iPad 3 casing snaps hint at better battery, improved camera
Sneaky snaps of what could be the iPad 3's back casing have emerged, hinting at the hardware that lies inside.
Photos of what is reportedly the back casing of the iPad 3 have appeared, hinting at an improved battery and superior snapper in Apple's next tablet.
The images first arrived via the Repair Labs blog, which says it can confirm hardware changes in the third iPad via industry insiders in China. The pictures above compare the back of the iPad 2 to that of the next iPad.
The blog reckons the width of where the tablet's logic board sits is much wider on the iPad 2 than it is on the iPad 3's casing, allowing for more battery to be squeezed inside the next-gen slate.
The camera also looks different, hinting at a more powerful unit. That's something we're definitely expecting to see -- the current iPad's camera is rubbish, so an upgrade in the snapper department is entirely expected.
The blog reckons the design differences also point to a new LCD panel, which chimes with our expectations of a beefed-up screen resolution.
There's no way of knowing if the cases shown in these photos are the real deal -- there's always the possibility that they're just parts taken from knock-off iPad models.
These aren't the only iPad 3 casing snaps doing the rounds, though -- 9to5Mac has secured a different picture (above) that supposedly shows the inside of the iPad 3's casing, while Apple.pro has a snap that looks to show the back of the tablet itself.
If these pictures are genuine, the most striking revelation about the iPad 3 is hidden in plain sight -- it'll feature a design very similar to the iPad 2. That could pour water on hopes of a 7-inch version of the iPad.
The iPad is making an awful lot of money for Apple, so the Cupertino crowd may well be sticking to the old 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' adage. If so, the next iPad could emerge as a minor upgrade, rather than a totally different tablet.
What do you want from the iPad 3? Tell us in the comments or on our Facebook wall. While you're here, have a look at the video below of Luke and Jason discussing what will be in the next iPad.
Image credits: Repair Labs blog, 9to5Mac