Photo of iPad 3 Rear Shell Suggests Minor Physical Changes, Larger Battery

[Burger Thing]

So, it is confirmed that the iPad III will come with a battery and not a hamster wheel generator? That is good, I was getting somewhat concerned by the rumors.

I have heard that it might come with it's own levitation field so you don't need to worry about holding it the wrong way.

Ha Ha. Can't believe your post got downvoted. Seems that the Members are a bit uptight here at times.

 

[69650]

iPad 3 looks slightly bigger - maybe 10.1" screen?

 

[Genetheninja]

Who cares... does anyone actually use the camera on the iPad anyways, other than for video chat? I know I don't.
Just give me a faster chip and retina display...

Oh, and if it could have a feature to stop time for me that would be cool too...

No wait, they need to just make it into a contact lens to put it your eye that emits a hologram in front of your face and you can just think what you want it to do...

Anyways Apple... COME ON!! TAKE MY MONEY!!!!

 

[Bruce Patterson]

iPad 2S!

 

[segfaultdotorg]

I'm not interested until they offer a universal model that will operate on Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

 

[AustinIllini]

Who cares... does anyone actually use the camera on the iPad anyways, other than for video chat? I know I don't.
Just give me a faster chip and retina display...

I'm not opposed to keeping the camera, but I'm the typical apple nerd, I have an iPhone, use iCloud regularly, so I can do better with the iPhone. But that's just me.

 

[Minimoose 360]

I don't think you really need to change the form factor that much...it's pretty slick the way it is. Better battery life is always welcomed, especially because of the high-DPI screen.

 

[boilingpoint]

It is not iPad3 but 'iPad Pro'.
- x86 Processor (core2duo or I3)
- OSX Lion
- Retina display

 

[Navdakilla]

It will definelty need more battery life if it's going to be quad core with retina display.. Good news indeed

 

[justperry]

Speaking of a larger battery, I hope Apple is working on reinventing the battery. From what I understand, battery technology hasn't changed very much in decades and we're more reliant on batteries than ever to power all of our mobile devices.

First of all, Apple does not invent a lot, they use technology from other companies and put them in their products.
Just look at the (probably) new Retina Display in the iPad 3, its probably going to be a IGZO Display invented by Sharp.
Do you really think Apple invented those new battery Technology in last few years Apple products?
Battery Technology hasn't changed a lot over the last few Years????
You must be joking.
From Lead batteries to:
NiCad
NiMh
Lithium ion
Polymer Lithium Ion

Do you really think new Technologies aren't there, they are but Apple and every other company won't put them into products until proven safe and reliable.
NanoTube Batteries
Super Capacitors
Especially Safety is a big issue, the higher the capacity the higher the chance of explosion.
I read somewhere that there are already battery designs which are pretty safe, even when you drill a hole through them they won't short circuit and therefore won't explode.
Lithium Ion batteries are actually not safe by design, but they made them safe enough by including overcharging circuitry and temperature sensors so they won't get too hot.

Apple seems like the only company that has the courage to take on things like that lately. How great would it be to have an iPhone that you could use all day for days at a time without running out of battery life.

Oh yeah, Apple is the only company in the world which inovates

I keep USB cables all over the place so that whenever I'm in one place for any length of time I can charge my phone a bit.

Then don't play so much with your phone and be social as we all did when there where no Phones

Rats!
If it looks the same, how will anyone know that I have the new one?

So, you want to show of what you have, how childish.

 

[smulji]

Sources at the verge say the CPU will be a dual core with a much beefier GPU.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/8/2785486/ipad-3-back-photo-appears-a6-retina-display

As for GPU, they could go SGX 543MP4 (same as PS Vita). There's no reason to go 544 or 554 because those mostly add compatibility for desktop graphics APIs (directx) without any theoretical performance boosts. It's pretty obvious they would want to update the GPU given that they are quadrupling the pixels and they likely want it to run the most demanding iPad 2 games when they get updated for the Retina iPad screen (think infinity blade 2). The only other possibility is the 600 rogue series, but I don't think Apple could have that silicon ready yet. The first cores based on it aren't supposed to appear until 2013. However, if they could somehow magically get that out, it would CRUSH the 543MP2 and anything else out there. That GPU is an absolute beast.

If it means anything Imagination Technologies formally announced the Rogue GPU during CES this year. Which means that Apple's had that technology in their labs for awhile since they own 9% of the company. So it MIGHT be possible that a dual-core Rogue GPU could go into the next iPad and the CPU would stay the same. This is the iPad I've been waiting for mostly due to the Retina display so March can't come soon enough.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

Surprised no one mentioned this yet, but is it just me or does the iPad shell on the right look shinier? aka LiquidMetal perhaps?

It is probably due to fact that these are two different photos taken at different times, probably by different cameras.

 

[chrmjenkins]

If it means anything Imagination Technologies formally announced the Rogue GPU during CES this year. Which means that Apple's had that technology in their labs for awhile since they own 9% of the company. So it MIGHT be possible that a dual-core Rogue GPU could go into the next iPad and the CPU would stay the same. This is the iPad I've been waiting for mostly due to the Retina display so March can't come soon enough.

Rogue was actually first introduced almost a year ago http://www.imgtec.com/News/Release/index.asp?NewsID=617 and ImgTec also announced they already had licensees.

Still, if you look at traditional times to market, there simply hasn't been enough time. The first and only known rogue design, the ST novathor a9600, isn't due until 2013. For apple to beat them to market by almost a year is a stretch, even given their large stake in the company.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

is it just me or does the iPad 3 back look liquid metal (material that apple acquired)? It looks noticeably more reflective and slightly darker, the exact characteristics of liquid metal.

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haha never mind looks like that was answered

The so-called liquidmetal is not "darker". It is exactly the same shade as aluminum or steel.

And I doubt there's any benefit to use it for the entire chassis in devices, at least at this point in time

 

[chrmjenkins]

The so-called liquidmetal is not "darker". It is exactly the same shade as aluminum or steel.
Image
And I doubt there's any benefit to use it for the entire chassis in devices, at least at this point in time

Yes, liquid metal itself is not one metal but a collection of alloys that share the non crystalline structure in common. It can subsequently take on a variety of shades and likely undergo a variety of treatments to alter its properties and looks just like other metals.

 

[miamialley]

Every time I use my iPhone 4 I wish my iPad was retina.

 

[BobbyRond]

Agreed. I can't imagine Apple announcing this product and reporting it having less battery life than what we have now. I just can't imagine getting anything more out of it if there are as many upgrades to the inside as have been rumored.

They have done it in the past though... MacBook Pro 13" Mid 2010 had 10 hours of battery life and the MacBook Pro 13" Early 2011 has 7 hours (i5 / i7 in stead of Core 2 Duo probably the cause).

 

[Pigumon]

I really do hope it is thicker like the rumors say. The iPad 2 feels too thin for my hands.

It's not too thin, it's the way it tapers down to a sharp edge. It's too heavy to hold with that edge, you're constantly getting a line dug into your hands and having to reposition it. All for that weird Jobs thin appearance fetish.

I bought a case for my iPad 2 right away.

 

[CJM]

The iPad 2's DAC is surprisingly good but is it so much to ask for better speaker/s?

 

[jonnysods]

I hope there are a few more surprises in the next gen too. I like watching the Android copycats come up with stuff afterwards.

 

[rmwebs]

How long does proofreading take again?

Slight difference:
Homepage publication on one of the largest Mac communities, vs a 1 line reply from a crummy Android handset.

You hardly need to proof read when posting on a forum...

 

[till213]

[Wrong blog entry]

 

[Red93]

Not that I won't be jumping for joy regardless, but...why do you say that?

The upgrade from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4 added (among other things):

A retina display, a faster clocked and more advanced processor, a faster clocked GPU, a wider bus, more RAM, a penta-band radio and 802.11n, and the same height but significantly less width and depth.

And, oh yeah, a higher capacity, longer lasting battery.


I'm not saying the iPad's situation is identical, of course, but it wouldn't be unheard of for Apple.

All that you mentioned is going to drain the battery faster. I highly doubt the battery is going to last longer. I'm sure they increased the size due to that fact, otherwise they wouldn't have increased the thickness.

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I also think a Retina display is nothing but a marketing gimmick. Its not needed, as we don't even have those kind of resolutions on a 26" lcd monitor. Which is proof in itself its not needed on such a small 10" display.

 

[Pigumon]

[/COLOR]I also think a Retina display is nothing but a marketing gimmick. Its not needed, as we don't even have those kind of resolutions on a 26" lcd monitor. Which is proof in itself its not needed on such a small 10" display.

The biggest question is why WOULDN'T you want a better screen? I was disappointed the iPad 2 didn't have one.

Where is the proof? It's better on a 4 inch screen, it'll be better on a 9 inch screen. You'd rather have low resolution? Does this make any kind of sense? You'd rather see pixels and antialiasing than print quality text and graphics??? And to use your comparison, this is why Apple is working towards high-res / resolution independent monitors.

 

[RetiredInFl]

I don't think you really need to change the form factor that much...it's pretty slick the way it is. Better battery life is always welcomed, especially because of the high-DPI screen.

You can be sure they will change it just enough so that none of the current cases will fit. They must have a deal with case manufacturers.