Secrets of the Apple iPad 2's sleek design revealed

Apple trimmed the size of core components to ensure a new sleek design, which will help the iPad 2 differentiate itself from competitors in the tablet market, according to IHS iSuppli.

The iPad 2 has a thickness of 8.8mm, making it 34 per cent thinner than its predecessor, the firm found in a new teardown of the much-hyped device. The 3G model also weighs a maximum of 613g, making it over 100g lighter than the original iPad.

The design of the device is likely to escalate the form factor war between manufacturers, explained Kevin Keller, principal analyst for the IHS iSuppli teardown analysis service.

"Leveraging its unparalleled design capabilities, Apple has upped the competitive ante on tablet form factors by substantially decreasing the thickness and weight of the iPad 2," he said.

"Apple has particularly focused on thickness as a point of differentiation for the iPad 2. Other new tablets coming to market, all of which are about as thick as the [first generation] iPad now look fat in comparison to the iPad 2."

The component that Apple trimmed the most was the battery, reducing its thickness by an impressive 59 per cent. This eliminated 5g of weight, while delivering the same 10-hour battery lifetime, Keller noted.

Apple flattened out the entire battery structure by moving from a thick, two-cell design to a thin three-cell structure. This also allowed Apple to stop using an injection-molded plastic support frame for the battery subsystem, further cutting down its thickness, he explained.

Other features that were redesigned included the display. Apple stopped using the stamped sheet metal frame, helping to reduce its size by 17 per cent to 2.5mm.

Apple also adopted a thinner glass overlay, leading Keller to speculate that Dragontrail Glass technology from Japanese firm Asahi Glass has been used in the latest generation of the tablet.

Physical tests also revealed that the iPad 2 glass is more flexible than the one used in the original iPad, which is a characteristic of increased durability, he added.

It costs Apple $336.60 to manufacturer every 32GB, 3G iPad 2, a IHS iSuppli teardown revealed earlier this week. This implies that Apple makes a whopping $400 profit with every sale.

V3.co.uk has a full review of the iPad 2 and a video demonstration of the latest Apple tablet as well.