone made out of plastic.
Apple released thicker next generation products as often as about never.
And, most importantly, it is pure nonsense that higher resolution display would require thicker enclosure than 8.8 mm. Backlight system thickness obviously does not care about resolution, and TFT panel itself for that matter could only be proportionally thinner, not thicker. The only “problem” would be quantity of electrical contacts on the two sides of the screen, however, the change of that magnitude can not really have anything to thickness of the enclosure.
As to A6 SoC, it has to be done: Samsung already announced their SoC on 2 * ARM A15 cores. Yes, there is no much sense for four cores.
The PowerBook G4 aluminum was thicker than the earlier PowerBook G4 titanium… The first iPod nano was thinner than the current iPod nano… (OK, some of that is from the clip.) 🙂
Oh wow… I didn’t realize this until just now, but the original iPhone (1st gen) was a tad thinner than the iPhone 3G and 3GS.
There are these two cases, but otherwise — never. And, most importantly, there is no reason why iPad 3 would be thicker.
“The change will allegedly render cases fitting the back of an iPad 2 useless”
Well, not really. Not if you keep it on the IPAD YOU BOUGHT THE CASE FOR!
I’m pretty damned sure an iPhone 4 is thicker than a 3 or 3Gs.