New Photos of the Black iPad 5 Front Panel and Digitizer Assembly

Back in April, a pair of photos surfaced showing what was claimed to be a white front panel from Apple's fifth-generation iPad, showing narrower side bezels as had been rumored as part of a redesign inspired by the iPad mini. A brief video that surfaced over this past weekend also appeared to show the next-generation iPad's front panel and digitizer paired with a rear shell.

macfixit_ipad_5_digitizer_front
Now, a new listing at parts and repair firm Macfixit Australia includes a number of photos of a similar part, which the company's supplier says is a genuine front panel and digitizer for the fifth-generation iPad.

macfixit_ipad_5_digitizer_rear
The part shows the same narrower side bezels seen in previous leaks, as well as a pair of flex cables running along one of the long edges of the panel and ending in connectors in roughly the same location seen on both the current iPad and in the leaked photo from last weekend. The connectors are different from those seen in current and previous full-size iPads, but Apple has been rumored to be making a number of technological changes in order to achieve the smaller form factor expected for the upcoming iPad, revisions which could necessitate a significant change in connector design.

Our supplier claims this is the new iPad 5 Screen/Digitizer:

- The display area is the same as the iPad Retina.

- The edges of the frame are narrower using the same style as the iPad mini.

- The ITO (Indium tin oxide) is the same as the iPad mini.

- There is now 2 connectors instead of 1.

- The connectors have been changed from FFC (Flat Flexible Cable, like the iPad 2/3/4) to FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits, like the iPhone 4/5).

Stamped on the front panel is a part number of 821-1892-02, which matches the format used by Apple on many of its iOS device components.

macfixit_ipad_5_digitizer_part_number
Apple is expected to introduce the fifth-generation iPad as soon as next month, with an updated iPad mini rumored to be following fairly soon after.

(Thanks, Martin!)

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

Top Rated Comments

iheartiphone4 Avatar
139 months ago
Guy that took the picture may or not be screwed since you can see his reflection.

What he should have done was photoshop Tim Cook in the reflection making it look like Tim took the pic.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ryth Avatar
139 months ago
Anyone think there will be a price reduction? All these other tablets are getting ridiculously cheap...
They are cheap for a reason.

You don't see Audi or BMW dropping their prices because other cheap cars come out do you?

They drive and get you from place to place just like Audis and BMW's do. But we all know there is something called the driving experience and the design/make/materials/look of the car.

Now apply that here to tablets.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
komodrone Avatar
139 months ago
Guy that took the picture may or not be screwed since you can see his reflection.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Adokimus Avatar
139 months ago
Oh god, I feel awful that you can see his reflection. He's selling these photos to make a little money since he works for pennies, but he is likely only viewing these pics on a mobile and doesn't realize he's sending his reflection. I bet he's going to be in a world of hurt over this.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
taptic Avatar
139 months ago
My crystal ball tells me that it will feature A7 quad CPU and 2GB of RAM ;)

2 GB of RAM?! Quad CPU?!?! Don't over-do this man! I mean, this is Apple we're talking about... they put in just enough to make it good for use. Not enough to make a good debate over iOS vs. Android.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rtr1985 Avatar
139 months ago
This forum should be renamed to "Mac-Automobile Analogies"
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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%...
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. ...
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...
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...