Images of the prototype showing the iPad planned by Apple with two ports

Apple prototyped models of the first-generation iPad with two ports for extended docking options, according to images of a prototype unit.

Shared on Twitter by Apple Device Collector Giulio Zompetti, the images reinforce previous reports that Apple planned to offer two 30-pin connection ports on the original iPad, one on the base below the home button and one on the left side.

Zompetti explained that Apple initially planned to offer a “dual dock system” on its first tablet. Presumably this would have worked the same as the smart connector on the 1st and 2nd generation theiPad‌ Pros, 3rd generation iPad Air, and seventh and eighth generation ‌iPad‌, so that it could connect to the Smart Keyboard or accessories such as the dock. Logi BASE ‌iPad‌ charging pad from Logitech in landscape mode. The two-port system apparently also supported simultaneous charging.

Beyond the docking station in accessories such as keyboards, two ports could also have opened up the possibility of connecting to multiple wired accessories such as external hard drives or SD card readers via a dongle for compatibility. with the 30-pin connector, without the need for a multi-port adapter.

Prototypes of first-generation iPads with two ports have already been seen on several occasions, with some images even showing the internals of a two-port ‌iPad‌. Patents describing the dual port design have also been discovered in the past.

Apple reportedly chose to remove the feature during the design verification testing phase. While Apple has released 22 different ‌iPad‌ models in six screen sizes, every ‌iPad‌ model to date has had only one port for transferring and charging data.

Given that some seasoned iPad users are hoping that the tablet will someday feature more than one port to improve productivity, it’s interesting that Apple considered implementing such a feature long before the iPad Pro was created. or even the switch to a USB-C. connector on some models. Some may think the pictures prove that Apple viewed the iPad as a productivity-focused device long before it was really capable of doing so with features like multitasking, the Files app, or support. of the mouse.