It is certain that new iPad models will be released next year. But what could the updates include?
While Apple updates the iPad Pro models every year in the fall, the entry-level 9.7" iPad has already been updated twice in a row in March. The third generation of the iPad Pro has been fundamentally changed. Apple has launched the popular tablet with many new features in a completely new design. Among other things, it has been equipped with Face ID and a USB-C port in an almost frameless case. Due to the many innovations, no major update is to be expected in 2019. The introduction of an OLED display is also likely to take some time. According to observers, these would be far too expensive to produce and would not be of much use at the moment. Apple is likely to only tinker with the internals.
Big update for the iPad 9.7″?
There may also be no major update for the cheaper entry-level model. The reason for this is the low price. In order to maintain this price, production costs must also remain correspondingly low. The small iPad can still shine without the many extras of the Pro version. Although it was developed specifically for schools, it also seems to be very popular with fans. According to current estimates, it should even sell better than the two iPad Pro versions. The introduction of a new Touch ID sensor would still be possible. A new patent was announced for this at the beginning of December. Accordingly, the cheaper iPad could be equipped with a fingerprint sensor under the display as early as next year.
Similar information has already been provided by suppliers. The Taiwanese company General Interface Solution (GIS) and the Chinese manufacturer O-Film Tech are among those supplying this technology. Face ID is more complex to produce and costs more. For this reason, facial recognition will initially be reserved for the more expensive iPad Pro models. By installing this new fingerprint sensor, the cheaper iPad model could be given a design refresh and the home button could be eliminated - without significantly increasing production costs. Whether this will actually be the case in the end remains to be seen, of course.
