AppleInsider Staff
Consumers hoping for an even thinner version of Apple's flagship tablet may get their wish, as a new set of snapshots appears to show a revised iPad Air display assembly with the LCD and cover glass manufactured as a single unit, much like the company has done for years with the iPhone.
The assembly shown in the images appears identical to the current-generation iPad Air from the front, but the rear reveals a new connector configuration. Additionally, the LCD appears to be bonded directly to the cover glass, a feature introduced with the iPhone 4, as noted by Dutch blog onemorething.nl
Chemically bonding the cover glass to the LCD results in a thinner overall assembly as well as enhanced viewing angles. Those who own an iPad and a recent iPhone can see the difference when placing the devices on a flat surface and viewing them from an obtuse angle.
According to the publication, the photos were sourced from a Chinese display supplier. Samsung is thought to be the primary supplier of display assemblies for the iPad, with Sharp and LG also providing some units.
Little is known about the next-generation iPad Air, but it is widely assumed that Apple will equip the tablet with their new A8 processor. Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities also expects Apple to bring the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the iPad and upgrade the tablet's rear camera in advance of a late third quarter debut.
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65 Comments
Awesome improvement. IMO the weakest link in the newest iPads are the non laminated displays.
Great. The same too narrow bezel, and no doubt they'll slim it down and retain the same battery life, which was so impressive four years ago. Oh, and heaven forbid they do something to reduce glare. Apple, for those of us who want something more useable, and are willing to pay for it, please make a device the same size and weight as an iPad 2, with better battery life and bezels wide enough that you're not constantly hitting buttons by mistake, or trying to prop it up in your lap so the bottom of the screen is actually visible. I hate this form factor. The touch ID, which should have been on the current model, is nice but not enough to warrant buying one.
That Dutch blog onemorething is one pathetic place. I'm appalled to see it linked here. Rumours on a new iPad Air are welcome of course. I don't think a better viewing angle would make much difference to me, but a thinner device overal due to chemically bonding of the cover glass to the LCD would make many folks happy.
What's wrong with the bezels on the iPad Air? Why do they need to be thicker?
Still happy with my 4th generation 128gb. It is fast enough for my needs.