Since Day 1 of iPad 3 rumors a hugely improved display, likely retina quality like the iPhone 4, has been the most often mentioned expected new feature for the next-gen iPad. And now, at least according to the clever folks at MacRumors, the 2048X1536 retina display for the iPad 3 is confirmed.
They’ve managed to get hold of one of the ‘leaked’ iPad 3 displays that have been making the rounds of the iPad 3 rumor circuit over recent months.
MacRumors has now been able to obtain one of these iPad 3 displays and examine it under a microscope in an effort to determine whether it is indeed an ultra-high resolution Retina display. Physically, the purported iPad 3 display is the same size as the current iPad 1 and iPad 2 display at 9.7" in diagonal, and looks quite similar to the naked eye.
Once they got the iPad 3 display under a microscope the differences became clear.
However, 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. … We highlighted a cluster of 4 pixels (2×2) from the iPad 2 to compare it to the same area on the iPad 3. On the iPad 3, the same cluster was occupied by 16 pixels (4×4) — exactly twice the resolution in each direction.
Extrapolating out, the iPad 3 screen should carry a full resolution of 2048×1536, exactly twice the linear resolution of the iPad 1 and iPad 2 which is 1024×768.
I’ve said all along that I believed the hugely improved display for the iPad 3 was virtually a lock, and as we get closer and closer to the iPad 3 announcement (widely expected to be Wednesday March 7) I’ve seen nothing but mounting evidence to support that view.
Although it will hardly be a surprise if this latest report proves true when the iPad 3 is unveiled, it is still definitely very good news. The current iPad display is already excellent – with this upgrade it should be nothing short of amazing.
Patrick Jordan
Founder and Editor in Chief of iPad Insight. Husband, father to a lovely daughter, Commander of the Armies of the North, dog lover (especially Labs), Austinite, former Londoner, IT consultant, huge sports nut, iPad and mobile tech blogger, mobile apps junkie.
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