Disassemble to explore the "iPad" case without screws

On April 3, 2010, Apple launched its new internet device, the iPad, in the United States. The iPad is a tablet PC powered by the iPhone OS, equipped with the A4 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a 9.7-inch capacitive touch LCD screen. While it may resemble a larger version of the iPhone and thus seem less innovative, it quickly became a hit in the market. On the day of its release, 300,000 units were sold. According to Apple, demand exceeded expectations, which led to the postponement of its international launch from May to late May. Market research firms and Taiwanese component suppliers have even predicted that the iPad could sell over 10 million units, making it a major success.

Application Developer Focus

Despite its popularity, the iPad isn’t without its drawbacks. It can be quite heavy for extended use, and the touchscreen tends to show fingerprints easily. In terms of pricing, the base model with 16GB of NAND flash costs $499, which is still relatively high for most consumers. Plus, it lacks 3G connectivity, limiting its appeal in some markets.

Nevertheless, the iPad seems poised to carve out a unique market that stands apart from smartphones, laptops, and netbooks. Application developers are flocking to the platform. According to a survey by Mobclix, there were already 3,122 iPad apps available just four days after its launch. Many of these focus on e-books and digital newspapers—areas that have been gaining traction among consumers in recent years.

Figure 1: Background Factors Behind the iPad’s Popularity

The iPad appears to be one of the most anticipated consumer electronics products in the first half of 2010. As shown in Figure 1, several key factors contributed to the global attention it received.

Shimizu Hiroshi, CEO of Ubiquitous Entertainment in Japan, expressed his excitement about the iPad in a blog post: “The iPhone was just a prelude to the iPad. It’s rare in the market. This experimental model is one that can truly be proud of its completion. The iPad is the main player now. Previous devices like the iPhone will eventually be overshadowed.”

Apple leveraged the intuitive operating system from the iPhone to create a more powerful experience on the iPad. This significantly improved the usability of the touchscreen and expanded the range of applications available. Investment firms are also showing interest. For example, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), a top U.S. venture capital firm, has invested $100 million into developers creating iPad apps.

With the help of engineers from electronics manufacturing and component suppliers, we took apart an iPad and are sharing our findings here. We dismantled the $499 model to explore its internal structure.

Leveraging iPhone Manufacturing Experience

One of the biggest challenges in disassembling the iPad was opening the case. Having seen the iPhone before, I know that Apple prefers to hide its screw designs. This habit continues with the iPad. The resin edge on the upper casing fits tightly with the aluminum lower casing, eliminating the need for visible screw holes. Due to this design, we had to use a screwdriver to pry it open (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: The Process of Disassembling the iPad

The iPad’s case has no screws and is designed as a snap-in type, meaning it can only be opened using a screwdriver. The image on the right has been blurred for privacy reasons.

It took over five minutes to open the case. Inside, the team observed that most components were black (see Figure 3). One engineer from a component manufacturer joked, “Even the motherboard is painted black—does it look nice when it’s all taken apart?”