Slash Lane
The pictures of the so-called "iPad 3" digitizer and front glass panel were posted on Thursday by Fix-iPhones.com. The black and white front panels appear to be the same part, complete with redesigned ribbon cable, that surfaced out of the Far East last week.
The front panel once again suggests that Apple's third-generation iPad will look largely identical to the iPad 2, with a home button at the bottom of the device and a hole for a forward-facing camera at the top.
The leaked component should also help to dispel speculation that Apple could do away with the home button entirely on its next iPad. That idea cropped up again this week after Apple sent out invitations for a media event next week that showed an iPad Calendar application icon being touched at the bottom of the screen without a home button.
But since the iPad home screen can be operated in any orientation, it's more likely that the pictured iPad included on the invitation is simply an iPad being used in landscape mode, explaining why there is no home button to be seen.
That the parts shown on Thursday are available in both black and white also suggests that Apple will offer the same two color options it had provided customers with since last year's iPad 2 launch.
While the front panel of the next iPad is expected to look largely identical to the current iPad 2, the new device could be slightly thicker than its predecessor. One measurement of a purported "iPad 3" rear panel publicized earlier this week found that it is 0.81 millimeters thicker than the same part on the iPad 2.
Amber Neely
Christine McKee
William Gallagher
Andrew Orr
Mike Wuerthele
46 Comments
Oh, look. Home Buttons. What a surprise.
Hope the UI is updated.
It looked like portrait. The invite is probably a mock-up and the home button got left out.
Having studied Apple's hardware update cycle over last few years, I can say with measured confidence that the following will be on offer: Double the resolution, A6 chip req to power such a display, marginal improvement in camera's ( may be max max 3MP back with 1080p, 720p front). I do not expect 4G - If at all I think it will be availble only in US as there is absolutely no reason to have 4G ready in Europe/ rest of the world. same 10 Hr battery but larger in size to power high res screen, No NFC. On sofware side, iOS 5.1. I think Siri has a good chance as it will separate iPad further from kindle and competition. I would have loved new maps as apple has been working on a major maps overhual for while ( isnt it time!!!) but I think they may launch that as a major feature in iOS 6 to coincide with iPhone launch later in the year. What say, guys!
Hope the UI is updated.
I'll indulge your nonsense. Do you mean "updated" as in "something that isn't an iPod touch interface made bigger" or "updated" as in "logical, rational UI tweaks that streamline what the iPad already has going for it"?
It looked like portrait. The invite is probably a mock-up and the home button got left out.
How could you possibly say that? The image doesn't show anywhere near enough of the device to make that determination. And Apple doesn't use fakes for their product photos. It's a real device.
Also, I think I'm going to do this myself for all future Apple invites.