New iPad May Take Design Cues From iPad Mini

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By Christina Warren2013-08-12 16:05:49 UTC

The next iPad will reportedly share many of the same design traits as the current iPad mini — meaning it will be sleek and thin.

A report from The Wall Street Journal indicates that the next full-size iPad will use the same assembly process for its touchscreen that the current iPad mini boasts. The iPad mini is thinner and lighter than the regular iPad, in part because its screen uses a film-based touch panel as opposed to the glass-based assembly for the regular iPad.

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Touchscreens on devices such as smartphones and tablets consist of several separate layers. A LCD panel sits on the bottom, with a a touch sensor and some sort of glass cover on top. The iPad mini uses a film-based touch panel, which is thinner and lighter.

The WSJ's report matches leaks that appeared last week from purported future iPad devices. Those leaks indicate that the next full-size iPad resemble the current iPad mini: slate back, thinner bezel and thinner design.

Do you want a thinner iPad? Let us know in the comments.

Image: Kārlis Dambrāns

Topics: apple, Gadgets, iPad, iPad Mini, Tech