Shortly after iPad Mini disassembly, the people from iFixIT managed to purchase a tablet iPad 4 which they opened it and presents it to the world. The internal structure of the tablet is identical to that of iPad 3, the screen is made by LG, and probably others, it has a Lightning port, FaceTime HD camera, A6X chip, and a battery that seems to be identical to the one in the iPad 3. Basically, in the iPad 4, Apple only changed components, the rest remaining the same, which is normal considering that the iPad 4 is not an important upgrade, but only one of medium relevance.
- The display is manufactured by LG, as opposed to the Samsung display found in the third-generation iPad torn down by iFixit. Apple does, however, source many of its components from multiple vendors, so it is unclear whether Apple has excluded Samsung from display production on the fourth-generation iPad.
- The logic board remains the same size as in the previous model, but Apple has tweaked the layout of some of the chips.
- The new Lightning port is housed in a frame that is equal in size to that of the 30-pin dock connector in the previous generation, meaning that Apple has not saved any interior space with the move to the Lightning connector. Apple will, however, almost certainly take advantage of the reduction in space needed for the Lightning connector in a more significant redesign for a future generation.
- The improved front-facing camera is slightly thicker than in the previous model, but fits into the same space within the device's body.
- The battery carries the same A1389 part number as in the third-generation iPad.
- Just like in the third-generation iPad, the fourth-generation model contains 1 GB of RAM housed in two Elpida chips separated from the A6X package.
Regarding the tablet iPad Mini, well the tablet uses the A5 chip produced using a 32 nm manufacturing process, it being included in the iPad 2 2012 which was launched in the spring of this year. Samsung produces this chip for Apple, the one in the iPad Mini is identical to the one in the iPad 2 2012, so the performance should be similar. It was also logical, for Apple to implement a product that it already produces with its partners and the efficiency will have its say both in terms of autonomy and in terms of performance.
Remember the past, when Apple launched the Apple A5X to great fanfare? When the A5X was launched, Apple also snuck in a change to the process generation in their A5 chip by putting a new 32 nm version inside the iPad2 and Apple TV3. Apple (likely) plays it this way because they don't want people evaluating their products based on "commodity" technical specifications, but based on the overall experience with the device. Because of this past behavior, there has been some speculation on the web as to whether they would do the same thing with the latest generation of Apple A5 processor. A new process for a new product. Maybe even a new foundry partner?
The answer is no.
