iOS 12.1 Beta Confirms iPad Pro Fall Launch, Landscape Face ID
Apple has begun pushing out its iOS 12.1 update in beta form, and in doing so the Cupertino company may have revealed some new details about upcoming features and products that have not yet been announced. Taking things a step further, the iOS 12.1 beta appears to confirm a new iPad Pro model coming out before the end of the year.
We have already seen leaks pertaining to a new iPad Pro. Earlier this month, prominent leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (@onleaks) posted a link on Twitter to several "official looking" renders of an upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro. He couldn't confirm the renders were accurate, but they were interesting nonetheless.
Sooo... I can't confirm this one is 100% accurate but... This might be our very first look at the new 12.9" iPad Pro (360° video + official looking 5K renders + dimensions), on behalf of @mysmartprice -> https://t.co/QJ01AhAXS5 pic.twitter.com/C3wLE9rn0A
— Steve H. (@OnLeaks) September 3, 2018
Fast forward to today and 9To5Mac states it found an identifier for a "2018 fall" iPad tablet when digging into the assets used by the setup application for the iOS 12.1 beta. This is a new identifier, as the previous version of the app only referenced Apple's 2018 iPhones, not an iPad. So, it would appear that Apple is readying a new iPad Pro model sometime this year.
Face ID has support for landscape orientation (presumably for iPad only), and iOS 12.1 seems to care a lot more about whether an external display is connected (perhaps due to iPad USB-C rumors; it won't have the Lighting HDMI adapter as an intermediary for video-out)
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 18, 2018
In related news, mobile developer Steve Troughton-Smith claims that Face ID is gaining support for landscape mode, a feature that will likely be reserved for Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models. According to Troughton-Smith, "landscape Face ID would require a realignment of the front-facing sensors, so you won't see it on existing hardware."
He also indicated that Apple's iPad event is scheduled for sometime in October, and that with the new iPad Pro models, "Apple will have transitioned its entire touchscreen lineup device to slim-bezel, rounded corners and edge-to-edge design in a single year." His statement seems to suggest that the aforementioned renders are indeed accurate.
