Photos of purported 5th-gen iPad cover glass surface, show iPad mini inspired design

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
A photo that allegedly shows the top cover glass of Apple's fifth-generation iPad was posted to the Web early Wednesday, with the purported part taking design cues from the iPad mini including thinner side bezels and shallow rounded corners.

iPad 5 Glass
Source: Nowhereelse.fr


The pictures, first published by French blog Nowhereelse.fr, show what could be the front glass of an as-yet-unannounced next-generation 9.7-inch iPad.

AppleInsider cannot vouch for the veracity of the alleged component, and the following is offered for purposes of discussion only.

Closer inspection of the alleged part reveals a number of changes from the current fourth-generation iPad, such as significantly trimmed bezels and tweaked proportions. By comparing the size of the home button cutout to the surrounding design elements, it can be guessed that the overall dimensions are akin to an oversized iPad mini. This is supposing the home button's size was carried over from the curent model.

Further details, like the ambient light sensor mask and hole for a front-facing camera, can be clearly distinguished in the photo.

iPad 5 Glass


While the size and shape of the component are in line with previous rumors describing a fifth-generation iPad, it is also possible that the part is merely a knockoff.

The supposedly leaked pictures come on the heels of mounting rumors that Apple is preparing to begin production of the next-generation tablet this month ahead of a release in July or August.

Those estimates run counter to sources who told iMore that instead of an iPad launch, August may see the debut of a new iPhone. The site, which has published accurate device predictions in the past, estimated an "April-ish" timeframe for the fifth-gen iPad's unveiling.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 43
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Wonderful; now it's unusable.

  • Reply 2 of 43
    I was hoping they would switch to a curved crt display and add a rs232 port. BUT, i'm sure they know what they are doing. This will probably be the model I finally break down and buy. I'm still using a PowerMac G5 and am torn between a new Mac or iPad. Leaning toward iPad since we only use the Mac for web browsing 99% of the time.
  • Reply 3 of 43
    rcoleman1rcoleman1 Posts: 153member
    Bring it on! I've had every generation of the iPad and each one is better than the last...the anticipation!
  • Reply 4 of 43
    sdo2000sdo2000 Posts: 29member
    I bought a 4th gen when it came out and couldn't be happier. I use it every day betweeen gaming, reading, and designing I can't get enough of it. I will be trading my 4th gen in for the 5 on day one :). I'm looking forward to the new one shedding some weight.
  • Reply 5 of 43
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Can't wait. Got my money saved up for this purchase. A full size iPad with the mini's form factor and a mini with retina (and reducing the price on the non retina mini in place of iPad 2) would be an awesome line up. Hopefully the price of a retina mini won't go up. Being cheaper than the Galaxy 8.0 would be a huge win for Apple I think.
  • Reply 6 of 43
    jonshfjonshf Posts: 90member


    I notice the the side bezel is still wider than on the mini (judging by the home button size) which is probably good because you won't quite be able to hold the bigger iPad in the same way. More thumb room is needed.


     


    My question is what is a "shallow rounded corner"?

  • Reply 7 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Wonderful; now it's unusable.

    I would have said similar, but the bezel isn't as narrow as the mini, and the overall device will likely be quite a bit lighter, so don't pre-judge until you have held it. Just my opinion.
  • Reply 8 of 43
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member
    Wiat wait wait. So when Macotakara or Digitimes publish something, and this gets "reported on" by Ai, but Ai doesn't put the disclaimer "AppleInsider cannot vouch for the veracity of the alleged component, and the following is offered for purposes of discussion only." it means that AppleInsider does vouch for the veracity of the stories?

    Or is it just a "let's fill the screen so people feel we do something of a report instead of just stealing a picture and linking to a real news?"


    Well, don't mind me, I'm just grumpy :p
  • Reply 9 of 43
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Can't wait. Got my money saved up for this purchase. A full size iPad with the mini's form factor and a mini with retina (and reducing the price on the non retina mini in place of iPad 2) would be an awesome line up. Hopefully the price of a retina mini won't go up. Being cheaper than the Galaxy 8.0 would be a huge win for Apple I think.


    Me too, but as for the Retina Mini, I guess it will be more expensive. People _will_ pay up, history shows that, and Apple is consistently more expensive than the competition, because their quality is consistently better. Note: this doesn't mean they don't goof, as the antenna issues on iPhone 4, the battery bugs on iPhone 5 (solved later), the screen lighting-leaks on iMac or the watercooling mess have showed, not to mention MobileMe. They just goof less than others, and their quality is so high that they are forgiven their mistakes.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jonshf View Post


     


    My question is what is a "shallow rounded corner"?



    An Apple-copyrighted design style.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post





    I would have said similar, but the bezel isn't as narrow as the mini, and the overall device will likely be quite a bit lighter, so don't pre-judge until you have held it. Just my opinion.


    The voice of reason.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SDO2000 View Post



     I'm looking forward to the new one shedding some weight.


    Agreed!


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by rcoleman1 View Post



    Bring it on! I've had every generation of the iPad and each one is better than the last...the anticipation!


    I've waited for this one "forever"... but my compay lets me use their iPads, so the wait was bearable. Also their Nexus, which is by the way great :p


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Wonderful; now it's unusable.



    Why? Also, I trust Apple to not break their favorite baby...

  • Reply 10 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    ytseman3 wrote: »
    I was hoping they would switch to a curved crt display and add a rs232 port. BUT, i'm sure they know what they are doing. This will probably be the model I finally break down and buy. I'm still using a PowerMac G5 and am torn between a new Mac or iPad. Leaning toward iPad since we only use the Mac for web browsing 99% of the time.

    You answered yourself. No brainier. My iPad 4 is the best product I've ever owned. iPhone 5 is a close second, and easily the best phone I've ever owned. If I was going to criticise my iPad it would be that it's too heavy, this will reduce such a criticism. And my two main criticisms of the mini are that the screen is too small for me and the side bezels are too narrow, and this product will have the right screen size and wider narrow bezels. They look narrow like the mini, but they are proportionally wider for it's larger heavier size.

    This one will be a winner I think. That's my gut feeling.
  • Reply 11 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Can't wait. Got my money saved up for this purchase. A full size iPad with the mini's form factor and a mini with retina (and reducing the price on the non retina mini in place of iPad 2) would be an awesome line up. Hopefully the price of a retina mini won't go up. Being cheaper than the Galaxy 8.0 would be a huge win for Apple I think.

    Or they replace the mini at the same price with the Retina mini. That's what they should do. And additionally they should replace the iPad 2 at the same price with this iPad 5. Simplifying and making irresistible the 2013 iPad lineup.

    The iPad mini Retina should start at $329 and the iPad 5 should start at $429. That would be awesome.
  • Reply 12 of 43
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post





    You answered yourself. No brainier. My iPad 4 is the best product I've ever owned. iPhone 5 is a close second, and easily the best phone I've ever owned.


    My MBA is my favorite product, I don't use the company Mini I lug around that much, but I do use my iPhone 4 a lot. One thing I distate is Siri on the Mini. It's stupid as hell (Editing a note? Nope. Creating a note, maybe, but randomly the results are horrible. Multi lingual? Not a chance in hell, even though I work in four languages, which is the case of most of my entourage... Hey Apple, it's 2013, world's globalized)

  • Reply 13 of 43
    front speakers, please...
  • Reply 14 of 43
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post





    Or they replace the mini at the same price with the Retina mini. That's what they should do. And additionally they should replace the iPad 2 at the same price with this iPad 5.




    Are you being sarcastic? Replace the oldest product with the latest one?


    Imho, they should decrease the Mini's price again, not by much (20 or 30 euros?), sell a Mini Retina for 30% profit, as they've always shown to try to do, or maybe even more (it's the high end one, they have higher profit margins on high-end machines), discontinue the iPad 2 which is kind of old now, and sell the 4 and 5 at the rpice points, respectively, of 2 and 4...


     


    Then again, I'm not out of Wharton.

  • Reply 15 of 43
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mieswall View Post



    front speakers, please...




    I speak a lot and I'm at the front.


     


    You have one more  wish left.


     


     


    You want to rollback that wish? OK.


    You have no more wishes left. Thanks for using United Genies of the Internet's services!

  • Reply 16 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member

    Are you being sarcastic? Replace the oldest product with the latest one?
    Imho, they should decrease the Mini's price again, not by much (20 or 30 euros?), sell a Mini Retina for 30% profit, as they've always shown to try to do, or maybe even more (it's the high end one, they have higher profit margins on high-end machines), discontinue the iPad 2 which is kind of old now, and sell the 4 and 5 at the rpice points, respectively, of 2 and 4...

    Then again, I'm not out of Wharton.

    You asked me if I was being sarcastic and subsequently stole my idea practically.
  • Reply 17 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    mieswall wrote: »
    front speakers, please...

    Whatever direction they point them i wish they were better and even louder. It's a crucial area for improvement.
  • Reply 18 of 43

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post





     so don't pre-judge until you have held it. 


    But pre-judging is what he does best!


     


    (and pre-judging is what we are all doing here on this rumor site)

  • Reply 19 of 43
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    jonshf wrote: »
    I notice the the side bezel is still wider than on the mini (judging by the home button size) which is probably good because you won't quite be able to hold the bigger iPad in the same way. More thumb room is needed.

    Yeah, looks spot on. That was a worry of mine, but it looks right.
  • Reply 20 of 43
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    mieswall wrote: »
    front speakers, please...


    I speak a lot and I'm at the front.

    You have one more  wish left.


    You want to rollback that wish? OK.
    You have no more wishes left. Thanks for using United Genies of the Internet's services!

    I see you lost your grumpiness!
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