A matter of weeks ago, the iPhone X was unveiled. It was one of the biggest design changes we’ve seen from Apple in all of their iPhone devices over the years. Now we know that Apple is working on a new iPad Pro. It could be released as early as next year, and incorporates a lot of the key features from the iPhone X; such as slimmer bezels, facial recognition, and the removal of the home button.
When Benjamin Geskin heard about this, he responded in the same way he always does – with beautiful iPad Pro 3 renders of how he envisions the new device…
You can see from the renders, the iPad Pro 3 envisioned by Bejamin Geskin features a much slimmer bezel than on the current iPad Pro device, and also excludes the home button. There was a time when the iPhone was praised for the fact that it only had one button. Everything else was done on the screen – now it seems that even one button is unnecessary.
Until recently, Apple has kept the home button in place on their devices because it’s needed for the fingerprint ID. The home button is no longer required, now that they’re moving into facial recognition to replace the fingerprint ID.
If these iPad Pro 3 renders are anything to go by, then the new iPad certainly looks good. The display looks so much bigger and more appealing without those bulky bezels on the top and bottom of the device.
These are not official images of the device. They’re simply how one guy has envisioned it. But, that guy has been pretty close with his concept designs for previous models of the iPhone and iPad.
One thing that people noticed about these iPad Pro 3 renders is the fact that it doesn’t include the same ‘notch’ on the top of the screen like the iPhone X does. We could end up seeing something like this…
What Do We Know About The iPad Pro 3 So Far?
Sources with knowledge of Apple’s plans, who wish to remain unnamed due to the private nature of the company’s product development, have given insight into what we can expect from the upcoming iPad Pro 3.
Here’s what we know so far:
Display and Design
Like with previous iPhone and iPad designs, they tend to look very similar to each other. That’s probably going to be the case with the iPad Pro 3 – looking like a giant version of the iPhone X. We can expect to see slimmer bezels, possibly the ‘notch’ from the iPhone X, and removal of the iconic home button.
OLED
While an OLED display on the iPad Pro would be fantastic, it’s not likely to happen in time for the unveiling. Right now, Samsung Display Co. is the only supplier of OLED screens who have the capacity to supply Apple with the amount they need. Considering how long it would take to get OLED production started, it’s not likely they would be ready in time for 2018.
Face ID and Animoji
As this new device is going to be featuring a lot of the things we saw with the iPhone X, it makes sense that the home button will be removed, and Touch ID will be replaced with Face ID.
CPU and Processing
If Apple follow in their previous footprints, the new device will likely boast a more powerful processor, as well as one of their own GPU units – possibly the AX11. This would bring the iPad Pro’s performance more in-line with their desktop solutions.
Release Date
With the details currently available, it seems that the new iPad Pro will launch sometime in 2018. Probably around September time. There’s also rumours that Apple is working on a second-generation Apple Pencil, which would probably launch alongside the iPad Pro 3.
Wireless Charging
Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Apple will introduce wireless charging to the iPad Pro in the upcoming release. Apple’s recent acquisitions hint that they are working on a powerful new wireless charging protocol which is more suited for larger devices like the iPad and the MacBook. This new protocol would allow you to charge your devices from a distance, rather than placing them on a charging mat like you do with the iPhone or Apple Watch.
While that technology sounds amazing (imagine being able to plug in a charger to your wall socket, and your laptop and iPad Pro would start charging automatically in the same room), it’s unrealistic to think that will be ready in time for a 2018 launch of the iPad Pro 3.
The Notch
While the iPhone X needed the ‘notch’ to house the advanced components such as the TrueDepth camera, the iPad Pro 3 might be able to incorporate it into the slim bezel, given the larger size of the device.
Specifications
While this is just speculation at this point, it’s realistic to anticipate an Apple A11 CPU and possibly even water resistance.
Price
There’s no solid indication to the price of the iPad Pro 3. However, judging by the pricing on previous releases and the technology onboard, it’s likely the new iPad will be priced around $125 – $175 more than the current 10.5 inch iPad Pro.
Conclusion
At this point, everything we know is more-or-less speculation. But, the people providing this speculation are people who seem to have sources that provide reliable information. So, with that being said, these iPad Pro 3 renders probably aren’t far off what we’ll see from Apple next year. Judging by previous iPad and iPhone releases, the specifications listed here are more than likely the minimum we’ll see in the device next year.
The iPad Pro 3 will certainly be the best in tablet computing, and continue to pave the way for people looking to transition from a traditional laptop into a tablet computer system.
For me, personally, I can’t see a tablet computer ever replacing my MacBook Pro or a desktop computer. But I can certainly see industries where the iPad Pro would provide a more efficient solution over a laptop or desktop computer.
