2012 MacBook Pro may be thinner, but iPad 3 could be thicker

If there’s one thing we can count on from Apple, it’s out of control rumors in between their major product releases.

According to sources close to iLounge.com, the iPad 3 may actually be a bit thicker than the iPad 2 at about 0.7mm (0.0275 inches), but still thinner than the original iPad. Apparently, the ultra-high resolution display calls for a “twin light bar system” for adequate illumination and implementation, thus requiring a bit more girth than expected.

Meanwhile, the same unnamed source claims that the 2012 MacBook Pro lineup will finally introduce a new and thinner chassis design. This is more in line with previous rumors about the 2012 MacBook Pro possibly taking design cues from the sleek MacBook Air series.

The conflicting element of this rumor, however, lies in the anticipated release date of the iPad 3. Some rumors put it for a late 2012 launch with a separate “iPad Mini” coming early 2012 instead. But, the iLounge source says the iPad 3 could be revealed as early as January for a March release, “depending on conditions.”

Of course, we won’t know for sure just how big the next generation iPad may be or when it would launch, but at least its “Retina” display and the 2012 MacBook Pro redesign rumors are so far somewhat consistent.

The original iPad and iPad 2 launched in April 2010 and March 2011 in the U.S., respectively.

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