iPad 2 to Be Smaller Via Thinner Bezel, Maintains Screen Size: Report

The iPad 2 will get some ergonomic tweaks, according to a report in a Japanese tech blog, MacOtakara. The report cites an anonymous Chinese source, which could mean a worker at one of Foxconn's plants.

The report states that the screen size of the iPad 2 will remain the same, which is logical since Steve Jobs famously said that 10 inches is the minimum effective size for a tablet's screen. Despite that, by reducing the size of the bezel around the screen, the iPad 2 will be smaller measuring 239mm by 186mm. The current iPad measures 242.8 mm by 189.7 mm, and was criticized for its wide bezel when it was first unveiled.

Additionally, the iPad 2 will receive a flat back, to address a different criticism, that the rounded back of the iPad is impractical. The recently released Samsung Galaxy Tabs, for example, have flat backs, making them easy to rest on a flat surface such as a table, without "rolling around." Moreover, the report states that the Ambient Light Sensor has been moved to the "upper center of the rear panel" and has a new smaller hole.

Speaking of moving, the speaker will move, as well, according to MacOtakara. Moving it from the side of the iPad to the back could be done to prevent someone holding the device from blocking the speaker holes. The new speaker will be wide range, the site claimed, offering better distributed audio at off-angle viewing.

The site said that front-and-rear facing cameras were a possibility, not a sure thing. Most assume that at least a front-facing camera for FaceTime support will be added. Finally, the site said that shipments from factories will begin in January, which fits in with most rumors to this point.