Apple Is Working on 2018 iPad Redesign With Facial Recognition
New model will eliminate home button, OLED display unlikely
Apple Inc. is working on a redesigned, high-end iPad for as early as 2018 that incorporates key iPhone X features such as slimmer edges and facial recognition, according to people familiar with the matter.However, the new version of the tablet is unlikely to include an OLED screen, which provides more vivid colors and sharper clarity.
At least one new iPad model with a screen size similar to the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is planned to include Face ID for unlocking the device, making payments, and sending animated emojis. The feature would replace the iPad home button that has come with a fingerprint scanner since 2014, one of the people said. The updated tablet is expected to be released later next year, a little more than a year after the last major iPad Pro upgrade, the people said.
Like the iPhone X, the new iPad is expected to include a faster processor and a custom Apple graphics processing unit. Apple is also preparing a new version of its Apple Pencil stylus and new software tools for using the stylus.
