More Claims of Tweaked Full-Size iPad with Display and Battery Life Improvements, Potentially Thinner Body

[MacRumors]

Back in early July, Digitimes reported that Apple was looking at launching a tweaked third-generation iPad later this year, adopting new indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) display technology and making other changes that would enable the company to offer the device in a thinner body comparable to that of the iPad 2. The reports were taken with considerable skepticism given Digitimes' unreliable track record, but a number of sources have continued to make similar claims since that time.

Perhaps most notably, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in late July that Apple is indeed planning a tweaked iPad with improved heat dissipation and component changes, although Kuo claimed that the changes would not involve a reduction in the device's thickness and would in fact be invisible to users. Kuo has proven remarkably accurate with his information in recent years, giving claims of at least some type of mid-cycle iPad revision additional weight.

CNET now offers some thoughts from NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, who believes that Apple is indeed working on some of the previously-rumored changes, including a reduction in device thickness.

"We are seeing [Apple] work with panel makers to come out with a display that enables a thinner overall [product] with longer battery life," said Richard Shim, an analyst at DisplaySearch. [...]

DisplaySearch last week published a research note about the updated iPad Retina, which said "Apple is working with the LCD supply chain to refresh the display, including revising the LED backlight design for cost reduction, refining the thermal solution, reducing the weight by replacing some components, and fine tuning the panel transmittance for lower power consumption."

That would include using an IGZO display to reduce the display's thickness and heat, Shim added. Samsung would be a likely manufacturer, he said.

While Shim says that the thinner display "enables a thinner overall [product]", he does appear to stop short of specific claims that Apple will reduce the iPad's thickness with this revision. Shim also hedges a bit in noting that signs within Apple's supply chain do not necessarily indicate that an actual product update is imminent, but DisplaySearch is modeling for shipments of seven million refreshed full-size iPads in October of this year.

Claims of an "early" iPad refresh are of course not new for 2012, as Apple had been rumored by several sources to be looking to launch the Retina iPad in late 2011, a scenario that did not come to pass as Apple stuck to its annual update cycle in releasing the current iPad in March of this year. Consequently, it would not be surprising if a similar scenario played out this time around, with at least the more significant rumored changes such as a slimmer body not actually appearing until the debut of a full-fledged fourth-generation iPad in early 2013.

Article Link: More Claims of Tweaked Full-Size iPad with Display and Battery Life Improvements, Potentially Thinner Body

 

[troop231]

Not going to happen until the 4th gen iPad.

 

[ajvizzgamer101]

Not going to happen until the 4th gen iPad.

Which will release October 2013 after this revision. I am a strong believer 3rd Gen iPad will get slimmer design and new dock this year. iTV will fill the March spot.

 

[troop231]

Which will release October 2013 after this revision.

If they revise it and make it thinner, they just screwed people that bought the "old, thicker iPad 3"

 

[arkmannj]

thinner?

Am I the only one that doens't really care if it gets thinner?
I'd much rather see more processing/graphic power, additional memory, additional storage, and additional battery life before it being any thinner.

 

[firestarter]

I hope that they find some way of revving the iPad 3 to support a charge current of >2A (or a higher charge voltage). The new dock connector may address this issue.

The current iPad 3 recharge rate is way too slow. As the owner of a 1 and a 3, the 3 is really starting to annoy me in this respect.

 

[applefanDrew]

What they are describing is the 4th gen iPad.

 

[GBrooks]

*Eats another salt mine*

 

[tann]

I think they are describing apple testing things out for the next iPad which will (again) be the thinnest and lightest iPad yet!

 

[troop231]

I hope that they find some way of revving the iPad 3 to support a charge current of >2A (or a higher charge voltage). The new dock connector may address this issue.

The current iPad 3 recharge rate is way too slow. As the owner of a 1 and a 3, the 3 is really starting to annoy me in this respect.

It would be sweet if we could use our MacBook chargers to charge our iPad 3s with some sort of Apple adapter.

 

[ajvizzgamer101]

If they revise it and make it thinner, they just screwed people that bought the "old, thicker iPad 3"

not really. It's the same device, same specs... just tweaked. I believe this is the device they wanted to release on March but resources would not allow it and as a company you need to meet dates, so they were forced to release it as bigger device than the second gen. It's no different than iPhone 4 and Verizon iPhone 4 antenna tweak.

----------

Am I the only one that doens't really care if it gets thinner?
I'd much rather see more processing/graphic power, additional memory, additional storage, and additional battery life before it being any thinner.

That would be in the 4th Gen not a revision of current generation hardware.

 

[Mr Fusion]

If this is true, it will be my first iPad purchase.

I waited for the hi-res display of the latest iPad but was quite disappointed that it was thicker, heavier and a battery hog (because they didn't wait for the IGZO display.) And now it'll also have the new dock connecter.

I'm sold!

 

[Giuly]

I bought an iPad last week, it had a ding on the aluminum, so I shipped it back.
All iPads are out of stock, and my replacement iPad has been put on hold.

I call this one plausible.

 

[cvaldes]

If they revise it and make it thinner, they just screwed people that bought the "old, thicker iPad 3"

And how are those people screwed? Do their iPads suddenly stop working when the next model shows up?

Did Apple screw me -- an iPad 2 owner -- by releasing the Retina iPad?

That said, this is an inane rumor -- and like 98% of the rumors here -- that is unlikely to end up being true.

 

[moetownslick]

Apple wouldn't do a refresh so soon. it's not their standard M.O. This is meant for the 4th Gen.

 

[troop231]

And how are those people screwed? Do their iPads suddenly stop working when the next model shows up?

Did Apple screw me -- an iPad 2 owner -- by releasing the Retina iPad?

That said, this is an inane rumor -- and like 98% of the rumors here -- that is unlikely to end up being true.

Because people would want a free upgrade to the "thinner iPad 3" Apple would get a lot of backlash if they didn't do this. Similar to the iPhone first generation price drop when they gave everyone some money back.

 

[Binarymix]

And how are those people screwed? Do their iPads suddenly stop working when the next model shows up?

Did Apple screw me -- an iPad 2 owner -- by releasing the Retina iPad?

That said, this is an inane rumor -- and like 98% of the rumors here -- that is unlikely to end up being true.

Those of us that went through multiple exchanges and ended up settling with a flawed uneven display are the ones who get screwed.

That's who.

If this happens I'll be calling apple up and demanding a swap.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

If they revise it and make it thinner, they just screwed people that bought the "old, thicker iPad 3"

Can you see it now? Apple silently revises the iPad 3 right now to have a slimmer form factor, then come time for the iPad 4 announcement Tim cook announces "The iPad 4 is 20% thinner than 'The New iPad'* unless you happen to have one made after ~October of last year in which case it's just 10% thinner!"

*Because remember, he never actually called it the iPad 3.

 

[nagromme]

New dock connector to unify the line? Yes.

Other minor/invisible tweaks that happen anyway sometimes in the course of a model's run? Probably. They might affect battery life even.

Significant new internals (screen) with a new case shape and accompanying new accessories? No way.

We don’t need an analyst (or even a leaked iPhone 5) to tell us Apple is working on ever-thinner screens. But apparently the analyst needs US to tell him that those thinner screens are bound for next year’s generation!

Those of us that went through multiple exchanges and ended up settling with a flawed uneven display are the ones who get screwed.

That's who.

If this happens I'll be calling apple up and demanding a swap.

Sounds frustrating, but don’t settle! Get that warranty swap. iOS devices are easy to backup/restore (maybe overnight if the device is packed full) so I would bite the bullet and do it again. You might even have your choice of old vs. new connector, if you ask.

 

[Defender2010]

I sold my 'new iPad' today for £370 as it was pristine. I only lost £29 for 4 months usage. I hope we see a tweaked model next week, if not i will not be re-buying the current model, I'll wait for next year. Having owned all 3 I have been really disappointed by the screen hue issues, slow battery charge and heat etc that plagues this model. Kinda wish I had kept my 2nd gen. Let's see what goes down next week.

 

[cvaldes]

Because people would want a free upgrade to the "thinner iPad 3" Apple would get a lot of backlash if they didn't do this. Similar to the iPhone first generation price drop when they gave everyone some money back.

Entitlement much?

Those people are crybabies.

Prices change, new products arrive every day. I filled up my car two days ago. If the price of gas drops next week, should I throw a fit at the gas station?

There's a better version of my toaster oven on store shelves now.

Do I get infuriated by Apple because my iPhone 4S is a small porky slowpoke when the next generation handset is announced? No, because I actually have a grip on reality and am not an entitled self-absorbed twit.

 

[SBlue1]

If they revise it and make it thinner, they just screwed people that bought the "old, thicker iPad 3"

Oh no! Will my iPad stop working? Nooooo! Screw Apple for screewing me and my New iPad!

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

That said, this is an inane rumor -- and like 98% of the rumors here -- that is unlikely to end up being true.

wow 98% huh? I wonder where you got that statistic sounds really accurate

Because people would want a free upgrade to the "thinner iPad 3" Apple would get a lot of backlash if they didn't do this. Similar to the iPhone first generation price drop when they gave everyone some money back.

But there IS no iPad 3. It's just iPad. That makes a significant differance. No this isn't simply a matter of tomato, tomato (I hope you pronounced those differently in your head!). If Apple released the iPad 3 earlier this year and now said "Here's a new upgraded iPad 3" then yeah people would want to swap for the "newer" iPad 3.

The device is simply an iPad. Generations no longer matter, and neither does precisely 12 month refresh windows. They can update the device whenever the hardware is ready, whether that's 9 months, 12 months, or 15 months. This is the exact same thing Apple has always done for their Macs and now Apple is treating the iPad as a computer. Have you ever heard a MBA ownwer complain "Hey, my mba just came out 8 months ago! I should get the upgrade to the new one!"? Or how about this one, "Hey, do you have a MBP 7 or 8?"?

Apple is trying to make those things irrelevant for the iPad too. I think in the future people will begin referring to iPad as (early 2012, late 2012, mid 2013, mid 2014, etc) just like Macs.

Edit: I think an interesting question is, IF they do refresh the iPad in the next couple months, will the current "new" iPad drop down to the iPad 2's spot as the entry level $400 device? or will the iPad 2 remain?

 

[bushido]

oh maybe i should finally take in my iPad for its dead pixel that never really bothered me but if its a silent tweaked iPad 3 then i might get one of those as a replacement.

the current iPad 3 takes forever to charge and does not charge at all when u use it at the same time. very annoying when u were used to the iPad 2

 

[wkadamsjr]

Can you see it now? Apple silently revises the iPad 3 right now to have a slimmer form factor, then come time for the iPad 4 announcement Tim cook announces "The iPad 4 is 20% thinner than 'The New iPad'* unless you happen to have one made after ~October of last year in which case it's just 10% thinner!"

*Because remember, he never actually called it the iPad 3.

That's just silly. He would refer to the most recent generation. "The New iPad is 10% thinner than the the current model." Corrected.