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

iPad 2 Smart Cover Teardown Reveals 21 Magnets

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
69,479
40,591



093320-smart_cover_teardown.jpg

Noted teardown firm iFixit reported today that it has performed a teardown of the Apple's highly-publicized Smart Cover for the iPad 2, revealing a plethora of magnets inside the device to keep it aligned on the surface of the iPad and to turn the iPad on and off.There are a total of THIRTY ONE magnets within the iPad 2 and Smart Cover: 10 magnets in the iPad 2, and a whopping 21 magnets inside the Smart Cover. They're the reason why the cover works so well with the iPad 2.Long, thin magnets are embedded in the sides of the iPad in order to hold the Smart Cover firmly in place on the left side and keep the cover closed on the right side.

093320-smart_cover_ipad_magnets_sensor.jpg

iPad 2 sleep sensor (red) and magnets for keeping cover closed (yellow)​

A single round magnet in the rightmost panel of the Smart Cover interacts with a sleep sensor embedded in the right edge of the iPad to turn the iPad on and off as the cover is opened and closed.

093320-smart_cover_magnets_plate.jpg

Steel plate (red) and 15 magnets (yellow) interact to stabilize stand​

The Smart Cover is broken into four panels to allow it to fold into a triangular shape to serve as a stand. A total of 15 magnets in the rightmost panel of the cover are used to bond to a steel plate in the leftmost panel to stabilize the stand.

Apple offers polyurethane Smart Covers in five colors priced at $39 each, with leather covers also available in an additional five colors for $69 each.

Article Link: iPad 2 Smart Cover Teardown Reveals 21 Magnets
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/14/ipad-2-smart-cover-teardown-reveals-21-magnets/
Im concerned that this cover wont provide protection for the backside of my iPad.. leaving it open for scratches and scuffs.. Any thoughts on this?
 
ApplLover said:
Im concerned that this cover wont provide protection for the backside of my iPad.. leaving it open for scratches and scuffs.. Any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

Really? The 31 other threads about this weren't enough.
 
Since it's only magnets and we can see their location, I would love to see a 3rd party manufacturer come up with a case (not cover) using this. The case for my iPad has been extremely helpful on the 2 occasions it has fallen - thankfully from a low height. The cover would have done nothing to keep it from getting dings or scratches. A case that would also put it to sleep and wake it up would be really cool.
 
Gotta admire all the work they have put into this. Still that many magnets is crazy. now we know why they cost so much!
 
I really like my cover a lot. Its so nifty and functional. Its a little overpriced (particularly the leather one), but I love it.
 
Well, at least there is something there to justify the cost. Makes the 29$ they are charging for the bumper look even more silly.
 
Nifty cover. I love how much thought seems to have gone into this.

However, I think I'd want a full case cover over just the screen. But still cool.
 
Who cares

ApplLover said:
Im concerned that this cover wont provide protection for the backside of my iPad.. leaving it open for scratches and scuffs.. Any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

It's a device that's meant to be used and handled. Does it matter?
 
I'm actually quite happy with my Apple iPad cover for the first iPad. It's very thin and functional. (My first one suffered from peeling issues, but Apple replaced it on the spot for me.)

If I buy an iPad 2 (or iPad 3) I'll need a similar full-body cover. I'm not convinced that I only want one layer on top of the screen without any consideration for the sides and back.

lunarworks said:
It makes me nervous. I remember when magnets were the mortal enemy of data storage.
Click to expand...

Don't be. That was only to protect floppy disks. Hard drives are technically susceptible to magnetic fields too but it takes a VERY large one to do any damage.
 
Interesting info. I was on the fence about the iPad 2 before it was announced, but these covers are what pushed me over the edge. After spending all weekend with one I'm now sure I made the right choice. An iPad with a Smart Cover is a thousand times better than an iPad in those old leather cases.


ApplLover said:
Im concerned that this cover wont provide protection for the backside of my iPad.. leaving it open for scratches and scuffs.. Any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

I've been using aluminum Macbook Pros for years and I've never had any problems with their cases.

I have a sleeve for them in my bag to keep them safe in there, but other than that my laptop is unprotected. I've had no trouble keeping them in pretty good shape.

I don't see why an iPad would be any different.
 
Small White Car said:
I've been using aluminum Macbook Pros for years and I've never had any problems with their cases.

I don't see why an iPad would be any different.
Click to expand...

Well, MacBook Pros have little rubber feet on the bottom that elevate them, for one, so they're not always rubbing their actual backs on every table surface you set them down on. Plus you'd expect an iPad to be handled and moved around a lot more than a laptop.
 
Is anybody worried that these magnets might potentially affect the data on a magnetic HD in a macBook stored next to an iPad? Or are they not strong enough for that?
 
I was very careful to open the packaging on my black leather Cover, because i did not think I would like it and would return it.

I am, however, very pleased with it. It folds nicely behind the ipad when in use and its does prop the iPad up nicely. A clean, minimalistic product.

The fitment and finish is very nice.

I will certainly be keeping it. :D
 
ApplLover said:
Im concerned that this cover wont provide protection for the backside of my iPad.. leaving it open for scratches and scuffs.. Any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...


You're right. I was excited about the smart cover when it was announced, but I find that I rarely use it as a stand. Still kind of nice as a screen protector.

I definitely recommend getting a sleeve or bag in addition to the cover.

Here's a girl I found a few years ago who makes some pretty cool sleeves from old military uniforms: blytheking.com
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

Nice engineering. Fugly covers...every one of them.
 
So I ordered the iPad 2 with the Smart Cover, but I think I would also like a sleeve that would fit the the iPad 2 with its smart cover on for when I am putting the iPad 2 in a bag or under the seat of the car.

I am looking forward to using the iPad without the bulk of a heavy case, but I still want some sort of sleeve to use when I am carrying or transporting the iPad from place to place (between usage).
 
I returned my leather one because I just couldn't justify paying that much for protection to half a device. *SMH*
 
HoOn said:
I returned my leather one because I just couldn't justify paying that much for protection to half a device. *SMH*
Click to expand...

So let me get this straight, when you actually bought the cover, you didn't realize it only covers half of the device, or you didn't realize how much it cost? :)
 
j-a-x said:
Is anybody worried that these magnets might potentially affect the data on a magnetic HD in a macBook stored next to an iPad? Or are they not strong enough for that?
Click to expand...

If the magnets were strong enough to do that, you wouldn't stand any chance at all of removing the cover from the iPad...
 
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
Back