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 (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT 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 simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...

Top Rated Comments

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


:D:apple: This never gets old.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
URFloorMatt Avatar
172 months ago
Is it really jury rigged? Always thought it was jerry rigged.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
172 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
172 months ago
Couldn't iFixIt just buy the connector from the same place arn got the display ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
myrtlebee Avatar
172 months ago
Wish they could have figured out some way to connect it!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)