New iPad Pro 2018: all the rumors about the specifications, the price, the possible beginnings for October

We are a few weeks from the publication of the iPhone XR Rumors suggest that Apple could take advantage of the opportunity to unveil other new products, including a new iPad Pro – or eight.

How: Pre-order the iPhone XR

It was last month that the company organized a big event to show the XR alongside the new iPhone XS, XS Max and Apple Watch 4. But Apple has already organized hardware-related events in October – the last time in 2016 with the announcement three new MacBook Pro and the TV application. And the rumor says that we are expected for a second autumn show in 2018 that could include a new MacBook Air, High-end AirPods and a smaller HomePod as well as updates from other aging Apple products.

But the most successful rumors are about the new iPad Pro; According to sources, Apple will present a new batch of its high-end tablet before the end of this year. The recent release of the beta version of iOS 12.1 apparently includes references to eight devices "iPad2018Fall" – two Wi-Fi models and two LTE models of each size – according to 9to5Mac, as well as a new version of Face ID, USB-C connectivity and output support for 4K displays.

When the company launched the latest iPad in March, adding Pencil holder and a faster processorhe has narrowed the gap between the entry-level tablet and his Pro brothers and sisters. Starting at $ 329 (£ 319 or AU $ 469), the basic iPad now offers many of the high-end features that were previously exclusive to much more expensive computers. 10.5 inches Pro and 12.9 inches Pro.

For now, these Pro models still retain the exclusive rights to the Retina top screen and smart connector, which allow you to add a plug-in keyboard. But a group of experts and sources in the supply chain now suggest that Apple would seek to redefine the iPad Pro range – and justify its higher price – with a major update before the end of the year.

Although Apple has not officially announced anything, the new Pro models appearing before the end of 2018 are generating a great deal of interest. Here is what we have heard so far:

Editor's note, 9 October: This post was published on March 21st and will continue to be updated with news and rumors regarding the 2018 iPad lineup.

Rumor: New iPad Pro coming in October

After the The iPad Pro was a parade at the September 12 event organized by AppleIn October, we immediately looked for a follow-up event. the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 were introduced in a Mac and iPad combined event in October 2014, and it's not that far-fetched to consider a similar event this month that includes new MacBook Air and a new iPad Pro or two. And yes, November remains a possibility, but Apple never launched a new iPad in December.

Rumor: Apple is preparing two new iPad Pro

Bloomberg announced that Apple was preparing two new tablets for late 2018 – one that measures "about 11 inches", which could be the approximate equivalent of the current model of 10.5 inchesand a 12.9-inch model. Previously, the publication indicated that Apple was working on at least one new iPad Pro, the 10.5-inch model.

Rumor: Apple Pencil 2.0

Apple has developed a new version of its Pencil stylus, according to 9to5Mac. As The EMR pen from Wacom – and that of Apple AirPods – The new pencil will automatically detect and pair the new iPad Pro when you are nearby and you can easily switch from one Apple device to another. However, we do not know if the new Pencil will work with the old iPad models or if the old Apple Pencil will work with the new iPad.

Rumor: USB-C on board

Microsoft has disappointed some released a new version of the Surface Pro without USB-C connection earlier this month. But Apple would have added the popular connection to the new iPad Pro, according to 9to5Mac. In addition to powering certain accessories, the USB-C port will allow the new iPad Pro to transmit videos on 4K external displays.

Rumor: take design landmarks from the iPhone X

Mac Otakara and 9to5Mac report that the upcoming iPad Pro will benefit from a major redesign and will incorporate several new features that have appeared on the first generation of the iPhone X, last year. An iPad battery usage icon found in Apple iOS 12 beta suggests that future models will look a little different – without a Home button, thinner glasses, rounded corners and a larger screen. And the rounded corners of the iPhone X could also end up on the next iPad Pro, according to 9to5Mac.com.

Rumor: the face becomes horizontal

There is no notch on these icons, but rumors suggest that the glasses of the new models are able to adapt Face ID without notching. Developer Steve Troughton-Smith, who discovered many Apple products and features before their official announcement, claims that the 12 beta version of iOS indicates that future iPads will have a face ID – and that it will be also able to unlock the device even in landscape mode, something that even the new 2018 iPhones can not do today. (Bloomberg also reported on this.)

Rumor: faster charge

Troughton-Smith also found evidence that suggests the new iPad could have a USB-C connection. This reinforces an earlier prediction from the Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple will change to an 18-watt USB-C AC adapter as well as previous DigiTimes reports.

Pro models of the current generation currently support the 18-watt specification, which can reduce load time by 50%, but Apple today provides them with a 10-12 watt adapter. If that's true, it would mark a radical change for Apple, which has been using the Lightning connector in its hardware lineup since its introduction in 2012.

Do not expect an iPhone style wireless charging, though. Nobody seriously expects the metal back panel of the iPad to disappear, which more or less prevents induction charging.

Rumor: 3.5mm headphone jack that goes away

Mac Otakara reports that the future iPad Pro – at least the 10.5-inch model – will dispense with the traditional headphone jack in favor of the connector Lightning Apple. And there is a lot of momentum in this direction: when Apple announced the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR it also stopped selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, iPhone 6S and 6S Plus and iPhone SE – meaning that the latest iPhones to come with a headphone jack have disappeared.

Probably: performance bumps

the new entry-level iPad is powered by the A10 processor of the 2016 era, which places it at a half step from the iPad Pro, which runs the A10X. However, since the 2017 iPhones are using A11 and the new 2018 iPhone trio is using A12 Bionic, it makes sense that the new iPad Pro have an A11 or A11X – at all. less. In November, Bloomberg had suggested that the next iPads would have faster processors and graphics processors, which have become a key part of almost every upgrade cycle.

Rumor: probably not OLED display

According to Bloomberg, one of the features of the iPhone X that it is unlikely to appear in an iPad at any time in 2018 is an OLED display. Not because Apple would not like to use them. It is that the providers simply do not yet have the bandwidth needed to produce them at the size and cost corresponding to the number required to meet the colossal market of Apple. (This is the same reason why laptops with OLED displays are still rare.)

Rumor: Peace, iPad Mini

Speaking of iPhone: with the September iPhone range that introduces the 6.5 inch iPhone XS Max, we have the impression that the iPad Mini range is not long for this world. Bloomberg reports that the Mini will not be refreshed this year – and we need to ask if this will ever happen.

Aside from a minor upgrade in storage capacity in June 2017, the current Mini 4 with its 7.9-inch display has not been updated since its introduction in 2015. But Is more expensive than the 9.7-inch iPad because Apple only sells 128GB version. Given that the new 9.7 inches provides a lot more – a bigger screen, a pencil support and better performance – at a lower price, it's hard to imagine that there's still a big demand for the Mini.

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