iFixit Takes a Closer Look at the 'iPad 3 Retina Display'

Last week, we reported that we had been able to obtain a 9.7-inch display claimed to be for the iPad 3, confirming through microscopic analysis that the display offers twice the linear resolution and four times the total number of pixels as the iPad 2.

ifixit ipad 2 ipad 3 displays
iFixit's comparison of iPad 2 and iPad 3 display pixels

We've since shared the display with our friends at iFixit to see if they could power the screen and otherwise take a closer look at it. Unfortunately, with the different connector on the new display, iFixit was unable to directly hook the display up to the guts of an iPad 2. Meanwhile, efforts to map the pins of the two displays in an attempt to jury-rig the iPad 3 display were believed to be too substantial to undertake with the limited time and no guarantees of success. iFixit was, however, able to confirm our findings of an ultra-high resolution display that quadruples the number of pixels over the previous-generation iPads.


In this new video overview of the iPad 3 display, iFixit confirms the higher (2048x1536) resolution, the modified connector, and tweaked retaining clips as compared to the iPad 2 display.

ipad 2 ipad 3 display connectors
Display connectors from iPad 2 (left) and iPad 3 (right)

Apple is expected to introduce the iPad 3 with a media event on March 7. Beyond the display, photos of a number of claimed parts for the device, including the logic board and front glass/digitizer, have leaked in recent weeks, offering some reasonable evidence of what can be expected in the updated models.

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

Top Rated Comments

cambookpro Avatar
158 months ago
, Apple!
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arcite Avatar
158 months ago


:D:apple: This never gets old.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
URFloorMatt Avatar
158 months ago
Is it really jury rigged? Always thought it was jerry rigged.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
158 months ago
Here's what I take away from the video:

1. New screen is lighter + presumed larger, heavier battery = overall same weight as iPad 2.

2. Apple/iPad h8trs are going to mitch and boan that Apple is changing the definition of "Retina" for marketing purposes...even though the whole Retina name is only a marketing moniker and not a technical term. Realistically, HD is HD so who cares if it's 240 or 300. It reminds me of the nitpicking "audiophiles" do when your stereo can't reproduce frequencies a dog can dance to.

3. My belief is reconfirmed that if there were more adorkable "geek girls" instead of plastic look-at-me Kim Kardashian types the world be a better place to live in.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Peace Avatar
158 months ago
Couldn't iFixIt just buy the connector from the same place arn got the display ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
myrtlebee Avatar
158 months ago
Wish they could have figured out some way to connect it!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...