More 'iPad 5' Cases Surface Showing Smaller and Thinner Design

[jayducharme]

Looks like a dual speaker to me.

Definitely. In a way, I'm glad there are two speakers, though the single speaker of past models had a good bit of punch to it. But I also can understand why stereo is fairly pointless. The stereo effect will only work properly in portrait mode, making it useless for movies in widescreen. Plus, if I want good sound quality, I'll just use headphones anyway. Dual speakers are probably more useful on the Mini because of its smaller size.

 

[Chuck-Norris]

ipad is to big for my tastes, just give me retina for the mini and iil be happy lolz

when are the new ipads expected to be released?

 

[Mic'sBook]

OT:
Because of this: https://www.macrumors.com/2013/04/0...cs-will-offer-802-11ac-gigabit-wi-fi-support/

We might see the 5th-generation iPad equipped with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. All the Apple products after the launch of the new iPad should support 802.11ac, so do all the Apple accessories (e.g. AirPort Express/Extreme, Time Capsule) and that Apple hobby (Apple TV).

 

[Karma*Police]

Definitely. In a way, I'm glad there are two speakers, though the single speaker of past models had a good bit of punch to it. But I also can understand why stereo is fairly pointless. The stereo effect will only work properly in portrait mode, making it useless for movies in widescreen. Plus, if I want good sound quality, I'll just use headphones anyway. Dual speakers are probably more useful on the Mini because of its smaller size.

Dual speakers are a bit of a gimmick when placed that closely together. The whole point of stereo is for the listener to be able to discern left/right channels.

Ideally, the iPad should have 4 speakers - one in each corner - so that there's some separation of channels and it would allow for a stereo effect regardless of orientation... Makes perfect sense for an orientation-less device.

That said, I think it's overkill for a mobile device. Most users would be better served by a good pair of headphones.

 

[Tiger8]

Personally I have been hoping they would have been able to implement one speaker on the bottom and one on the top. Mostly watching videos in landscape mode, I don't see why the speaker(s) should be blasting into one direction.

Agree. Amazon did that with the Kindle HD, and it's funny how a lot of people blasted them for it. They got it right!

 

[azentropy]

OT:
Because of this: https://www.macrumors.com/2013/04/0...cs-will-offer-802-11ac-gigabit-wi-fi-support/

We might see the 5th-generation iPad equipped with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. All the Apple products after the launch of the new iPad should support 802.11ac, so do all the Apple accessories (e.g. AirPort Express/Extreme, Time Capsule) and that Apple hobby (Apple TV).

I would be pretty shocked to see the iPad get 802.11ac before any Macs. But updating all the accessories would be a promising start.

 

[boshii]

Darn, still single speaker. Was hoping it would get updated to 2.

It can still be 2. I'll be shocked if it isn't 2 considering it's taking the design cues of the Mini.

 

[Piggie]

Speaker wise yes, it's a "no brainer" to have one top and one bottom.

In portrait mode they would be a bit close together anyway for Stereo and most games and of course movies are used in Landscape mode, when speakers would them be to the left and right and give you a decent stereo effect.

I know Apple are being a big pig headed over this as it kinda says "we were wrong" if/when they make this change.

 

[HadrianM]

...or if they plan to simply use the technology already plugged into iOS for the past 8 months, which prevents your fingers being recognised as part of an intentional tap or gesture when on the edge of the screen.

Source

Agreed! This makes sense.. but the aesthetics of my fat thumb all up in my line of sight. Though I do have a big thumb - maybe I'll just deal.

 

[ChrisTX]

iPad is to big for my tastes, just give me retina for the mini and iil be happy lolz

when are the new ipads expected to be released?

I've owned 3 of the 4 iPads, and I'm definitely torn between a newly designed iPad 5, and a retina iPad Mini. I like the portability of the iPad mini, but don't want to sacrifice screen real estate of the larger iPad. I'm torn but will probably end up with the full size iPad again.

 

[singhjeet29]

I would be pretty shocked to see the iPad get 802.11ac before any Macs. But updating all the accessories would be a promising start.

Why would that be a surprise? I'm sure every future device Apple releases from this point will support 802.11ac, it just depends what gets released first.

And considering how important iDevices are to Apple's bottom line, I can very easily see the iPad possibly being the first one to support it.

 

[Navdakilla]

Hope the 5th is out by Summer.

meee too.
I am wanting to upgrade my 16gb 3 to a larger size.. trying to wait as long as i can!!

 

[iPhoneXL]

When is it going to come out? I'm dying without one...

 

[ansinkhh]

Why do I even bother reading these articles? There won't be anymore big surprises with tablets or smartphones.

 

[RoastingPig]

just give my mini A A6 and a retina

 

[SmileyBlast!]

Can't wait!! The thinner and lighter the 9.7" gets, the better.

Much thinner and lighter and we will be slicing ourselves and our stuff.

 

[pmz]

Dual speakers... I think it's overkill for a mobile device. Most users would be better served by a good pair of headphones.

Precisely why no major attention has ever been given to it. Built-in speaker needs to be good, but not outstanding. The iPad has many other audio out options, from wired to wireless. Compromising the iPad design in any way for the sake of better speakers would be a bad decision, despite the existence of bloggers.

 

[robeddie]

Sorry but after using the ipad mini for a month, that regular ipad seems WAAAAY too friggin' big.

Would never go back to that size, reduced bezels or not.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I hope the case makers are guessing wrong as they did with the iPhone 4 (I think it was the iPhone 4 they got totally wrong).

Thin is good. Lighter is good. But I like the current bezel size. It gives me something to hold on to that isn't touch sensitive.

 

[AppleInLVX]

Personally I have been hoping they would have been able to implement one speaker on the bottom and one on the top. Mostly watching videos in landscape mode, I don't see why the speaker(s) should be blasting into one direction.

Huh. Never thought of that. It actually makes a lot of sense.

Or even better, a three-speaker setup that senses the orientation of the device and adjusts accordingly. That'd be pretty damned cool...

 

[EedyBeedyBeeps]

In the photo with the blue and grey cases, there's a notch at the top of both cases. But there's also a hole in the iPad 5 case a bit below the notch.

I assume the notch at the top is for the microphone--but what's the hole for? Is the wifi-only iPad's mic in a location different from the cellular iPad's?

 

[chaosbringer]

In the photo with the blue and grey cases, there's a notch at the top of both cases. But there's also a hole in the iPad 5 case a bit below the notch.

I assume the notch at the top is for the microphone--but what's the hole for? Is the wifi-only iPad's mic in a location different from the cellular iPad's?

Good catch!

Maybe flash?

 

[Patriot24]

I hope the case makers are guessing wrong as they did with the iPhone 4 (I think it was the iPhone 4 they got totally wrong.

That was the 4s.

The difference is that those cases were a complete departure from anything we have ever seen from Apple. In this case, it is totally plausible (and highly likely IMO) that they unify the designs by applying the Mini styling to the 9.7 model.

 

[tech4all]

Wake me up when it's released.

Will do.

lighter and thinner does matter. Not generation to generation but long term. take an iPad 1 and an iPad 5 and you will surely notice the thinness difference. Little changes over time can make a bug impact.

Meh, yes and no. I think companies put too much emphasis on things getting lighter and thinner. Yea it's nice, but really it's not a 'huge' impact at all. We're talking about a few ounces and mm of a difference. The only people who see it has a huge difference are the one's who get a taper measure and scale to verify Apple's claims. If you (anyone, not picking on you directly) see a huge difference my a small difference in weight and size, I think it's time to hit the gym.

First World Problems

(again, not picking on you, just addressing the topic in general IMO)

 

[Chuck-Norris]

I've owned 3 of the 4 iPads, and I'm definitely torn between a newly designed iPad 5, and a retina iPad Mini. I like the portability of the iPad mini, but don't want to sacrifice screen real estate of the larger iPad. I'm torn but will probably end up with the full size iPad again.

if u want abigger screen use ur mac, or mac with external display

to me the regular ipad is to big of a tablet. a tablet should be something small and convinanent to carry IMO of course