Rumor: Supposed iPad 3 digitizer photos leaked

[Rick]

Fix-iPhones claims to have new photos of the iPad 3's digitizer (the glass front that provides touch-sensitive input). They've posted the photos on their Repair Labs blog along with a link to earlier photos which also claim to reveal the iPad 3's rear housing (the back of the device).

Although the photographs provided are large and the website details some of the differences between the current digitizer and the new one, viewers may want to remain skeptical. We've seen our fill of fake iPad and iPhone photos and this may be no exception. With that said, these do look pretty convincing.

If the information is true, anyone hoping for a radical redesign will likely be disappointed. All in all, the photos suggest the iPad 3 will look exactly like current generation iPads.

Only white and black digitizers are shown, so we can infer the the iPad 3 will come in your favorite colors. Well, as long as your favorite colors are either white or black. 

Also, the photos clearly show a home button. There were rumors abound that Apple's latest tablet would not feature a home button.

This rumor probably originated from Apple's invitation to the upcoming iPad 3 media event on March 7. On the invitation, it shows a person opening the calendar but there is no home button around the edge of the device. This is, of course, explained by using the tablet in landscape mode. Rumors are much more exciting than mundane explanations though.

Fix-iPhones speculates that changes to the shape of the logic board will allow for a higher capacity battery. They also confirm rumors that the device will be slightly thicker by about 1mm.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/47631-rumor-supposed-ipad-3-digitizer-photos-leaked.html

 

[lawfer]

This is, of course, explained by using the tablet in landscape mode. Rumors are much more exciting than mundane explanations though.

They were not just empty rumors. There's a reason why people realized that the iPad on the invitation was clearly not in landscape mode.

The adjusted background image on an iPad 2 when held horizontally is different than when held vertically. By analyzing the positions of certain drops in the default background when and when not in landscape, you can identify the one on the invitation is <i>not</i> on landscape, as the drops on the invitation's iPad are adjusted in a position where--when compared to an iPad 2's image--the drops are seemingly aligned in the exact, expected places: Here.

That's not to say, of course, this proves there is not going to be a home button. But it certainly was enough to have fueled the speculation you found a bit sensational.

 

[Guest]

Maybe it simply is upside down?

 

[Rick]

lawfer said:

This is, of course, explained by using the tablet in landscape mode. Rumors are much more exciting than mundane explanations though.

By analyzing the positions of certain drops in the default background when and when not in landscape, you can identify the one on the invitation is <i>not</i>

Thanks for sharing this interesting tidbit -- I hadn't seen anything about this earlier.

After thinking about this for a moment, I think the above is easily explained by what we observe in pretty much all ads: screens seem to always be photoshopped on the final image because of issues with viewing angle, lighting glare, reflections, scan lines etc..

Assuming that does explain it, the superimposed image on the tablet may have been a screen taken from an iPad in portrait mode. That would make for a solid explanation, or at least an alternative to the home button actually being gone.

It's a really clever observation though... and it may still be true...

 

[lawfer]

Rick said:

lawfer said:

This is, of course, explained by using the tablet in landscape mode. Rumors are much more exciting than mundane explanations though.

By analyzing the positions of certain drops in the default background when and when not in landscape, you can identify the one on the invitation is <i>not</i>

Thanks for sharing this interesting tidbit -- I hadn't seen anything about this earlier.

After thinking about this for a moment, I think the above is easily explained by what we observe in pretty much all ads: screens seem to always be photoshopped on the final image because of issues with viewing angle, lighting glare, reflections, scan lines etc..

Assuming that does explain it, the superimposed image on the tablet may have been a screen taken from an iPad in portrait mode. That would make for a solid explanation, or at least an alternative to the home button actually being gone.

It's a really clever observation though... and it may still be true...

Indeed, that's precisely why it's a rumor; nobody really knows for sure (until it's officially released, that is) which—out of the two or three possible explanations—is true.

Anyway, I hope it turns out to be not true. That would give Windows 8 tablets an advantage (I think Windows 8 got it right with the all-touch approach), as I believe the home button on such large screens is an unnecessary use of spatial resources (even more so, as after iO5, the iPad 2 supports multi-touch gestures for both exiting an app and multitasking, making the need to have a physical home button diminish ever so quickly).

 

[insect]

Already people are so enthralled with the iPad3 that they are willing to argue about the orientation of a device in an advertisement? *mind boggled*

When Apple stops releasing a "new" device every 26 weeks like clockwork at hundreds of dollars a piece I'll consider looking at getting one. Even then, the thing will be locked inside and out so I can't do anything to it/on it that I would really want to with a mod, so I'll probably never own an Apple device. The alternatives that come out a month later are usually better, cheaper, and can be upgraded/modded if required.

 

[lawfer]

insect said:
Already people are so enthralled with the iPad3 that they are willing to argue about the orientation of a device in an advertisement? *mind boggled*

When Apple stops releasing a "new" device every 26 weeks like clockwork at hundreds of dollars a piece I'll consider looking at getting one. Even then, the thing will be locked inside and out so I can't do anything to it/on it that I would really want to with a mod, so I'll probably never own an Apple device. The alternatives that come out a month later are usually better, cheaper, and can be upgraded/modded if required.

They are not arguing about the orientation of the device because they find extremely interesting to simply... argue about the orientation of the device. No one is that much of a fanboy.

They are talking about the orientation of the tablet to find out whether the iPad on the invitation is: 1) An iPad 3 or 2) Conclude whether the iPad 3 will have a home button or not, as by analyzing the invitation closely you could easily infer the latter. It is regular, healthy speculation for a famous device.

 

[Joel416]

China sources within the Apple distribution chain is warning about screen shortages despite Apple's several suppliers.

Digitimes for one claims: "Apple has chosen Sharp to replace Chimei Innolux (CMI) as one of three suppliers for the high resolution (QXGA) panels - in addition to LG and Samsung, the whole supply chain has failed to substantially ramp up the supply of QXGA panels, the sources revealed."

With predictions of 55 million units for the year, this could be a choke on supply.

Pad 3's are widely expected @ 2048 x 1536/9.7" screen space vs. 1024x 769 currently.

Might not be enough 3s until the later in the year.

Rumours abound?Apple might roll out a smaller screen size, shy of 8 inches.

 

[Guest]

Who Cares?

they announce the ipad in 3 days!

 

[Joel416]

Who Cares?

they announce the ipad in 3 days!

Is that official now?