Photo Source: Steve Troughton-Smith
There have been rumors of a new redesigned iPad Pro with TrueDepth Camera and Face ID, no Home Button, and reduced bezels since the end of last year. Now, courtesy of noted Apple developer Steve Troughton-Smith, we have some real evidence that this device is more than just a rumor.
While the new 6th Generation iPad was framed almost exclusively in terms of its usefulness and capabilities for the education market at Apple’s release event this week, the reality of its appeal promises to be FAR broader. Between the current focus on education and the robust features and specs of the iPad Pros, it is easy to forget about the iPad’s more general reach. However, it was the release of the new iPad’s predecessor and its new focus on delivering solid features at a more competitive price that finally reversed the fortunes of Apple’s tablets last year.
A few weeks ago, Apple Insider ran a story detailing an interesting patent that Apple was awarded. It covers a dual-screen device that is described vaguely enough that it could be either a MacBook, or an iPad Pro. That not insignificant detail aside, the key ingredient either way is the OLED keyboard section. While many Apple patents never materialize into anything, this one is worth thinking about, in my opinion.
According to French site Consomac, Apple has registered two new devices with the Eurasian Commission for their database. It seems that any device that uses encryption must be registered there ahead of release. This should prove to be a very accurate indicator of an imminent arrival, since previous Apple device releases have been predicted based on registrations here, as well. While there have been some rumors of new iPad Pros with Face ID, no Home Buttons, and slimmer bezels since late year, the lack of any supply chain rumblings ahead of this Eurasian filing points to a simple refresh of the lower-cost iPad now, with the new Pro devices coming later in the year.
According to a DigiTimes article on Friday, Apple is planning to release a new 9.7″ iPad that will cost even less than last year’s new 9.7″ model. The target price that they give is $259, which is a full $70 below the current iPad’s price. While it may seem natural to assume that this article is talking about a simple price reduction, DigiTimes hammers home the fact that this device is “new” and aimed at the value tablet market.
This is certainly ground that has been covered in MANY articles, both before and after the release of the new 10.5” and 12.9” iPad Pros, and for plenty of reason. Apple’s marketing has placed the iPad Pro squarely in the conversation as a primary computing device, and encouraged this kind of examination. However, because the conversations tend to center around those of us in the Apple blogosphere and the tech community at large think, they usually focus on the iPad as a laptop replacement for US as “power users,” rather than more typical users.
If you are a working professional who requires a laptop on a day-to-day basis, you know that a good bag or backpack that fits your work environment is absolutely essential. Somewhere between 90-95% of my job is performed between my laptop, iPhone, and iPad Pro, so having a reliable bag that can hold all my gear and stand up to some wear and gear is absolutely essential. I have been through many such bags over the years, and have built up a solid collection that meet various needs. However, when it comes time to take your show on the road, the requirements change, and for those who travel often, they may be different enough to require a completely different approach.
I am a huge sports fan, and have been since I was a child. I played a few when I was younger, and I still watch just about any team sport you can think of in some amount today. As we head into the middle of Spring, College Baseball is going strong and the Major Leagues had their Opening Day just a week ago. As such, it felt right to break out a little National Pastime parlance to describe Apple’s newest addition to the iPad family.
In the first installment of the iOS 11 Wishlist, I took a look at some ways that Apple can improve its existing Multitasking app selector on the latest iPads. This week, its time to look at a feature that is long overdue, but may finally get the attention it deserves- User Accounts.
Separate User Accounts has been one of the most common unfulfilled requests for the iPad for the last two or three years for a couple of reasons. FIrst off, all of the competition already has some sort of User Account system. In fact, both Android and Amazon’s skinned variation of the same have both had this feature for a while now. Of course, Microsoft’s Windows has had this feature for decades, and since the Surface runs full Windows, it has the advantage of such proven power user features. Whatever the case, it isn’t an exaggeration to say that Apple is very late to the party here.
Just like last week’s tip on controlling the iPad’s cursor for selecting and editing using Trackpad Mode, the iPad’s multi-touch navigation features are easy to miss or forget about. In fact, I hadn’t used this feature in a couple of years myself. Since I use a Bluetooth keyboard so often, I tend to use the available keyboard shortcuts to switch apps and return to the Home menu. Thanks to @skrimaging for the great suggestion via Twitter to highlight this feature.
With the new iPad just released, I expect that we will have some first-time iPad users stopping by looking for help with their new devices. Also, some of you who may be upgrading from an iPad 2 or 3, or an original iPad Mini may find some of the tablet features in the latest version of iOS unfamiliar. With more new iPads likely still on the way, this is a good time to get back to some basics and brush up on some of the handy features of the current iPad lineup and iOS 10. As such, I will be posting a new Tips and Tricks article each week for a bit. For this first installment, I want to take a look at an unsung feature that came to us in iOS 9.