Fourth-gen iPad with Retina Display: Subtly different (pictures)
You could keep a new iPad in plain sight and no one would know the difference; however, there are a few telltale clues.
Scott Stein
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
The iOS family tree: the fourth-gen Retina Display iPad (left) now has company with the iPad Mini (middle). One has a 9.7-inch display, the other has a 7.9-inch display. For comparison, the fifth-gen iPod Touch, with a 4-inch display, sits on the far right.
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It's no thicker than before, and weighs the same. There's one key telltale difference: the tinier Lightning connector on the bottom, which replaces the 30-pin connector.
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Yes, the Mini is smaller, but the larger iPad has the Retina Display.
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The 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera is new. It won't make your jaw drop, but it makes FaceTime calls and self-portraits look a little better. And it takes 720p video.
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Games look improved thanks to a speedier A6X processor. There aren't many A6X-optimized games yet, but the improved graphics should make Retina Display games look smoother across the board.
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The Lightning cable works just like the one for the iPhone 5, iPod Touch, and all other Lightning-enable devices. The cord is easier to plug in, but the connector requires new cables for video-out and camera-photo-importing functions.
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How similar is the fourth-gen iPad to the third-gen? Here are both 2012 models, side-by-side. I dare you to guess which is which.
