Another iPad 3 Rear Panel Reveals New Camera, Slightly Modified Design

Yet another rear panel for Apple’s iPad 3 has surfaced, refueling rumors that claim the third-generation tablet will feature a new camera and a slightly modified design to accommodate its new components.

At a glance, the new shell, which was obtained by NextMedia, looks identical to that featured on the iPad 2. But when compared to the current device, there are some notable differences.

The most exciting of which is the new camera lens. As you can see in the comparison shot above, it’s noticeably larger than the lens provided for the iPad 2’s rear-facing camera, and it has revived speculation that the device will feature an 8-megapixel camera similar to the Sony camera featured in the iPhone 4S.

Furthermore, if you look carefully at the edges of each casing, you’ll notice that the iPad 3’s rear panel appears to sport a more gradual taper to its edges. As a result, the device’s camera sits on the taper itself. This taper is likely to be what makes the iPad 3 slightly thicker and accommodates that Retina Display.

The new device is expected to make its debut on March 7, with a launch around one week later. In addition to a new camera and a Retina Display, it is also believed to include Apple’s new quad-core A6 chip.

• Via MacRumors

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