Teardowns Detail Minor Differences Among Wi-Fi, GSM, and CDMA iPad 2 Models

iFixit yesterday announced that it has completed teardowns of the GSM and CDMA versions of the iPad 2, joining the teardown of the Wi-Fi version performed on launch day earlier this month. Rather than posting an extensive walkthrough of each model, iFixit focused on the few areas in which the various models differ from one another, related of course to the cellular connectivity needs or lack thereof.

The most obvious physical difference between the 3G models is the micro-SIM card slot along the upper left edge of the GSM model, required for providing the device with subscriber information. The micro-SIM card slot itself is actually attached to the headphone jack cable on the GSM model, while the CDMA model lacks the slot entirely as subscriber information is instead hosted directly on the WWAN board inside the device.

095820 ipad 2 antennas 500
iPad 2 antenna configurations: GSM (top), CDMA (middle), and Wi-Fi (bottom)

Given the differences in frequencies used for the GSM and CDMA network standards, it is also unsurprising that the two 3G iPads offer slightly different antenna configurations, with the CDMA version offering one more antenna than the GSM version, similar to the iPhone 4.

095820 ipad 2 logic boards 500
iPad 2 logic boards: Wi-Fi (top), GSM (middle), and CDMA (bottom)

And finally, the three iPad 2 variations also exhibit differences in their logic boards, with the 3G models containing WWAN board extensions housing the hardware supporting cellular connectivity. Unsurprisingly, the CDMA model contains essentially the exact same chips, including the Qualcomm MDM6600 baseband chip, as the CDMA iPhone 4. The GSM model, on the other hand, primarily relies on Infineon chips for its connectivity.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...