Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad 5 to Use Same Touch Panel Technology as iPad Mini to Reduce Size

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,469
30,689



Apple's suppliers are preparing the next-generation iPad for mass production and will reportedly use the same touch panel technology as the iPad mini in order to make reductions in weight and size, according to The Wall Street Journal.

ipad5_video_still-800x449.jpg
The same touch-panel technology that made the iPad mini thin and light will likely feature in the next iPad, which is currently being produced by Apple Inc.'s Asian suppliers, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

What many consumers generally call a "screen" consists of multiple layers, and the "touch panel" specifically refers to the layer equipped with touch sensors, between the liquid-crystal display and the outermost cover glass. The iPad mini, according to a teardown report by research firm IHS iSuppli, uses a film-based touch panel, which is thinner and lighter than the glass-based touch panel that the current full-size model uses. Following the iPad mini's success, Apple plans to use the film-based touch panel in its next regular-size iPad, the people said.
Click to expand...
Earlier this month, a number of photos from a parts listing claimed to be of a genuine front panel and digitizer from the fifth-generation iPad, and followed the release of a video that also allegedly showed the front panel and back shell of the fifth-generation iPad for the first time.

Both postings appeared to show a full-sized iPad that was notably reduced in size when compared to Apple's current generation iPad, and would fall in line with this new report. A number other rumors and leaks of parts and cases dating back many months have similarly indicated that the next-generation iPad will indeed be significantly smaller and thinner than the current design.

Apple is expected to introduce the fifth-generation iPad as soon as next month, with an updated iPad mini rumored to be following fairly soon after.

Article Link: iPad 5 to Use Same Touch Panel Technology as iPad Mini to Reduce Size
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/12/ipad-5-to-use-same-touch-panel-technology-as-ipad-mini-to-reduce-size/
JarJarThomas

JarJarThomas

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2013
122
0
I think that was a fairly obvious decision.
If the tech works (and it seem to work) why shouldn't you use it in your other products.
If it is even cheaper to produce great.
 
B

Blue Sun

macrumors 6502a
Feb 11, 2009
984
330
Australia
I wonder how much weight they'll shave off by moving to this "film-based" touch panel. A significantly lighter device could entice many current iPad owners to upgrade.
 
E

elvetio

macrumors member
May 29, 2012
84
0
.

Those bezels had to go. The iPad 2 design looks dated compared with the new mini
 
N

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,510
1,769
This won't be enough to reduce it much, in the end they need to use a smaller battery to reduce it and the only way to do that is to reduce the power consumption of the screen. Especially if they are decreasing the bezel size because that will create less room for battery as it is. Clearly they will be using a new screen tech as well, which will follow in the mini allowing them to use a retina display in the mini. Hopefully this doesn't mean they have to make the mini thicket and heavier as it did when they had to bulk up the ipad to give it a retina display.
 
J

Jsameds

Suspended
Apr 22, 2008
3,525
7,987
Even if a tiny fraction of an inch is taken off the glass the weight reduction is huge due to the large area of the iPad's surface.

This combined with the smaller bezel will make for a much lighter product. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say a 30% reduction in weight which would bring it in at around 450g.
 
S

Skika

macrumors 68030
Mar 11, 2009
2,999
1,246
Why not incorporate touch sensors into the screen like with the iPhone 5?
 
HussamRaed

HussamRaed

macrumors regular
Jun 12, 2011
154
28
And the big question is: Will it include the new fingerprint sensor? No rumors have been published about this :p .

IDK, will they keep it an exclusive to the 5S?
 
B

blackcrayon

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2003
2,255
1,824
HussamRaed said:
And the big question is: Will it include the new fingerprint sensor? No rumors have been published about this :p .

IDK, will they keep it an exclusive to the 5S?
Click to expand...

I bet it won't - the iPhone is more like an "authentication token" in that it's something you have with you all the time, while the iPad isn't. Of course they'll say that and then it'll be in the 6th gen iPad next year :)
 
J

Jsameds

Suspended
Apr 22, 2008
3,525
7,987
They should announce the iPad 5 as a non-retina device just to troll the people who don't stop going on about retina in the iPad Mini.
 
Z

zedsdead

macrumors 68040
Jun 20, 2007
3,402
1,147
None of this is that suprising at this point.

Question is, will it be released alongside the iPhone in Sept, or at a separate event (along with the Macbook Pros and such) in Oct?
 
BMcCoy

BMcCoy

macrumors 68000
Jun 24, 2010
1,718
3,421
For reference...

iPad 1 - 680g
iPad 2 - 601g
iPad 3 - 650g
iPad 4 - 652g

iPad Mini - 308g
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,122
31,149
elvetio said:
Those bezels had to go. The iPad 2 design looks dated compared with the new mini
Click to expand...

Just wait, you'll sees bunch of complaints about how the iPad is to difficult to hold and the Nexus 7 with its wide bezels is much more comfortable in your hands.

----------
newdeal said:
the ipad 2 design is better than the ipad 3/4 design. That thickness and heaviness they introduced really sucks
Click to expand...

But wasn't that more out of necessity than choice. Unless you wanted to go another almost 2 years without a retina screen?
 
J

Jsameds

Suspended
Apr 22, 2008
3,525
7,987
Rogifan said:
Just wait, you'll sees bunch of complaints about how the iPad is to difficult to hold and the Nexus 7 with its wide bezels is much more comfortable in your hands.
Click to expand...


I'm not so sure about that. You do however see lots of complaints by Nexus 7 owners on how the iPad Mini is difficult to hold.

I'm not sure how they'd know, though. Weird..
 
bbeagle

bbeagle

macrumors 68040
Oct 19, 2010
3,541
2,981
Buffalo, NY
newdeal said:
the ipad 2 design is better than the ipad 3/4 design. That thickness and heaviness they introduced really sucks
Click to expand...

Exactly why I've never upgraded from my iPad 1.

I want all positives when upgrading, not any negatives. The weight of the iPad 3/4 and the charging times are worse than the iPad 1.

Improve those both, and I'm excited to finally upgrade my 1.

EDIT: Another poster wrote that the iPad 3/4 weight is actually LESS than the iPad 1. Odd. Doesn't feel that way when I hold them. Either way, it's heavier than the iPad 2, thus not everything is the 'best that you can get'. Charging time is still longer though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom