Leaked Photo of an iPad 3 Retina Display?

Friday December 30, 2011 11:13 am PST by Arnold Kim

We received a tip that the following image had been posted to a Korean forum (registration required). Unfortunately, little other information was offered, but it was claimed to be an image of the upcoming iPad 3 Display panel.

Top: iPad 2, Bottom: iPad 3?

We believe the top image represents the current iPad 2 screen, while the bottom image is the supposed iPad 3 display. Both are 9.7" in diagonal, but the bottom screen has a different configuration for the attached cabling.

For reference, iFixit provided us with this photo of what the current iPad 2 display looks like disassembled.

iPad 2 screen

As you can see there are 3 brown ribbon cables leading from the screen itself to the circuit board. The small brown cable to the far left is the power cable, while the other two wide cables are for display data. This configuration matches with the top display in the leaked photo (though the power cable is missing).

The claimed iPad 3 photo shows 3 wide ribbon cables that might be used for data. The iPad 3 is expected to carry a high resolution screen of 2048x1536 which is four times the number of pixels of the current iPad 2, so the need for additional data bandwidth would be understandable.

No other details are available, though the increasing number of parts leaking on the web suggests that Apple is getting closer to production. Just last night, Apple was said to be using a new type of display (IGZO) to achieve higher resolutions and require lower power in the iPad 3. The iPad 3 is expected to be launched during the first half of 2012.

Top Rated Comments

basesloaded190

153 months ago

I don't know why I keep coming back. Most of the rumors here suck.

You will be missed :rolleyes:

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

trajen

I can't wrap my head around an iPad with a "Retina" display. That **** is gonna be sold out for months.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

HarryKeogh

Agreed. Who the hell is interested in rumors about the next-gen iPad's supposed retina display?

What? Everyone? Nevermind.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

slrandall

I wish it was on.

Mackan

Look! An assumed retina iPad 3 screen! You can really see it right. And it's so interesting. Almost as interesting as the assumed iPad 3 home button. Oh man, I need to calm myself. Too exciting.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ipedro

Well, unless that's a Samsung sPad, then it's overwhelming evidence that:

1) The iPad 3 will have a retina display
2) It's in production. A late January or early February release is likely.

By the way, MacRumors, this is the kind of scoops I like to see here. They're legitimate detective work about upcoming Apple products (otherwise known as "rumours") not the lawsuit stories that make this feel place like a boring courtroom.

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