You might be using an app to read this very article. And if you’re reading it on an iPhone, then you got that app through the App Store, the Apple-owned and -operated gateway for apps on its phones. But a lot of people want that to change.
Apple is facing growing scrutiny for the tight control it has over so much of the mobile-first, app-centric world it created. The iPhone, which was released in 2007, and the App Store, which came along a year later, helped make Apple one of the most valuable companies on the planet, as well as one of the most powerful. Now, lawmakers, regulators, developers, and consumers are questioning the extent and effects of that power — including if and how it should be reined in.
Efforts in the United States and abroad could significantly loosen Apple’s grip over one of its most important lines of business and fundamentally change how iPhone and iPad users get and pay for their apps. It could make many more apps available. It could make them less safe. And it could make them cheaper.
The iPhone maker isn’t the only company under the antitrust microscope. Once lauded as shining beacons of innovation and ingenuity that would guide the world into the 21st century, Apple is just one of several Big Tech companies now accused of amassing too much power over parts of the economy that have become as essential as steel, oil, and the telephone were in centuries past.
These companies have a great deal of control over what we can do on our phones, the items we buy online and how they get to our homes, our personal data, the internet ecosystem, even our online identities. Some believe the best way to deal with Big Tech now is the way we dealt with steel, oil, and telephone monopolies decades ago: by using antitrust laws to place restrictions on them or even break them up.
And if our existing laws can’t do it, legislators want to introduce new laws that target the digital marketplace. In her book Monopolies Suck, antitrust expert Sally Hubbard described Apple as a “warm and fuzzy monopolist” when compared to Facebook, Google, and Amazon, the other three companies in the so-called Big Four that have been accused of being too big.
It doesn’t quite have the negative public perception that its three peers have, and the effects of its exclusive control over mobile apps on its consumers aren’t as obvious. For many people, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are unavoidable realities of life on the internet these days, while Apple makes products they choose to buy.
But more than half of the smartphones in the United States are iPhones, and as those phones become integrated into more facets of our daily lives, Apple’s exclusive control over what we can do with those phones and which apps we can use becomes more problematic. It’s also an outlier; rival mobile operating system Android allows pretty much any app, though app stores may have their own restrictions.
Apple makes the phones. But should Apple set the rules over everything we can do with them? And what are iPhone users missing out on when one company controls so much of their experience on them?
Apple’s vertical integration model was fine until it wasn’t
Many of the problems Apple faces now come from a principle of its business model: Maintain as much control as possible over as many aspects of its products as possible. This is unusual for a computer manufacturer. You can buy a computer with a Microsoft operating system from a variety of manufacturers, and nearly 1,300 brands sell devices with Google’s Android operating system.
But Apple’s operating systems — macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS — are only on Apple’s devices. Apple has said it does this to ensure that its products are easy to use, private, and secure. It’s a selling point for the company and a reason some customers are willing to pay a premium for Apple devices…Continue reading
Apple has warned of serious security flaws for iPhones, iPads and Macs that could allow hackers to take complete control of devices and may have been “actively exploited,” urging customers to update their devices as soon as possible in a rare admission from the tech giant that takes pride in its security measures.
Apple dropped two surprise software updates on Wednesday to fix major securityvulnerabilities it said could allow hackers to take complete control of users’ devices.
Updates have been made available to affected devices, which include the iPhone 6s and later models, all iPad Pro models, the iPad Air 2 and later, the iPad 5th generation and later, the iPad mini 4 and later, the iPod touch 7th generation and Mac computers running macOS Monterey.
Securityexperts have urged affected users to update software swiftly in order to fix the flaw and secure their devices.To update software on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch—either iOS 15.6.1 or iPadOS 15.6.1—go into “Settings,” tap “General,” then “Software Update” and “Download and Install.”To update a Mac running macOS Monterey, go to “System Preferences,” then “Software Update” and hit “Update Now” or “Upgrade Now.”
Apple did not disclose how many people had been affected by the vulnerabilities but said it is aware of credible reports that both had been “actively exploited.”
How the vulnerabilities were discovered. Apple provided few details on how it became aware of the flaws or who had made the discoveries, crediting both to anonymous researchers. There have been no confirmed reports so far of cases where the vulnerabilities were used against users or their devices. In its security reports, Apple said it does not disclose, discuss or confirm any security issues until after an investigation has occurred and patches are available.
Vulnerabilities discovered before the producer, in this case Apple, is aware of them are known as zero-day vulnerabilities, referring to the fact that the creator has zero days warning to counter it. Such flaws can be extremely valuable and both hackers and vendors will pay large sums of money to get ahold of them. While serious flaws have been exploited to spy on users through smartphones—Israeli firm NSO Group has allegedly hacked high-profile journalists and world leaders—they are often directed at high-profile individuals rather than the public at large.
The tech company said the new software “provides important security updates and is recommended for all users”. The flaw could allow hackers to take complete control of affected devices, industry experts have suggested. The update has been made available to iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and later and iPad 5th gen and later.
It is also available to the iPad mini 4 and later versions and the iPod touch (7th generation). Mac users running macOS Monterey are also being encouraged to update. Apple said hackers used the flaw to infiltrate WebKit, the engine that powers Apple web browser Safari. The technology company said the exploit could be used by hackers if the user accessed “maliciously-crafted web content”.
There have so far been no confirmed reports of specific cases where the security flaw has been used against people or devices. Software updates are an everyday (and sometimes irritating) part of our modern tech lives, but this is one update not to ignore. The cyber-security world is rightly concerned about the potential power hackers could wield if they target a device that is vulnerable to this attack.
So it’s sensible to check the settings on your Apple gear and install the patch. Even better – turn on automatic updates. For the vast majority of users there is nothing to panic about as there is no suggestion that hackers have exploited the security loophole to launch mass attacks against the general public. It also has to be said that the outcry on social media about the security update is possibly overblown.
Apple has released similar emergency security updates throughout the year – most recently in March – without much fanfare or panic.
This looks like being the last update to iOS 13 (though you can’t rule out the possibility of a bug-squish being needed, I suppose).
This update began as iOS 13.5.5 but had its numbering updated during beta versions because the software development kit was updated, which means a new number is called for. Here it is, hatched into its fully-fledged form. Here’s what’s in it and how to get it.
I know, I know, you’ve done it a hundred times already, it feels like. But in case you’ve forgotten, here’s what you do. Now that the new iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.5 versions of operating software are available to download on compatible iPhones and iPads, you just need to go to the Settings app. Choose General, then Software Update. Click on Download and Install, and it’ll be done before you know it.
July 16 update. After the update arrived, Apple revealed lots more details of what changes are coming for Apple News and Apple News+. I’ve touched on them in the main body of the post, but to add more flesh to the bones, here are the full details of what’s just arrived with iOS 13.6, for U.S. users at least.
New features are coming for both the free Apple News and paid-for Apple News+ levels, with audio featuring prominently. There’ll be a daily audio news briefing hosted by Apple News editors, and curated local news collections beginning in five U.S. cities. More news outlets will be featured in Apple News, including The Charlotte Observer, the Miami Herald, and The News & Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina).
Local news also sees the introduction of a new curated local news experience. Right now, it’s in the Bay Area, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, with stuff from local publishers. It’s done by curation from local Apple News editors as well as personalization for each user, which is intriguing.
Then there’s Apple News Today, a daily audio news briefing. Shumita Basu and Duarte Geraldino are Apple News editors. In the briefing they will talk on interesting stories in the news. This part of the update is free, s part of Apple News, not News+, five mornings a week but only to users of the News app in the U.S. and on Apple Podcasts.
Also only Stateside right now is the Audio tab in the News app. Audio stories and Apple News Today are found there and offer personalized recommendations. These are available on iPhone, iPod touch, and CarPlay.
Support for the News app in CarPlay is also new, so users can listen as they drive.
Finally, audio news stories: Apple News will produce about 20 audio stories a week, voiced by actors and selected from features and long-form writing from Esquire, Essence, Fast Company, GQ, New York magazine, Sports Illustrated, TIME, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired, and more, and newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal. If you’re outside the States, you won’t see (or hear) any of this just yet Audio stories are currenly only available to Apple News+ subscribers in the US.
Here’s everything else in the update
Remarkably, for an update so late in the cycle, there is actual newness here, not just bug-squishing. First of all, Digital Car Keys. That’s the feature that we’ve been calling CarKey for months now. It was formally announced last month by Apple at WWDC, and the company studiously avoided calling it by that name. If you’ve missed it, it’s mighty cool. With selected cars, such as an upcoming BMW 5 Series, you can unlock the vehicle by touching your iPhone or Apple Watch on the car. You can use the same mechanism to start the engine, too. Oh, and you can share the digital car keys with others via iMessage, and easily cancel the key, too.
You can even start your car for up to five hours after the iPhone runs out of battery, which is pretty cool. Get in, start the car and then recharge your iPhone battery as you drive!
Unlock your car with an iPhone
BMW
Although it was announced for iOS 14, Apple said it would make it work for iOS 13, too, which is why it’s being introduced now.
Second, HealthKit has been modified so new symptoms such as fever tracking, headaches, chills and sore throat can be included.
Third, there’s a refinement to the way you update your iOS software. Until now, there was a single toggle to choose between automatic updates being turned on or off, now there’s a more sophisticated choice. There are two toggle switches. One for automatically downloading the updates and another one to install the updates overnight, if you wish.
The News app gains an update, too. A new tab called Audio has appeared and News+ subscribers can listen to stories read aloud. This will be very cool. About 20 stories a week will be available to News+ subscribers. Oh, and a curated local news experience will appear, in the San Francisco Bay area, New York City, Houston and Los Angeles from the start. Much will be in the News app, but more in News+.
Squishing has continued as well, of course, with a fix now included for the kernel exploit found in the last release of iOS 13.5.1. There are also fixes for issues such as an issue with third-party hardware keyboards, stability issues accessing Control Center, a problem where some phone calls from Saskatchewan looked like they were originating in the U.S. (how do these things happen?) and a problem when apps became unresponsive when syncing iCloud Drive data. For a full list, please check out the Apple changelog, at the very bottom of this post.
This is likely the last iOS update until iOS 14 in the Fall. Though if it’s not, I’ll make sure you’re the first to know!
The previous iOS 13 updates
iOS 13.5.1
Just two weeks before the latest update, Apple released iOS 13.5.1 on Monday, June 1, 2020. It had just one function: to fix the vulnerability that made jailbreaking a possibility. Jailbreaking is popular with people who want to add features not available to regular iPhones, such as widgets, different themes and more.
If there had been any doubt of the purpose of this update, it’s now confirmed that it prevents jailbreaking using the unc0ver method. Everyone assumed that this was a uni-purpose update aimed squarely at unc0ver, and a tweet from one of the team has since confirmed.
One of the lead jailbreakers confirmed that the kernel vulnerability which was used by unc0ver has been patched. The jailbreaker, @Pwn20wnd, tweeted that those wishing to jailbreak or stay jailbroken should not update from iOS 13.5 to iOS 13.5.1. Apple has now stopped signing iOS 13.5, so anyone who updated to 13.5.1 can’t any longer downgrade to 13.5 in order to perform a jailbreak.
Though there are many people who like the freedom jailbreaking permits, it also exposes a device to more attacks, so the vulnerability that makes the jailbreak possible can also be exploited by malicious hackers. Jailbreaking is not illegal, though it can invalidate your warranty. And it could also leave your iPhone open to attack.
iOS 13.5
Released on May 20, 2020, this was a big update with a lot in it. Most important of all, it had the framework for the Apple and Google COVID-19 exposure notification app, which potentially can save lives. It also updated FaceID so that you can use it with a face mask in place – it offers up the passcode screen much more quickly when Face ID recognizes you have a mask on. And there was an improvement to Group FaceTime.
iOS 13.4.1
This update hit the iPhone on April 7, 2020 and was brimming with fixes and bug squishes. Chief among these was a fix for a previously introduced issue with FaceTime calls where such calls didn’t work on earlier versions of iOS and macOS. The helpful new feature which lets you choose Bluetooth from the Quick Actions menu had been playing up and this was addressed, too. Oh, and an iPad-specific issue with the flashlight was also sorted.
iOS 13.4
Released on March 24, 2020, this was a huge update with lots of new features. For example, Mail has had its toolbar significantly improved, and if you’re replying to an encrypted email, your reply will be encrypted, too.
The sister to iOS 13.4, iPadOS 13.4, included trackpad support so that the latest iPad Pro can be used in a more laptop-like way than ever. A feature that came and then went away, iCloud Folder Sharing, came back again so you can share documents easily. New Memoji stickers arrived with nine new choices, including party face and hands pressed together. Universal purchase support arrived for the App Store, meaning you can buy an app so it works on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Apple TV all together, assuming the app supports this. As for Arcade games, recently played ones will appear in the Arcade tab so you can keep playing on each platform. Though there was no mention of CarKey, the super-cool element predicted previously which suggested you could unlock and drive your compatible car just by using your iPhone, there was extra information in the CarPlay Dashboard and support for other navigation apps in the CarPlay dashboard. The keyboard now supports predictive typing for Arabic in this version and there were plenty of bugs fixed, too
iOS 13.3.1
This landed on Wednesday, January 29. One of the main focuses was on the U1 chip. It’s on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max and is a cool piece of kit. It allows you to AirDrop to a nearby iPhone 11 more easily. But it transpired that this chip continued to track user location even when location services were turned off. A toggle in Settings means you can turn off Bluetooth, Wi-fi and Ultra Wideband.
There were plenty of fixes. The first fix related to Screen Time and Communication Limits. Previously, it was possible for someone to get round the Limits without entering a passcode. That’s been sorted as has an issue with Deep Fusion photos, a Face Time problem, distorted sound in some cars using CarPlay, push notifications not coming through on wi-fi and connectivity issues for users on the British O2 network. Problems in Mail were also fixed. Finally, Apple added Indian English Siri voices for HomePod.
iOS 13.3
Released on Tuesday, December 10, this big-number update had a bunch of changes. It updated the layout for some newspapers in Apple News+, improved Screen Time parental controls (though a further fix was needed in iOS 13.3.1) and improved the Stocks app. Beyond that, it was all fixes and bug squishes, including how video clips are created, support for security keys, repaired an issue in Gmail, sorted an issue in text entry using the long-press on the space bar to allow a moveable cursor and resolved an issue in Voice Memos.
And as proof that hardware is affected by software, some wireless chargers were charging more slowly than they should. This software update should have aimed to fix that.
iOS 13.2.3
This was the last update before the new iOS 13.3. It went live on Monday, November 18, 2019. A smallish and unexpected update, it aimed to fix problems, including the following. System searches inside Mail weren’t working quite right, nor in Files or Notes. This update sought to fix this. Similarly, where Messages had an issue with displaying photos and attachments, this update was there to sort it. Apps that weren’t downloading content in the background before were resolved in this update, hopefully. Oh, and Exchange accounts that weren’t getting new messages or other content were the focus of this update, too.
iOS 13.2.2
Released on Thursday, November 7, 2019, this update sought to fix the way apps running in the background kept quitting. It also tried to get rid of temporary loss of cell signal, and fixed how some encrypted email messages between Exchange accounts were unreadable.
iOS 13.2.1
Don’t worry if you missed this one. Unless you have a HomePod, you literally wouldn’t have seen it. It was there to fix issues caused by iOS 13.2 which made some HomePods turn into useless, oversized paperweights. What that update had meant to do was add new HomePod features. These arrived in all their glory with this corrective update, when iOS 13.2.1 went live on October 30, 2019, just 48 hours after iOS 13.2. Something of a record, surely?
With iOS 13.2.1 HomePods were granted the ability to recognize different family members’ voices, music could be added to HomeKit scenes, you could hand off music, podcasts and phone calls just by bringing your iPhone near to the HomePod. Oh, and if you like ambient sounds, these arrived in this update, with the facility to set a sleep timer to these restful noises.
iOS 13.2
A big update, this. released on Monday, October 28, 2019. Marquee features include Deep Fusion, a new camera feature that improves images taken in medium and low light. Siri Privacy settings were updated with this release – also an important step forward. Foundations were laid for the new Research app which could have a big impact on health data collection. Oh, and scores of new emoji were set free. AirPods Pro in-ear headphones are supported in this release. More features including Siri reading out your messages were also included.
iOS 13.1.3
This was another surprise release, out on October 15, 2019. It was aimed at fixing issues more than anything else. Some devices didn’t ring or vibrate when a call came in – kind of important for a phone, right? That was fixed in this update. As was an issue with Voice Memos not downloading or problems where meeting invites didn’t open in Mail. A U.K.-focused repair was made so that Health data would display properly after British Summer Time ended (which was yesterday, October 27, by the way).
Issues which saw the Apple Watch not pairing with an iPhone and notifications not coming through to the Watch were also fixed. Other fixes included apps not downloading after an iCloud Backup and better connectivity between Bluetooth hearing aids and Apple devices. Launch performance of apps in Game Center were addressed and one relating to Bluetooth connectivity in certain vehicles. Lots of fixes, then.
iOS 13.1.2
September 30, 2019 was the release date for this recent update, just one weekend later than 13.1.1. It’s another bug fixer to do with iCloud Backup, for instance which showed a progress bar even after being completed. A malfunctioning camera was fixed here, too, as was the flashlight failing to initiate. Like in 13.1.3, this update sought to address an issue with Bluetooth dropping on some vehicles. There was also a display issue for the iPhone and a fix for problems running shortcuts from Apple HomePod.
iOS 13.1.1
This update launched on September 27, 2019. The big element was a fix for the flaw which led some third-party keyboards access the iPhone even when permission hadn’t been granted.
It also offered a solution to problems with battery drain, rather in contrast to the battery life gain which iOS 13 is all about.
Restoring from a backup was a problem in this update as well as the latest one. Siri recognition is better and syncing in Reminders shouldn’t be slow any longer.
iOS 13.1
This came out on September 24, 2019 and sought to fix issues and squish bugs such as problems opening the camera properly, improperly behaving wallpapers, text entry issues and so on. There was also a fix to a battery management problem. New features included activating the U1 chip in the latest iPhones which gives the handsets a form of spatial awareness, improving AirDrop immediately and with other benefits set to follow. The Shortcuts app also saw extra support and more features. The facility to send your ETA to others from Maps was added.
iOS 13
Released on September 19, 2019, this was a very big release with an awful lot in it. For full details, read the indepth analysis here.
Features include:
Dark mode to make the iPhone’s interface less glaring in a low-light environment, for instance. App developers can integrate Dark Mode into their apps so that the iPhone has a consistent look. Sign in with Apple lets you sign up to apps with your Apple ID and Apple will keep the site or app at arm’s length. You can sign in using Face ID or Touch ID as appropriate. Maps has been updated with a new street-level look and in-depth mapping on selected cities.
Photos and Camera apps have been seriously altered with a new look to the Photos tab and significant editing upgrades. Siri sounds more natural and will offer personalized recommendations. Reminders has been completely overhauled, and Notes has a new gallery view. Find My combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends. It will help to locate offline devices, too.
QuickPath is the new way to enter text by swiping. It’s very cool.
Text editing has been improved, though the elegant magnifying glass which used to appear when you touched a word, making it visible even though the word itself was hidden under your thumb, say, has gone. I hope it’s coming back soon.
Among the miscellaneous treats are a pro-active system that tells you which apps have been accessing your location, for example. A message says how often it has done so in a set period of time and you can leave things as they are or adjust. It’s a very simple but highly reassuring detail.
iOS 13.6 adds support for digital car keys and contains a new symptoms category in the Health app. This release also includes bug fixes and improvements.
Digital car keys
· Unlock, lock and start your compatible car with your iPhone
· Securely remove digital keys from a lost device via iCloud
· Share digital keys easily with iMessage
· Driver-specific profiles so you can configure shared keys for full access or restricted driving
· Power Reserve lets you unlock and start your car for up to five hours after iPhone runs out of battery
Health
· New category for symptoms in the Health app, including symptoms logged from Cycle Tracking and ECG
· Ability to log new symptoms, like fever, chills, sore throat or coughing, and share them with third-party apps
This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements.
· Adds a new setting to choose if updates automatically download to your device when on Wi-Fi
· Addresses an issue that could cause apps to become unresponsive when syncing data from iCloud Drive
· Fixes an issue that could cause data roaming to appear to be disabled on eSIM even though it remains active
· Fixes an issue that causes some phone calls from Saskatchewan to appear as originating from the United States
· Addresses an issue that could interrupt audio when making phone calls over Wi-Fi Calling
· Fixes an issue that prevented some iPhone 6S and iPhone SE devices from registering for Wi-Fi Calling
· Resolves an issue that could cause the software keyboard to appear unexpectedly when connected to certain third-party hardware keyboards
· Fixes an issue that could cause Japanese hardware keyboards to be incorrectly mapped as a US keyboard
· Addresses stability issues when accessing Control Center when AssistiveTouch is enabled
· Provides a mechanism for administrators to specify domains to exclude from traffic carried by always-on VPN connections
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
I’ve been writing about technology for two decades and am regularly struck by how the sector swings from startling innovation to persistent repetitiveness. My areas of specialty are wearable tech, cameras, home entertainment and mobile technology. Over the years I’ve written about gadgets for the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times, the Daily Mail, the Sun, Metro, Stuff, T3, Pocket-lint, Wareable.com and Wired. Right now most of my work away from Forbes appears in the Independent, the Evening Standard and Monocle Magazine. Parenthetically, I also work as an actor, enjoying equally the first Mission Impossible movie, a season at Shakespeare’s Globe and a stint on Hollyoaks. Follow me on Instagram: davidphelantech, or Twitter: @davidphelan200
Apple’s next iPads are coming and the company may be about to break with its current pattern of releasing an updated entry-level iPad in the spring (though not every year) and a Pro or two in the fall. New evidence spotted by MySmartPrice suggests that there may be as many as seven different variants later this year, including a new entry-level tablet with a whole new design.
How do we know this?
The Eurasian Economic Commission is the place that Apple leaked the information. Of course, Apple really doesn’t care to leak anything but for regulatory reasons it has to place details with the commission some months before a product can go on sale in the five countries it works across: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
No surprise that the company reveals not one scintilla more information than it absolutely has to. Earlier this month, Apple filed certification documents for five model numbers. These, if you like this kind of statistical completeness, were: A2068, A2197, A2198, A2228 and A2230.
In the last few hours, there have been two more certifications, A2200 and A2232.
Apple iPad as released in Spring 2018. Is it about to get a radical makeover?
Apple
How do we know they’re iPads?
Well, there’s a little more information in the filing. The latest ones have a line which states:
Product Name Full Tablet computers of the trademark ‘Apple’ models A2200, A2232 (iPad OS software version 13)
That’s pretty clear, right?
So what are these seven iPads?
It’s likely that there will be refreshes of the two iPad Pro models released last October, in the same screen sizes of 11in and 12.9in. These may be the five numbers discovered earlier in the month.
Apple iPad Pro, as released last October.
Apple
What, five new iPad Pros?
Unlikely. There will probably be two codes for 11in models, one for wi-fi, one for wi-fi plus cellular. Another two for the 12.9in model. Since the commission works across multiple territories it may be that different code numbers are needed for different regions, though exactly what the fifth code is for isn’t clear.
The current Apple iPad Air with Smart Keyboard.
Apple
So what’s the radically different iPad?
Glad you asked. In Spring 2018, Apple refreshed its entry-level iPad, bringing Pencil compatibility to the most affordable tablet in the range. But there was no design change and no compatibility with the Apple smart keyboard.
That iPad remains phenomenal value but it’s true that the design is beginning to look a little dated.
This year was the turn for the next level up of iPad to appear, the new iPad Air, based on the design of the earlier iPad Pro 10.5, complete with keyboard compatibility as well as Pencil functionality. An updated iPad mini also appeared.
Since it’s been well over a year since the basic iPad has been updated, and since the design is ageing, this would be the perfect time to completely redesign the lowest-priced iPad.
The latest iPad mini, released in Spring 2019.
Apple
A new design, then?
In fact, it would arguably be the first major design shift since the original iPad Air, released back in late 2013, on which the current chassis is based.
The rumors that have been doing the rounds for some months now are that the next iPad will be the very first time an entry-level tablet will have a display size that’s anything other than 9.7in.
Apparently, the next iPad will come with a 10.2in display. In other words, not quite as big as the current iPad Air, but noticeably bigger than any entry-level tablet the company has made before.
What does it look like?
There are no leaked images for us to look at but I believe the next iPad will be very similar in size to the last model but with narrower bezels, especially at the top and bottom.
I believe it will still use Touch ID, rather than the Face ID on the current iPad Pro models.
Still, a bigger screen on a tablet likely to be the same weight or lighter, and the same size or smaller when compared to the iPad now, is intriguing.
The current Apple iPad Air with its 10.5in screen, plus Smart Keyboard.
Apple
How do you know it won’t be a 10.5in screen?
Well, I don’t except that’s the size of the screen for the current iPad Air and it the new entry-level device has the same size display as the significantly pricier Air, then that’s the end of one big reason to choose the iPad Air. It’s possible, of course, but I don’t think so.
When will it go on sale and how much?
The usual order for things is that a new iPhone or three will be revealed in September and any tablet will pop up at a separate launch event either later in September or, more likely, October.
Apple has traditionally priced its entry-level tablet very keenly – it’s currently $329 (£319 in the U.K.) and I don’t expect this will change.
As more details emerge I’ll be updating this feature, so please check back, here at Forbes.
I’ve been writing about technology for two decades and am always struck by how the sector swings from startling innovation to regular repetitiveness. My areas of specialty are wearable tech, cameras, home entertainment and mobile technology. Over the years I’ve written about gadgets for the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times, the Daily Mail, the Sun, Metro, Stuff, T3, Pocket-lint, Wareable.com and Wired. Right now most of my work away from Forbes appears in the Independent, the Evening Standard and Monocle Magazine. Parenthetically, I also work as an actor, enjoying equally the first Mission Impossible movie, a season at Shakespeare’s Globe and a stint on Hollyoaks. Follow me on Instagram: davidphelantech, or Twitter: @davidphelan2009.
At the company’s “More in the Making” event on Tuesday, Apple’s vice-president of hardware engineering John Ternus revealed that the new iPad Pro will have a USB-C port – already present on the latest MacBooks – instead of the company’s proprietary Lightning connector. “Because a high performance computer deserves a high performance connector. And so in these new iPad Pros, we’re moving to USB-C,” said Ternus. “This brings a whole new set of capabilities to the iPad Pro like connecting to accessories that change how you use your iPad, cameras, musical instruments, or even docks. Or connecting to high-resolution external displays up to 5K………
