Bad news for everyone who got annoyed when 30 - pin was put back by Lightning , and when Lightning was replaced by USB - C : it looks like Apple is once again planning to unveil a new connector port when it launches its next set of iPad Pro models .
The latest study from the Japanese siteMacotakara , quote unnamed “ reliable source in China ” , claim that both the 11 - in and 12.9 - column inch versions of the next Pro “ will have the same chassis excogitation as the current iPad Pro series , but with 4 - pin connectors on the top and bottom side edge . ” That ’s Google Translate ’s interpretation of the original , at any rate ; it ’s possible that some nuance has been lose in translation , but it appear that Apple is changing the 3 - rowlock Smart Connector on the iPad Pro .
The site has little further entropy about the nature of these new 4 - pin ports , but speculates that they may be intended “ to assist in powering peripherals that connect to the Thunderbolt / USB - C port on the [ current ] M1 microprocessor chip - fit out iPad . ” It is n’t clear why that function could n’t continue to be served by the USB - light speed interface , which obviously has the reward of being compatible with bequest adapters and accessories , rather than requiring client to ante up for new ones ( or Apple to clump them with the new iPads ) . Perhaps 4 - pin , or whatever branding Apple uses for the new connector , will have a gamy specification for faster shoot or information transferee .
Or is the key factor the inclusion oftwoports ? Macotakara ’s clause appears to imply , bewilderingly , that the 4 - thole ports will sit on both the topandthe bottom edges , although it is n’t clear how “ top ” and “ bottom ” apply to a equipment that can rotate through 360 degrees : does this think the two long edges , or the two short ones ? In either case , having two ports could activate the new iPad Pros to stay plugged in while also powering ( or channelize data to or from ) a peripheral appurtenance . This would represent an growth in overall productiveness for a laptop computer replacement , although from an aesthetic point of panorama Apple has never been a company to offer more embrasure than rigorously necessary .
As it suffer , the iPad Pro and iPad Air have a three - bowling pin saucy connecter on the back of the gimmick for get in touch the Magic Keyboard . The connecter in the beginning appear on the boundary of the iPad Pro but moved to the back with the 2018 redesign . It ’s not vindicated whether the current Magic Keyboard would still be compatible with the new connexion or if Apple will betray two versions .
As such , Apple fans may find the timing of this divine revelation slenderly frustrating , given that the company appears close to unifying the porthole across its integral tablet range . The 10.2 - inch iPad is the last Lightning hold - out , and is expected toadopt USB - Clater this class . Even the iPhone chain of mountains looks set tomove to USB - Cnext year .
We ’ll have to wait and see if Macotakara ’s sources have got this one right field . ( And conduct in creative thinker that the site is n’t the most uniform on the circuit , with an AppleTrack accuracy rating ofjust 58.5 percentat time of writing . ) Thenew iPad Prosare expected to set in motion this fall , at either the September upshot for theiPhone 14or at a separate event the following calendar month , so we have n’t go long to wait .
