New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

iPad 5 Estimated to Be 15% Thinner, 25% Lighter Than Current iPad

Wednesday April 17, 2013 11:09 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information on Apple's product plans, recently published a new research note outlining his expectations for Apple's fifth-generation iPad. Kuo expects mass production and shipments of the new iPad to ramp up in the August-September timeframe, with the device registering roughly 15% thinner and 25% lighter than the current full-size iPad.
We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15% thinner than iPad 4. The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25% lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4’s (front HD, rear 5MP). The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini’s.
The prediction of a 7.5-8.0 mm thickness is in line with previous claims that the next iPad will see a roughly 2 mm reduction from the current 9.5 mm thickness.

macrumors-ipad5c
Mockup of current iPad, iPad 5, and iPad mini

Kuo predicts that Apple will adopt the same GF2 touch technology used in the iPad mini, enabling Apple to design a thinner display for the new full-size iPad. In addition, more efficient display and chip technologies are expected to bring down the device's overall power consumption, allowing for a smaller and thinner battery.
We therefore think that iPad 5’s battery capacity will be 25-30% smaller, at 8,500-9,000mAh, than iPad 4’s, and the battery’s thickness will be 15-20% smaller, at 7.5-8.0mm, and the number of cells will be reduced to two from three.
As for the chip powering the iPad 5, Kuo believes that Apple will be sticking with Samsung for a new A7X chip that will take advantage of Samsung's 28-nanometer process node. There have been reports that Apple will be shifting its A-series chip production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), but it appears that Kuo believes that transition has a bit further time horizon, in line with rumors that a partnership between Apple and TSMC for 20-nanometer A7 chips will not begin production until early 2014.

Just last week, Kuo issued a report claiming that Apple's iPhone 5S, lower-cost iPhone, and second-generation iPad mini will launch later than currently expected by market watchers, with a variety of technological challenges still needing to be addressed by Apple. While Kuo did not offer specific predictions of when Apple will launch those devices, he did lay out a series of three scenarios addressing the possibility of August/September, September/October, and October/November timeframes.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
[ 159 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
komodrone
85 months ago
what I'm waiting for is a thinner iMac
/troll
Rating: 27 Votes
Avatar
mrsir2009
85 months ago

Awesome! The current iPad is to heavy in my opinion. I also hope it ships with iOS 7. :D

----------



So what's wrong with thinner? Oh wait, you're one of those people who constantly complain about Apple's every move and how they aren't innovating blah blah blah.


Thinner's fine... Until they start sacrificing features - Like the 5th gen iPod Touch, which ditched the ambiant light sensor just so that it could be a bit thinner (because the 4th gen just wasn't thin enough).
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
JayCee842
85 months ago
Awesome! The current iPad is to heavy in my opinion. I also hope it ships with iOS 7. :D

----------

Always thinner, always...


So what's wrong with thinner? Oh wait, you're one of those people who constantly complain about Apple's every move and how they aren't innovating blah blah blah.
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
japanime
85 months ago
If the full-size iPad is considerably lighter than my iPad 3, I'll be upgrading. Otherwise, I'll wait for a retina Mini.
Rating: 15 Votes
Avatar
komodrone
85 months ago


So what's wrong with thinner? Oh wait, you're one of those people who constantly complain about Apple's every move and how they aren't innovating blah blah blah.


The battery life on the iPhone 5 is lacking, I rather have a thicker iPhone with a true all day battery life. Also, my iPhone 5 is harder to pick up from a flat surface cause of its thinness compared to the iPhone 4.

But I guess I can see it on the iPad. iPad is still uncomfortable to hold on while laying down.
Wow look at me complaining about not being able to do something while laying down. #firstworldproblems
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
lsvtecjohn3
85 months ago
IMO the iPad 2 has always felt the best in your hands. It has the best weight ratio of all the iPads
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
gaximus
85 months ago
Augest -Sept. I really want a new iPad. The 3 is too heavy. Actually it was fine until I held my wife's mini.
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
mrsir2009
85 months ago
Always thinner, always...
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
teknikal90
85 months ago

Because an ambient light sensor is a make-or-break feature. Lol, complainers really love to expand their e-peens.


no but its a feature that was compromised just to make something thinner.
being 2 mm thinner adds no benefit to anyone. and theyre taking away features for it.
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
JacinTatt
85 months ago

The 5th gen iPod touch lost it's ambient light sensor for being too thin, when thin comes at the expense of important features it is a problem. I don't need to shave with my iPad or dice vegetables, we're already at thin enough. The weight reduction is nice but not the end all be all.


Because an ambient light sensor is a make-or-break feature. Lol, complainers really love to expand their e-peens.
Rating: 11 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]