Blog obtains leaked screen, analyzes it to confirm shrunk pixels

Feb 18, 2012 11:48 GMT  ·  By

A rumor blog reporting exclusively on Apple has obtained an iPad 3 display and, after putting it under a microscope, has confirmed that it yields a 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution. In other words, the next Apple tablet will have the much-rumored Retina display.

MacRumors claims that the purported iPad 3 display is identical to the panels used in the current-generation of iPads, in terms of width and length, with a 9.7-inch diagonal.

While it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 screen, they made a very interesting discovery while taking a glance under the glass using a microscope.

“…when comparing the iPad 3 display to one from an iPad 2 under a microscope, the difference in resolutions becomes readily apparent, with the iPad 3 display’s pixels appearing to be one-quarter the size of those on the iPad 2,” the rumor blog reveals.

Apple is widely believed to have planned a special event for the iPad 3 launch early next month.

Checks with the timetable for San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts - Apple’s favorite keynote venue - have revealed an open spot for March 7, which falls on a Wednesday.

The timing couldn’t be better to launch an iPad 3, considering the hype surrounding its rumored Retina display, the much-improved A6 processor, and other touted enhancements.

Competitors are still scrambling to roll out tablets that perform as well as the original iPad did in 2010, and Apple is already gearing up to launch the third generation of tablets.

The iPad 3 is also expected to launch with iOS 5.1, which should include numerous new features that take advantage of the tablet’s new processor and graphics, as well as the new Retina display.