Supposed Apple 'iPad 5' rear casing again shows mini-like design
The last few months have seen multiple leaks hinting at the design of Apple's next iPad, but now a picture released to the Internet purports to show the actual rear casing of the tablet, again suggesting Apple may adopt an iPad mini-like design for it's next full-size offering.
The image showed up Monday on tech blog Tactus, which last week showed off both a supposed low-cost iPhone shell and new cases said to be designed to the specs of the next iPad. Monday's image appears to largely match the design aesthetic seen in those leaked cases, as the rear casing shown keeps the look of Apple's iPad mini.
Aside from the image, the post suggested that the next iPad will retain its 9.7-inch screen size, but with much thinner bezels. It may also contain an A7X chip.
The report also holds that Apple use a thinner LED backlight, allowing for a lighter design, as was previously rumored. The company may also be leveraging Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) displays in its next iPad. Likely provided by Sharp, these displays can pack twice the resolution of a conventional LCD screen with up to 90 percent power savings.
Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicated last week that Apple's fifth-generation iPad will be 25 percent lighter and 15 percent thinner than the previous third- and fourth-generation designs. The slimness will reportedly come from new GF2 screen technology, a change from the current iPad's GG touch tech.
Improvements in performance are also expected to allow Apple to utilize smaller batteries within the next iPad, which will result in a significant reduction in weight. The weight is rumored to be around 500 grams, down from the 650-gram size of the current fourth-generation model.
Introduced last fall, the iPad mini featured thinner bezels and a more curved casing than the full-size iPad. It also sports stereo speakers on the bottom of the device, as opposed to the single speaker located on the rear of the current iPad.
The image showed up Monday on tech blog Tactus, which last week showed off both a supposed low-cost iPhone shell and new cases said to be designed to the specs of the next iPad. Monday's image appears to largely match the design aesthetic seen in those leaked cases, as the rear casing shown keeps the look of Apple's iPad mini.
Aside from the image, the post suggested that the next iPad will retain its 9.7-inch screen size, but with much thinner bezels. It may also contain an A7X chip.
The report also holds that Apple use a thinner LED backlight, allowing for a lighter design, as was previously rumored. The company may also be leveraging Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) displays in its next iPad. Likely provided by Sharp, these displays can pack twice the resolution of a conventional LCD screen with up to 90 percent power savings.
Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicated last week that Apple's fifth-generation iPad will be 25 percent lighter and 15 percent thinner than the previous third- and fourth-generation designs. The slimness will reportedly come from new GF2 screen technology, a change from the current iPad's GG touch tech.
Improvements in performance are also expected to allow Apple to utilize smaller batteries within the next iPad, which will result in a significant reduction in weight. The weight is rumored to be around 500 grams, down from the 650-gram size of the current fourth-generation model.
Introduced last fall, the iPad mini featured thinner bezels and a more curved casing than the full-size iPad. It also sports stereo speakers on the bottom of the device, as opposed to the single speaker located on the rear of the current iPad.
Comments
Not expecting any new design. iPod, iPad mini and iPad belong to same design language.
But iPhone must be radically new.
Originally Posted by Chandra69
But iPhone must be radically new.
No, it mustn't.
Also, unless the case manufacturer is just guessing, there does not appear to be a flash for the rear facing camera added this time around.
The iPad mini has stereo speakers so I think it's a safe bet the entire iPad line will have going forward.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chandra69
Not expecting any new design. iPod, iPad mini and iPad belong to same design language.
But iPhone must be radically new.
How do you make a "radically new" phone design, when it has to accomodate a very specific screen size and shape, be as thin as possible, have as little bezel as possible, and be comfortable and practical for hundreds of millions of people to be sold around the world? I don't get it. Every SINGLE smartphone that exists now looks more or less the same- a glass slab, surrounded by plastic or metallic material. I'm not sure how "radical" one can make the physical shape or design anymore. Blinking lights maybe? Random things jutting out? Triangular?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slurpy
How do you make a "radically new" phone design, when it has to accomodate a very specific screen size and shape, be as thin as possible, have as little bezel as possible, and be comfortable and practical for hundreds of millions of people to be sold around the world? I don't get it. Every SINGLE smartphone that exists now looks more or less the same- a glass slab, surrounded by plastic or metallic material. I'm not sure how "radical" one can make the physical shape or design anymore. Blinking lights maybe? Random things jutting out? Triangular?
I tend to agree. I heard a guy on tv pointing out that Apple was lagging behind and all they needed to do was to bring out a new phone that would 'totally blow everybody's mind'. So I guess such a phone would be, like, totally radical.
I guess a curved, all glass, unbreakable device would be radically new. iPads with unbreakable glass would also be radical, even if they looked the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
Can't tell, I see symmetrical features on the bottom, could those be stereo speakers?
Also, unless the case manufacturer is just guessing, there does not appear to be a flash for the rear facing camera added this time around.
Yep, no flash this time around either it seems. Its a shame they can be useful. Maybe much of the tablet competition coming out later this year will incorporate flash - just to stick it to Apple.
Hopefully, the 7" mini makes more sense in general for photographs, so Apple might update it with a flash first, and then finally add it to the big iPad.
Either way, unless Apple radically changes their business strategy this year, the "5S" is not likely going to blow anybody's sock off. More likely the new low-cost universal iPhone will be the thing that blows everybody's mind this generation.
One guess: if they're moving to both GF2 and IGZO, they're going to have to stockpile displays in advance so they don't get shortages like they did with the GF2 iPad minis for some time after the launch.
These screen advances are hard to pull off. They're breaking new ground. Same with the new iMacs.
Apple should get credit for advancing the technology. Instead they get FUD about Tim Cook's competence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
Apple has a way of giving the customer only what it thinks they need. And 10" tablets don't need a flash because customers shouldn't be using it to take pictures. Right? ...
Actually, apple suggests that the iPad and iPad mini are great to take pictures with (and they are), it's just a whiny tech-boy meme that people look "stupid" doing it (for some reason that's never stated). Those that think people shouldn't take pictures with iPads, are most typically young, male, and either easily swayed by fashion or deathly afraid of not being "cool enough."
For years cameras were coming out with bigger and bigger viewfinders, which the public greatly appreciated and cheered each size increase because it made taking the pictures easier. Now, because it's an iPad it's "bad" to have a giant viewfinder on a camera because …. ? Apple?
My iPad 2 is getting long in the tooth for sure, been holding out for the next one, so this all sounds great to me. I really like where it's headed.
The new design will be no phone. Not in the sense that you have something in your hand. It will be embedded into your skull and run on thought control. No need for speakers, mics etc. it will be powers by electric signals from your own body.
Nothing is 'unbreakable'.
That depends on ones definition of break. You can separate many things into smaller pieces but we often think of break in regards to a specific type of separation. For example, Bruce Willis was unbreakable in that one movie (I can't think of the name right now¡) but he could drown.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drwam
These things are looking similar. Hard to believe that introduction will be calendar quarter 3 if the parts are this far along. Should be a very popular device since weight and size are the two things that make some folks choose a smaller tablet. Dare I say...no compromise.
And exactly how far along is that piece? Can you tell by a crappy photo that it's production quality and fits nicely with all the other parts not pictured?
Quote:
Originally Posted by paxman
I tend to agree. I heard a guy on tv pointing out that Apple was lagging behind and all they needed to do was to bring out a new phone that would 'totally blow everybody's mind'. So I guess such a phone would be, like, totally radical.
I guess a curved, all glass, unbreakable device would be radically new. iPads with unbreakable glass would also be radical, even if they looked the same.
I thought you were being sarcastic until the second line. Unbreakable glass! LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
That depends on ones definition of break. You can separate many things into smaller pieces but we often think of break in regards to a specific type of separation. For example, Bruce Willis was unbreakable in that one movie (I can't think of the name right now¡) but he could drown.
Appropriately enough, the movie was called "Unbreakable"...though you might have been teasing.