A number of iPad 2 owners are reporting problems with backlight light leakage. The issue, when present, is most noticeable in a dark room with the iPad 2’s brightness turned up and a black or similarly dark image on the screen, however, it can be noticed under other circumstances, as well. One report claimed that the issue is similar to past yellow tinting issues, related to a bonding agent not having dried yet; should that be the case, the problems will likely dissipate over a few days of use, but if not, repair or replacement may be necessary. [via Engadget]
The iPad 2 is selling well on the gray market in China, according to a M.I.C. Gadget report.
According to the report, a Hong Kong retailer named Mr. Lo received 200 pre-orders for the device prior to its launch, and had eight couriers in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles working to get his customers the device by March 13. Prices range from HKD$7,980—roughly $1,025—for a black 16GB Wi-Fi model to HKD$11,880 (~$1,525) for a black 64GB 3G model; white units carry a HKD$1,500-$2,000 premium. The retailer was also offering Smart Covers and the Apple Digital AV Adapter, with prices set between HKD$580 for the adapter to HKD$1,280—or over $160—for a leather smart cover. The report notes that most of the 60 units that arrived yesterday were 64GB 3G models, as most customers are more concerned with having one than with the capacity, and the higher-end models allow the retailer to make more profit.
IHS iSuppli has completed its teardown analysis of the iPad 2, claiming that the 32GB GSM model carries a bill of materials (BOM) cost of $326.6, while the 32GB CDMA model has a BOM of $323.25. As reported by DigiTimes, the company claims that the cost of the device’s touchscreen has shot up since the introduction of the original model, with the display and touch screen subsystem accounting for $127 of the device’s BOM cost, compared to the initial $95 estimate for the original iPad. Other major components, such as the NAND Flash memory, battery, and A5 processor, are estimated to cost $65.7 (in the 32GB model), $25, and $14, respectively, with the latter cost expected to go down over the course of the year as Apple ramps up production.
Lead designer at Mozilla Labs Kevin Fox has suggested that the iPad 2’s headphone port, which is set on a steep curve, could actually be the first of a new kind of headphone jack from the company. Citing an Apple patent application from September 2010, Fox argues that the port’s slim design suggests that it may be one of the “pogo pin” jacks described in the application.
