Next-Generation Full-Sized iPad Rear Shell Emerges in 'Space Gray'

[MacRumors]

An array of new photos featuring alleged rear shells of the next-generation iPad in "Space Gray" and silver have been posted by Australian writer Sonny Dickson. The photos, which also depict some of the internals of the iPad, come two weeks after Apple debuted a new space gray color to replace the slate black used on both the iPhone 5 and iPod lines.

The new photos also emerge just under a week after a purported second-generation iPad mini shell was spotted in the same space gray color. A day before that, a somewhat sketchy report from C Technology claimed [Google Translation] that both the full-sized iPad and iPad mini would be available in the same three colors seen on the iPhone 5s. While space gray and silver have been seen, a gold rear shell has yet to appear.

Though recent shell leaks for both iPad and iPad mini have shown off the newer colors, the first leak of the fifth-generation iPad rear shell depicted the same slate color used on the iPhone 5. This suggests Apple may have altered its production plans at some point to shift all future slate-colored products to the new gray color scheme for the sake of product cohesion.

Apple is expected to unveil its fifth-generation iPad and second-generation iPad mini at a media event within the next month or two in order to ensure the new iPad models hit the market in time for the holiday shopping season.

Article Link: Next-Generation Full-Sized iPad Rear Shell Emerges in 'Space Gray'

 

[name99]

If I were Apple (like they care about my opinion) here's how I'd arrange the new line, to rationalize (ie not scare off buyers with too many choices) and to clean up the cruft of the past.

Each of the iPad and iPad mini lines splits into two:

We have an iPad S which comes with A7X, TouchID and (greater than 70% chance) 2GB of RAM, 802.11ac, and the A7X has three CPU cores.
We ALSO have an iPad C which is basically the guts of the iPad4 wrapped in plastic, and takes the place of the iPad2.

Likewise we have an iPad Mini S which is basically a scaled up iPhone S (apart from the camera) and costs $50 more than the existing iPad.
And we have an iPad Mini C which is basically an iPhone C (stripped down to as cheap as possible) to get to a retina iPad mini at the existing price point.

The moral is that going forward (at least for the immediate future) iOS devices come in "leading edge/expensive/metal" and "fun/less expensive/plastic". We've seen similar eventual unifications of a single design style across Macs after a few years where the different product lines wandered in different directions.

These, I think, are all the "obvious" changes. The great unknown as the "one more thing" is the mythical 13" iPad.
I can see reasons why this makes sense for Apple, even if it's not expected to be a great seller.
(a) It's a halo item. Whatever magical A7X CPUs can be binned at 2GHz (or whatever) rather than the 1.6(?) GHz of the standard iPad get displayed here as a "we're the king and always will be" statement to other vendors.
It likewise allows Apple to test-drive expensive, high performance (and perhaps even hot) chips before they get sent into the mainstream. Eg it could be the first iOS device to ship with 4GB of RAM (take that all you "64-bit is so dumb in 2013ers!") And it definitely gets 802.11ac, even if the iPad S does not.

(b) It comes with new OS features (most obviously two windows visible at once) to shut up the claims of what a wonderful device Surface is for work.

(c) It makes for great ads (eg radiologists examining X-rays, pilots looking at documents, architects looking at drawings --- basically iOS for the rich professional and his deep-pocketed company).

On the negative side, it introduces yet another screen size. Less than ideal. But the old iPhone size is going away soon, as are the non-retina iPad and iPad mini. Essentially dev's will have four all-retina sizes to target (maybe three depending on how retina iPad mini is handled). That's probably not an unbearable burden, especially since for most purposes you can get away with only two real "layouts", phone and tablet, and rely on auto-layout to just let you see more stuff on differently sized tablets.

I'd rate the 13" iPad as 50% likely.

 

[radiohead14]

meh. now where are the haswell rmbp leaks...

 

[Ivabign]

Gold is a bridge too far.

 

[Derekeys]

The amount of joy it would bring me to see these iPads get a battery increase, I am already amazed at my iPad2 lasting for days with heavy use. To increase that usefulness in a smaller shell? Suh-weet.

 

[appleormac]

I think they are saving all the Gold for that iPhone 5s. Btw where is the 128GB iPad mini and iPhone 5s?

 

[cloudig]

for a split second I thought it was a picture of the new rMBP....

 

[appleguy123]

That looks beautiful on the iPad. Not such a big fan of it on my iPhone though.

 

[cuda12]

I'm so eager to upgrade from my iPad 2 that they could make the new one in sparkly purple and I would still probably want it.

 

[smoking monkey]

That looks beautiful on the iPad. Not such a big fan of it on my iPhone though.

Really? I love the space grey on my iP5s. Best looking phone I've had. But not the nicest to hold. That spot is still reserved for the 3Gs.

I will def get a space grey ip5 as well. Hopefully the new rMBPs will come in space grey as well!

 

[musika]

Space Gray is beautiful on the 5s.

 

[TyPod]

Looks nice and clean. I sure hope they don't make a gold iPad.

 

[crackbookpro]

I wonder if the thinner bezel will be evolutionary or annoying.

 

[haruhiko]

A slimmer and lighter iPad 5 with 2x performance and better graphics (64-bit A7X with quad core graphics) and Touch ID.... my credit card is ready!

 

[aziatiklover]

Looks nice and clean. I sure hope they don't make a gold iPad.

Yes they will, and it will sell as much as the 5s and 5c yellow!

 

[isomorphic]

Fingerprint sensor, please.

 

[fullauto]

A slimmer and lighter iPad 5 with 2x performance and better graphics (64-bit A7X with quad core graphics) and Touch ID.... my credit card is ready!

Absolutely!

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It looks super thin!

 

[J4B3]

I sold my iPad 3 last March when I thought they were going to refresh the line way back in April. My body is ready.

 

[sportsfrk214]

I'm actually beyond psyched about this news. I'm all geared up to buy the iPad 5, but I was disappointed because I only had two choices. I really wanted the black one, but I was afraid of scuffgate on the back. I liked the silver backing of the white one, but the white front is just too much on an iPad. It seems like Apple has made my decision for me! Black front with Space Grey back is an instant buy for me!

 

[TyPod]

Yes they will, and it will sell as much as the 5s and 5c yellow!

I'm sure you'll be correct!

 

[T-Will]

11-13" iPad would be a perfect paper replacement. But I doubt Apple would do it.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

I was hoping for a gold iPad with an SD port

 

[WilliamG]

Where's the, "Take my money!" meme when you need it?

 

[donutbagel]

I miss having the glass back on the iPhone. Not a fan of the two-tone metal white, but the black is fine. You can't have anything that looks like a white iPhone 4 anymore. An iPad with a glass back like on the iPhone 4 and in white would look really cool.

 

[Taz Mangus]

I was hoping for a gold iPad with an SD port

What is a SD port?

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Apple really needs to get a handle on controlling the leaks of the up coming product releases. Personally, I like being surprised when a new Apple product is released.