Rumor mill: According to several leaks unearthed this week, Apple appears to be readying the launch of a refreshed iPad Pro. Nothing has been confirmed or announced officially, but listings seem to indicate a release is coming soon.
On Monday, Apple filed a new iPad model number (A2229) with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). There were no details in the listing other than it would run iPadOS 13, which makes sense, as that is the current iteration (iPadOS 13.3.1). MacRumors noted that the timing of EEC listings have historically ranged from days to months before a release or announcement, but speculates that with new products coming later this month, Apple could announce the device around the same time.
Tuesday brought another leak revealing four new iPad Pros. On Apple’s Chinese support website, a user manual listed configurations for three additional models aside from A2229. The other devices are designated A2228, A2231, and A2233. Although the document has since been revised, tech blog iPhone in Canada preserved a screenshot (below). It shows the devices as well as their China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (CMIIT) numbers, indicating registration with Chinese authorities.
According to the support document, there will be two 11-inch iPad Pros and two 12.9-inch. The two categories are further delineated as WiFi-only and cellular. No specs or features are listed in the manual, but MacRumors reported in December that noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the next iPads would probably have a rear triple-camera array similar to the iPhone 11 Pro. He also said that they might have a time-of-flight camera for measuring the size, shape, and distance of objects.
While features remain to be speculation, the new model numbers officially listed with both Chinese and Eurasian authorities, as well as on Apple’s own website seem to confirm new iPad Pros are coming soon. It would be surprising if Cupertino did not issue a press release announcing them by the end of the second quarter or sooner.
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https://www.techspot.com/news/84427-multiple-leaks-indicate-four-new-ipad-pro-models.html
