Digitimes has been the source of many supplier rumors for Apple's upcoming products, though their accuracy is always up for some debate. Based on our own record keeping at this time, Digitimes has had about a 55% accuracy on rumors that could later be validated.
A new codename finding by 9to5Mac in the latest iOS 5 betas seems to confirm that Digitimes has been accurate about some of their reporting on the upcoming iPad 3.
The "J2" model listed above corresponds to recent report in which Digitimes discusses two prototype models codenamed J1 and J2 that Apple has been working on.
Apple is currently giving two tablet PC projects codenamed J1 and J2 to its upstream partners for development. The sources revealed that the major differences of the new tablet PCs compared to the previous model are their size, specifications and technologies.
Since the new tablet PCs have a higher resolution, Apple has demanded the design of the light source to be changed from a single LED light bar to two LED light bars on the left and right sides of the machine, but since the method of adopting two LED light bars has created difficulty in shrinking the machine's thickness, some vendors have come out with designs that only adopt one light bar, but are packing two LED chips into one package.
The report is quite vague but does touch on an issue that has appeared from other sources as well.
The issue of the the higher resolution screen of the iPad 3 requiring a second light bar for the iPad 3 was also reported by Digitimes. iLounge later reported that the new iPad 3 would end up being 0.7mm thicker than the iPad 2 due to this need to incorporate a dual light bar system to support the higher-resolution display.
Apple is widely believed to be working on an iPad 3 with a "Retina" display that may double the iPad's screen resolution. Persistent rumors have suggested that Apple's partners have had difficulties in mass producing such screens.
Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products.
Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released.
iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027.
Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia.
Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production.
Apple supplier Foxconn has...
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season.
Note: MacRumors is...
"The sources revealed that the major differences of the new tablet PCs compared to the previous model are their size, specifications and technologies."
Wow. Some analysis from those sources!!
Because if the size, specifications and technologies were the same -- we'd have the iPad 2!!
Hahaha... I thought to myself, "What other thing could be added to that list?!"
Since size was mentioned, I wonder if it will be smaller than the current iPad? Maybe 7"?
A tablet PC, rly?
Not quite tablet and not quite a PC.
I picked up on that sly little adjective too...
Let's hope Apple can avoid the need for a dual light bar. It's a compromise I'm sure they'd rather not live with. A thicker iPad would be a step in the wrong direction.
Thicker, yeah, like adding the thickness of a razor blade so you can have a beautiful bright display...no problem.
Screw a 7" iPad, Jobs was right. I just got a Kindle Fire, and the difference in usability of the 7" screen is huge. It's closer to web surfing on a phone than it is on an iPad, it's hard to press buttons and links, in landscape it's too short and in portrait it's too narrow. Granted that has more to do with 16:9 and 1024x600, but 4:3 7" would do away with being able to hold it in one hand, the only advantage to 7". So in short, screw 7", Jobs was right.
I'm going to return the fire, it's a piece of crap, not even worth the sub-manufacturing price it's sold at. It will only appeal to people who care about cost savings above any sense of quality, and those people are not Apples target audience. Anyways...
Rob
The fire will sell like hotcakes leading up to the holiday, and then lead the pack on returns for the next 30 days. Even the least expensive iPad will do a better job of surfing Amazon than the Fire, and that's what the Fire was meant to do.
iPads are, and will always be, awkward products, until they run some form of OS X, or evolve into something as advanced as OS X.
Dude! iOS is OSX, have you been locked up or something?
Screw a 7" iPad, Jobs was right. I just got a Kindle Fire, and the difference in usability of the 7" screen is huge. It's closer to web surfing on a phone than it is on an iPad, it's hard to press buttons and links, in landscape it's too short and in portrait it's too narrow. Granted that has more to do with 16:9 and 1024x600, but 4:3 7" would do away with being able to hold it in one hand, the only advantage to 7". So in short, screw 7", Jobs was right.
I'm going to return the fire, it's a piece of crap, not even worth the sub-manufacturing price it's sold at. It will only appeal to people who care about cost savings above any sense of quality, and those people are not Apples target audience. Anyways...
"The sources revealed that the major differences of the new tablet PCs compared to the previous model are their size, specifications and technologies."
Wow. Some analysis from those sources!!
Because if the size, specifications and technologies were the same -- we'd have the iPad 2!!
"The sources revealed that the major differences of the new tablet PCs compared to the previous model are their size, specifications and technologies."
Wow. Some analysis from those sources!!
Because if the size, specifications and technologies were the same -- we'd have the iPad 2!!
The most shocking discovery of all is that Apple seem to actively be working on an iPad 2 successor right now that is called iPad 3! I definitely thought the iPad project was dropped due to them selling so bad! What would we be without those analysts!