The third generation of Apple's iPad, rumored to be making its debut this March, may be slightly thicker than the latest model but is likely to include a better camera.
Asian parts reseller iLab Factory posted on its website images of what it says may be some of the components of the iPad 3, including a high-resolution LCD screen manufactured by Sharp, a back plate with an Apple logo and a 30-pin dock connector.
The site notes that the purported back plate for the iPad 3 is a tad thicker than the one used on the iPad 2, meaning the next-generation tablet may grow about one millimeter in profile, but will remain the same length and width.
The back plate also indicates that a different, likely better camera will be used in the iPad 3. The camera hole in the alleged iPad 3 case is almost the same size in diameter as that on the iPad 2. But, design differences on the inside suggest that the iPad 3 may include an improved camera lens and sensor, similar to what is found on the iPhone 4S.
After assembling the alleged iPad 3 parts and discovering they fit together perfectly, iLab Factory came to the conclusion that the components could be from a prototype build of the device. The screw holes on the supposed iPad 3 back plate, for instance, aligned flawlessly with the LCD panel, indicating that they were made to go together. Moreover, the supposed iPad 3 dock connector, used for charging and data transfer, also fit perfectly with the alleged back plate.
New clues circulating through the tech community last week indicated that Apple is prepping the iPad 3 for a March unveiling. The Cupertino computing giant may announce the tablet at an event hosted in San Francisco at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Other pervasive rumors about the iPad 3 include a form factor similar to that of its predecessor, an upgraded resolution that will give the device a Retina Display or something very close, and faster performance.
For more, see PCMag's full review of the iPad 2 and the slideshow below.