Leaked images show iPad 3 with Home button

There have been rumours floating around for a while that Apple could be ditching the Home button in order to make way for a complete button-less front panel, the way some other brands have done. What added fuel to the fire was the media invite which showed an iPad devoid of this button. The caption added some indication regarding the same with it saying, “We have something you really have to see. And touch.” This led the rumour mills running overtime with speculation that Apple would indeed be removing the button altogether. However, as per a report by Repair Labs, the website has gotten hold of images that they claim is the front panel of the iPad 3 and present on it is none other than the Home button found on all iOS devices.

Button still present on the iPad 3

The report sates, “The picture above is the iPad 3 digitizer. This part controls the iPad's touch function, as well as includes your front glass. As you can see from our images, not much has changed in the look of your iPad. With the back housing in hand, and now with this piece, we can confirm your iPad will look a lot like the iPad 2, just that 1mm thicker. The picture above also proves that we will have the home button on the iPad 3, contrary to some reports that came out yesterday. We also can see that Apple is planning to have both black and white models of the iPad 3, which is not surprising.”

This lays to rest speculations that Apple would do away with the button and as per a report by CNET, if the brand does indeed remove the button, it would be rather difficult to enable Siri, the voice assistant that is a highly expected to feature on the upcoming tablet. The report by Repair Labs goes on to state that another change they have noticed from looking at the hardware they have obtained comes in the form of the digitizer connection. They state, “That difference between the iPad 3 and the digitizer part for the iPad 2 does confirm that the logic board will be different, just as we surmised by looking at the back housing.”

Judging by recent reports it appears that Apple will not drastically change the design of the iPad 3 but significantly bump up the internal specifications of the tablet. Let us know your thoughts on the same.