News & Analysis
Teardown: Apple iPad 4
Allan Yogasingam
11/9/2012 7:01 AM EST
Apple Inc.'s announcement of the iPad mini on Oct. 23 was widely expected. It was the second announcement that caught many industry observers off guard—going against the typical one iPad-per-year product cycle, Apple stunned reporters with the announcement of a fourth-generation iPad (or iPad 4), just over six months since the launch of the iPad 3.
The iPad 4 introduces a new variant on the Apple A6 processor found within the iPhone 5. The Apple iPad 4 features the latest processor in the "A" family, the A6X. Like the A6, the A6X features two customized ARM cores. However, this new processor features four graphic cores, as opposed to the three graphic cores featured in the Apple A6.
Apart from the change in processor, Apple has been quite mum on what other changes are featured in the latest iPad. Will taking apart this device reveal some design changes from the previous generation iPad, or has Apple created a product that only requires a change of software and a swap out of processors? Taking a look inside will answer those questions.
Next: Inside the iPad 4
The iPad 4 introduces a new variant on the Apple A6 processor found within the iPhone 5. The Apple iPad 4 features the latest processor in the "A" family, the A6X. Like the A6, the A6X features two customized ARM cores. However, this new processor features four graphic cores, as opposed to the three graphic cores featured in the Apple A6.
Apart from the change in processor, Apple has been quite mum on what other changes are featured in the latest iPad. Will taking apart this device reveal some design changes from the previous generation iPad, or has Apple created a product that only requires a change of software and a swap out of processors? Taking a look inside will answer those questions.
Next: Inside the iPad 4
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Borisblade
11/9/2012 9:16 AM EST
What a waste for a worthless article.
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ttt3
11/9/2012 9:54 AM EST
How is this article "worthless"? Plenty of photos, etc. Did you miss that there are multiple pages?
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Peio
11/13/2012 4:08 AM EST
Maybe you chose the wrong magazine. Which is full of photos of sexy girls is another.
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yalanand
11/16/2012 10:39 PM EST
@Borisblade, there are totally 25 page info. Did you go through all of it ? Do you feel some info is missing in this page. I felt this was a very informative article.
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asdfasdfsdfsdf
11/25/2012 5:35 PM EST
Breaking it into 25 pages is an insult to the reader's intelligence. There's no reason to do that, beyond shoveling more ads.
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KarlFredrik
11/30/2012 6:11 AM EST
Do it my way. Press on the print button in the bottom of the article. Then a window will open with all the info. Easily scrollable.
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venu511
12/5/2012 12:54 PM EST
Thank you!
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Frank Eory
11/9/2012 11:34 AM EST
Thanks to UBM Techinsights for this. It is quite remarkable that Apple released a new generation iPad with nothing changed except the processor and the connector. This is far more incremental than their usual once a year product upgrade, and that alone is newsworthy.
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rogerwilker
11/12/2012 11:51 AM EST
One upgrade you forgot is the wifi capability of using 2.4 or 5.0. There by increasing wifi capability tremendously.
So, you have a much faster processor and wifi speeds.
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DBRenner
12/12/2012 7:28 PM EST
Actually, the Qualcom communications chip is a different lower power version and the front camera (is now HD). Sure there are other chip upgrades for WI-FI (Broadcom).
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sranje
11/9/2012 11:49 AM EST
iPAD Mini has an option for phone connectivity.
Who supplies ICs - Qualcomm or somebody else? It would be nice to know !!
Purists will dismiss it but - Mini could also be used as a phone/video-phone with a good headset...
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khody
11/21/2012 3:22 PM EST
I agree on the extra functionality for the iPad mini. Then again, I think all the small yet capable tablets should have phone call functionality. At the end of the day one could use a Bluetooth or wired headset.
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GREAT-Terry
11/11/2012 11:06 AM EST
After all, what exactly is new in this iPad4 besides the CPU and lightning connector? With just an upgrade of IC with same functionality, I see not much innovation is in here! I frankly feel a bit disappointed with all 3 new products (iPad4, iPadmini, iPhone5) from Apple
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Jack.L
11/12/2012 11:48 AM EST
Why disappointed?
IPAD Mini is a great form factor. IPAD4 is faster and supports a new connector that will form the basis of the ecosystem moving forward. IPhone5 carries on a form factor tradition that is successful.
I mean really for a tablet, what are you expecting? Screen is as good as needed now (except not 3D). Cameras are within limits of the technology (and cost). It's a tablet ... it does what is intended and well.
While Apple is about form factor, its really about ecosystem and interoperability. There is no need for whiz-bang features to achieve that. People buy them because they work.
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SylvieBarak
11/12/2012 12:13 PM EST
Yes, except this is not a teardown of the Mini... it's a teardown of the iPad 4, which is barely distinguishable from the 3. If I was an Apple fangirl, I would be quite disappointed... but as a regular gadget loving girl, I don't much care. It just means the 3 will be marginally cheaper if I decide to buy it for anyone this Christmas!!
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Jack.L
11/12/2012 11:50 AM EST
I will add .... what do we expect when we get a new PC now? Faster, bigger screen with more resolution, more memory and storage. We do not expect wiz bang features as most of that occurred in the early days. After that is has been incremental. Tablets are already evolutionary not revolutionary so why expect a game changer all the time?
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rogerwilker
11/12/2012 11:54 AM EST
Don't think previous versions have the capability to use the 5.0 ghtz wifi band. My router has had this capability for a couple of years with nothing capable of using that band. This is great as there is a lot less traffic on the 5.0 band. This has convinced me that with the faster cpu and wifi, I am ready to get an iPad.
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Daniel Payne
11/12/2012 11:59 AM EST
Good article with all of the details on ICs used in the design, my only nit is that it has been 7 months since the iPad 3 not 6 months (March to October).
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asdfasdfsdfsdf
11/25/2012 5:36 PM EST
25 pages?
Really?
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joepaiii
11/29/2012 11:25 AM EST
page clicks...
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venu511
12/5/2012 1:06 PM EST
@KarlFredrik has a great tip. Please click 'print' at the bottom of the article.
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