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


:D:apple: This never gets old.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
URFloorMatt Avatar
159 months ago
Is it really jury rigged? Always thought it was jerry rigged.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
159 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
159 months ago
Couldn't iFixIt just buy the connector from the same place arn got the display ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
myrtlebee Avatar
159 months ago
Wish they could have figured out some way to connect it!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Friday April 12, 2024 11:11 am PDT by
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
iGBA Feature

Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations

Sunday April 14, 2024 9:22 pm PDT by
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app. The emulator rose to the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend,...
Delta Feature

Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

Wednesday April 17, 2024 9:58 am PDT by
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
iGBA Feature

Game Boy Emulator for iPhone Now Available in App Store Following Rule Change [Removed]

Sunday April 14, 2024 8:06 am PDT by
A week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators, a Game Boy emulator for the iPhone called iGBA has appeared in the App Store worldwide. The emulator is already one of the top free apps on the App Store charts. It was not entirely clear if Apple would allow emulators to work with all and any games, but iGBA is able to load any Game Boy ROMs that...
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate

All iPhone 16 Models to Feature Action Button, But Usefulness Debated

Tuesday April 16, 2024 6:54 am PDT by
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...