While we cannot confirm that the above image is legitimate, it does provide a solid representation of what Apple’s next iPad will likely look like. We were told this is a prototype back piece for the fifth-generation iPad with a 9.7-inch display. We were also told that the casing is almost as thin as the iPad mini’s back (pictured to the right). As you can see at the top of the purported iPad 5 backplate, this casing would likely be for an LTE model – as the black antenna cut implies.
The report lines up with iLounge's first description of the new iPad which is expected to arrive in October with smaller, iPad mini-esque bezels and chamfered edges and curves.
What does it look like? Well, it’s a lot smaller than one would guess was possible: in portrait orientation, picture a 9.7” screen with virtually no left or right bezels, and only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements. Beyond that, it’s noticeably thinner, as well, which is to say the the fifth-generation iPad will be smaller in every dimension than its predecessors. As it will have the same chamfered edges and curves, calling it a “stretched iPad mini” is very close to entirely accurate.
Leaks of parts for upcoming Apple products are becoming more and more common as the Asian supply chain grows larger.
Update:
In this composite, you see the new iPad is much smaller than the current iPad. The iPad 4 (image) and iPad 5 (image) have been overlaid to show the relative sizes.
Update 2: A reader overlaid the screen sizes showing how much of a bezel the new iPad might have.
Update 3: Diwali posted this mockup based on the dimensions of the case:
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
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.
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 iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
Nothing surprising here really. Only the fact that everyone thought it would be held off until the Fall. I'm glad it's not!
I'm getting tired and annoyed of product leaks!
I miss the days when products were not basically leaked piece by piece and essentially put together weeks before the announcement. I miss the days of not knowing what was going to be unveiled at the keynote. I miss the feeling of complete surprise and awe when the product was finally unveiled after waiting on the edge of my seat for what felt like an eternity.
Sure the leak if the iphone 4 was some fluke freak accident - and shocking at the same time, but knowing what the iphone 5 looked like a month before the keynote was just down right annoying.
I wish the supply chain would stop leaking images :(
I miss the days when products were not basically leaked piece by piece and essentially put together weeks before the announcement. I miss the days of not knowing what was going to be unveiled at the keynote. I miss the feeling of complete surprise and awe when the product was finally unveiled after waiting on the edge of my seat for what felt like an eternity.
Sure the leak if the iphone 4 was some fluke freak accident - and shocking at the same time, but knowing what the iphone 5 looked like a month before the keynote was just down right annoying.
I wish the supply chain would stop leaking images :(
