More rumors point to a thicker iPad 3

Many rumors abound on the next generation iPad, including a previously reported rumor on the iPad 3 possibly being thicker than the current iPad 2 design.

Now, sources close to Japanese website macotakara.jp are claiming something similar. While the iPad 3 will likely have the same 9.7-inch screen size as the iPad 2, the backside of the future tablet may be thicker than the iPad 2 and different enough that the device may not be backwards compatible with certain iPad 2 cases.  The front Smart Cover, though, may still be compatible.

Exactly why the tablet may be thicker is not mentioned in the source, but the belief is that Apple will use the additional girth to fit in additional lighting in order to adequately illuminate the rumored high resolution “Retina” display.

If the iPad 3 will indeed be thicker, it is expected to be larger than 8.8mm (iPad 2) or even 13mm (iPad) in depth. Of course, we will have to wait until official announcements directly from Apple before these rumors can be confirmed. While the iPad 2 is still king in terms of recognition and sales, the advent of quad-core tablets (i.e. Asus Transformer Prime) is beginning to make headlines of its own.

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