Apple Begins Certifying Components for 2012 iPad 3, OLED Unlikely

ipad 2 oblique

Digitimes reports that Apple has begun certifying components for the iPad 3 with many Taiwan-based manufacturers actively participating.

Taiwan-based component makers for backlight modules and light bars have received certification from Apple, however, the certification of panels is still in progress, added industry sources.

While there has been talk about Apple considering the use of OLED panels for the next iPad, Digitimes' sources believe that this is unlikely with the iPad 3 and that the next generation iPad will use 9.7" LCD panels.

The timing of the launch for the iPad 3 is in 2012 according to the component makers.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...

Top Rated Comments

derek1984 Avatar
190 months ago
Just give me retina and I will finally get an iPad.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yamcha Avatar
190 months ago
I personally don't think a quad core is necessary on a device like this, but thats just my opinion, I just don't think any task would make any use of all four cores..

I have no intention of buying an iPad :P, but I think a higher resolution screen is what would be a worth while upgrade.. 1024x768 isn't the best for todays web experience..
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Moz316 Avatar
190 months ago
2048x1536 would be more than just welcome, it would be enough for me to replace my 64GB iPad2.

The only other improvement that would get me to replace my iPad2 would be lighter weight.


Quad-core ARM won't be ready in 2012 and is not needed. I think we'll see a switch to 64-bit ARM in the iPad before we see quad-core. The A5 is already fast for everything an iPad can do. The original iPad was a bit slow, but the iPad2 is snappy. I'm not sure I could notice if it were faster.


So you want a 2048x1536 resolution, but dont see a need for a quad core? Whats going to drive this massive resolution? Especially in games?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
8CoreWhore Avatar
190 months ago
OLED is poor in bright light... non-starter for Apple.

From Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_light-emitting_diode#Disadvantages

Power consumption: While an OLED will consume around 40% of the power of an LCD displaying an image which is primarily black, for the majority of images it will consume 60–80% of the power of an LCD – however it can use over three times as much power to display an image with a white background[69] such as a document or website. This can lead to reduced real-world battery life in mobile devices.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlindMellon Avatar
190 months ago
The most important thing to come from this article is that fools can stop thinking there will be an iPad3 release this year.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FlameofAnor Avatar
190 months ago
DO you think it will be redesigned to be thinner and lighter?

Indeed, the iPad 3 will be a flexible sheet of glass. ;)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)