Face ID, the facial recognition system that debuted on the iPhone X, could be landing on the iPad Pro as early as next year, but that’s not the only iPhone X feature the iPad Pro 3 could inherit. Apple is said to be redesigning the tablet to make it slimmer with thinner bezels, although there is one noticeable feature that’s said to be missing.
Of note, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted an iPad Pro 3 with Face ID next year, but we now have a few new details about what the device could have.
All-new iPad Pro 3 with Face ID
Citing sources familiar with the developments, Bloomberg reports that Apple could preparing a “redesigned, high-end iPad” for release as early as next year. However, the iPad Pro 3 with Face ID isn’t expected to have an OLED display, which is one of the iPhone X’s two key features, with Face ID being the other.
However, using an OLED panel for an iPad Pro would be a much more difficult undertaking because the device supports the Apple Pencil and also has features such as ProMotion, which makes the tablet much more responsive so that it can be used for more than what most people use their iPhones for. ProMotion was designed with productivity in mind as it makes switching between tasks faster, and it isn’t included on the iPhone.
No OLED panel on the iPad Pro 3
Apple is probably also limiting the number of devices that feature an OLED display simply because of the shortage. It is much more difficult to produce large quantities of OLED panels than it is to manufacture LCDs. According to Bloomberg’s sources, Samsung will be the only display manufacturer that has enough capacity to produce the iPad Pro’s new screens next year.
However, the media outlet’s sources also said that “technical and financial constraints make that unlikely.” LG, Japan Display, Sharp and other display manufacturers are also unlikely to have enough capacity to produce iPad-sized OLED panels for next year, according to those sources.
Another likely reason to limit the use of OLED panels in its products is cost, given that the display is widely believed to be the most expensive component on the iPhone X. A tablet-sized OLED panel would probably be even more expensive.
Slimmer bezels on the iPad Pro 3
The iPad Pro 3 with Face ID is said to have a screen size that’s similar to that of the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. Apple’s facial recognition system can be used to unlock the tablet, make payments and send animated emojis, the media outlet clarified. The sources also reportedly said that Face ID will replace the Touch ID-equipped Home button, which has been on the tablet since 2014.
The removal of the Home button will reportedly enable Apple to “noticeably” shrink the size of the top and bottom bezels. According to Bloomberg, it would be the first time Apple has done this since the original iPad was introduced in 2010. Such a design change would also mimic the iPhone X‘s design, which has been praised for being nearly bezel-less. The change would also be the first major redesign since the iPad Pro was released in 2015.
In addition to the iPad Pro 3 with Face ID, the company is also said to be working on a new Apple Pencil and new software to use with it.
