It’s the beta code that sometimes reveals the nifty things down the road.
In this case, the iOS 12.1 developer beta 1 code seems to be hinting at new iPad Pro models en route for this fall. The code shows Face ID in landscape mode is coming, which isn’t possible with any iPhone.
Steve Troughton-Smith, well known for credible leaks and finding new products and features in the beta OS releases, says iOS 12.1 has references to landscape mode support for Face ID, plus external display connections. Troughton-Smith stated that “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.”
He went on to note that the Face ID sensor alignment on iPhones won’t work in landscape mode, giving more credibility to the new iPad idea.
In previous leaks, Guilherme Rambo uncovered a hint that the new iPad Pro models are coming this fall. iOS 12.1’s setup app for new devices has a line of code that includes “Onboarding.iPad2018Fall” which pretty much confirms Apple is planning on releasing new models before the end of the year.
The upcoming iPad Pro models are expected to feature thinner bezels as well as do away with the Home button. The units are thought to support Face ID as opposed to Touch ID, will have a repositioned Smart Connector, and may drop the built-in Lightning connector for USB-C.
Apple has yet to officially confirm when the new iPad Pro models will hit.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via The Mac Observer, Twitter, and 9to5Mac