Apple is working on a new high-end 2018 iPad that will adopt many of the design elements from the revamped iPhone X, reports Bloomberg. The new tablet device, which is likely to be a "Pro" model, will reportedly do away with the Home button.
It will feature slimmer edges, a faster processor, a custom Apple-built GPU, and built-in support for Face ID, allowing it to be unlocked with a facial scan much like the iPhone X. With Face ID, there's no need for a Touch ID Home button.
By removing the home button, Apple plans to noticeably reduce the size of the edges on the top and bottom of the device for the first time since its introduction in 2010, bringing the design closer to that of the recently released flagship iPhone X. The new version will mark the first revamped look for the iPad since the first iPad Pro debuted in 2015.
While the new 2018 iPad is said to be adopting many iPhone X features, Bloomberg's sources do not believe it will feature an OLED display. Instead, it will continue to use an LCD, likely because Apple suppliers are still working on ramping up OLED production. Samsung continues to be the only display maker capable of producing OLED displays suitable for an iPad, but technical and financial constraints will prevent Apple from adopting OLED at this time.
A new version of its Apple Pencil and new "software tools" for using the stylus are also said to be in development alongside the new iPad model.
According to Bloomberg, the revamped iPad is expected to be released "a little more than a year" after the prior iPad Pro update, suggesting it could see a launch sometime around September. Apple refreshed its iPad Pro lineup in June of 2017 at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Today's rumor is in line with prior reports from reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who previously said he believes iPad Pro models set to be released in 2018 will come equipped with a TrueDepth Camera and support for Face ID.
Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.
In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4...
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker.
In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.
"Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle.
Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by Juli Clover
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch.
All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week.
Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far.
Apple Intelligence for Siri
Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products.
Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year.
Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2.
HomePod mini 2
In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
Ok I love my X, but an iPad shouldn't have a notch.
I agree...Not sure why people on here are now 'liking' the Notch. I swear if any other company had a the Notch, they'd say it's the ugliest thing ever.
Oh I don't know, only because it's the best manufactured tablet on the market that does everything my laptop can do and more. It's the best device I own in my household.
