We've heard whispers about what Apple has planned for its next major refresh of the iPad Pro range for the last year or so – without getting an indication of what the finished product might look like. Until now, that is. An alleged CAD model of the next iPad Pro model has surfaced online, which shows a number of the rumoured design changes coming to the high-end tablet range, including the move away from Lightning to USB-C. Read more: Apple iPad Air 2019 review: the best tablet for 90% of people CAD models are computer-generated representations of a product used by designers during the creation of a new product. These three-dimensional designs are often sent to third-parties to allow them to design cases and accessories. If the leaked CAD model screenshots are accurate, the next iPad Pro looks set to sport more rounded corners than its predecessor. The corners of the edge-to-edge display follows the curves of the hardware, similar to the iPhone X design. In order to achieve the all-screen design, the 2018 iPad Pro will drop the circular home button from previous models in favour of Face ID. However, unlike the iPhone XS and other Face ID-enabled iPhones, the iPad display will not have a notch. Despite the new iPad Pro models sporting thinner bezels, the borders around the display will still be wide enough to accommodate the TrueDepth camera system needed to recognise users' faces to unlock the tablet and authenticate payments. Earlier reports from the supply chain suggest Apple has managed to tweak its Face ID system to work in both portrait and landscape orientations – something not currently possible with the latest iPhone models. CADs are often used to make sure third-party cases and accessories will fit unreleased devices correctly The leaked CAD model also appears to confirm one of the most controversial rumours about the new iPad Pro model – the switch to USB Type-C. It appears that six years after introducing the Lightning connector with the iPhone 5, Apple will purportedly ditch the universal iOS port in favour of USB-C. Rumours of a move away from Lightning surfaced earlier this week courtesy of iOS software developer Guilherme Rambo, who unearthed a slew of references to the USB Type-C port inside the latest iOS 12.1 beta. According to the unreleased software, the USB-C port will be used to output 4K HDR video footage to external displays. That's a significant upgrade compared to previous versions of the tablet, which were only able to push 1080p HD video to external displays using the £49 ($49) Lightning Digital AV Adapter accessory. Apple isn't port the dual-camera set-up from the iPhone XS and XS Max across to the iPad Pro line-up The leaked CAD model tallies with the references discovered in the beta code, with a USB-C port pictured on the underside of both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in place of the Lightning connector. Elsewhere, it looks like the dual-camera set-up found on the flagship iPhone models will not make the jump to the high-end iPad range. If the CAD models are accurate, it looks like there's still going to be a substantial camera bump on the back of the iPad, too. According to iOS developer Rambo, a new version of the Apple Pencil with AirPods-style proximity-based pairing will launch alongside the updated iPads. One of the references unearthed in the iOS 12.1 beta referred to an as-yet unannounced device labelled "iPad2018Fall device", which seems to suggest an official reveal from Apple can't be too far off. From time to time, Apple holds a hardware event in October to refresh its iPad and MacBook line before the holidays.<doc-sep>Updated on Nov. 27 at 3:00 pm ET: This face-off has been updated with the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2018) and details from our Pixel Slate review. We declared category winners and an overall winner. With the debut of the Pixel Slate, Google kicked off a tablet war against its heated rival, Apple. Starting at $599, the new 12.3-inch detachable has a premium aluminum design and comes with the latest Intel processors. As a tablet that turns into a laptop when connected to a keyboard accessory, the Pixel Slate is a direct competitor to the iPad Pro. Google has its work cut out for it if it wants to dethrone Apple — the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is one of our favorite tablets, having received a 4.5-star rating and our Editors' Choice award. The sleek device has excellent battery life, blistering performance, and a brilliant edge-to-edge display. There are a number of things we like about the Pixel Slate, but does Google's first in-house tablet live up to the iPad Pro's excellence? Here is how the Pixel Slate compares to the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Design The Pixel Slate is a sexy device, even if there's nothing remarkable about its design. It is, like other tablets, a thin, rectangular slab of anodized aluminum and glass. The dark blue metal shell sports a Google logo in the upper left corner and an 8-megapixel camera on the opposite edge. On the front of the device, positioned on both sides of the display, are two speaker grills designed to provide a wide soundscape. A power button doubles as a fingerprint sensor on the top edge of the Slate, and a front-facing camera is centered above the display. Our only criticism with the design of the Pixel Slate is that the display is flanked by relatively thick black frames. Compared to the iPad Pro, which now has very thin bezels, the Pixel Slate looks dated. Apart from its new (almost) borderless display, the iPad Pro looks almost identical to the Pixel Slate now that it ditched the Touch ID sensor. One difference is that the iPad Pro has four speakers positioned at each corner whereas the Pixel Slate employs front-firing speakers on its bezels. On the rear of the iPad Pro are a 12-megapixel camera and a centered Apple logo. Apple sells the iPad Pro in Space Gray, Gold and Silver color schemes, whereas the Pixel Slate is available only in Midnight Blue. The smaller, 10.5-inch iPad Pro also comes in a Rose Gold finish. Buy iPad Pro 12.9" on Amazon.com The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has a smaller surface area than the 12.3-inch Pixel Slate. Measuring 11 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches, the iPad is a sleek device compared to the 11.5 x 8 x 0.3-inch Pixel Slate. The smaller iPad Pro, at 1.4 pounds, weighs less than the 1.5-pound Pixel Slate. Winner: iPad Pro Google Pixel Slate Apple iPad Pro Price $599-$1,599 $999-$1,749 Accessories Pixel Slate Keyboard ($199), Pixelbook Pen ($99) Smart Keyboard ($169), Pencil ($99) Display 12.3-inch, 3000 x 2000 pixels 12.9-inch, 2732 x 2048 pixels CPU 8th Gen Intel Celeron, Core m3, i5, i7 A12X Bionic RAM 4GB, 8GB, 16GB 4GB Storage 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB 64GB, 256GB, 512GB. 1TB Ports Two USB Type-C USB-C, Nano-SIM Colors Midnight Blue Silver, Space Gray Size 11.5 x 8 x 0.3 inches 11 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches Weight 1.6 pounds 1.4 pounds Display Google spent much of the Pixel Slate's unveiling touting the tablet's 12.3-inch LCD display. The screen has a resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels for a dense pixels-per-inch measure of 293. That edges out the 12.9-inch display on the iPad Pro, which has a 2732 x 2048 resolution at 264 ppi. The Pixel Slate's display produces 120 percent of the sRGB color gamut, falling just short of the 128 percent of the new iPad Pro. Both devices top the 110 percent tablet average. Buy on Google When it comes to display brightness, the iPad Pro is the undefeated champ. The tablet's display reached 484 nits of brightness, which is significantly more luminous than the Pixel Slate (337 nits) and the average tablet (422 nits). Winner: iPad Pro Ports You'll want to sit for this news: The Pixel Slate and new iPad Pro don't have a headphone jack, which means that if you want to listen to music, you'll need either a dongle or Bluetooth headphones. Of course, Google wants you to buy its own Pixel Buds while Apple is selling the AirPods, but we say to stay away and try these wireless headphones instead. At least both tablets have USB Type-C inputs — the Pixel Slate has two while the iPad Pro has only one. You'll want to sit for this news: The Pixel Slate does not have a headphone jack. Winner: Pixel Slate Keyboard and Pen The $199 Pixel Slate Keyboard connects to the left edge of the Pixel Slate via the tablet's accessory connector. The backlit keys have a unique circular shape that's reminiscent of a vintage typewriter. The keyboard's "Hush Keys" are ultraquiet so nearby co-workers won't get distracted by your chaotic typing. Perhaps the Slate Keyboard's best feature, however, is the integrated track pad. Google's keyboard accessory offers a surprisingly comfortable typing experience with well-spaced keys that have a tactile feedback. MORE: Laptop Finder - Get Personalized Recommendations The 1.1-pound Pixel Slate Keyboard transforms into a folio case that allows the tablet to contort into various orientations. You can prop up the back of the display to use it as a traditional laptop or fold the keyboard under the device when you want to view content. The keyboard accessory also doubles as a protective cover that prevents scratches and dents. We aren't impressed by Apple's $169 Smart Keyboard. The shallow keys forced us to adjust how we normally type in order to prevent our fingers from hitting the base. Even worse, the keyboard doesn't have a touchpad and is, therefore, not a true solution for turning the iPad into a laptop. That's not surprising considering iOS doesn't support a cursor, but it's an annoyance, nonetheless. Also, typing under low lighting is tricky, because the keyboard isn't backlit. Like the Pixel Slate Keyboard, the 0.8-pound Smart Keyboard elevates the iPad Pro into laptop mode and folds into a cover when you're not using the tablet. The touch screens on both the Pixel Slate and iPad Pro feature stylus support. The Google Pixelbook Pen and Apple Pencil are both sold separately, for $99 each. Winner: Pixel Slate Performance Equipped with an Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM, the Pixel Slate scored an 8,071 on the Geekbench 4 overall performance test (running via aan Android emulation). That is less than half the score achieved by the iPad Pro (17,995) and its insanely fast A12X Bionic chip. The Pixel Slate also slumped behind the iPad Pro during our Javascript performance test. The Pixel Slate scored a 146.9, which is a decent result but far behind the 279 of the iPad Pro. Winner: iPad Pro Battery Life Both tablets have impress endurance, but the iPad Pro outlasts the Google Slate. The Chrome OS device lasted 9 hours and 51 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, an impressive result but more than 2 hours short of the iPad Pro's runtime. MORE: Longest Battery Life Laptops The 12.9-inch iPad Pro lasted 13 hours and 14 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with display brightness at 150 nits. That outstanding result is well above the 8:51 tablet average and tops the Microsoft Surface Pro's result (7:30). Winner: iPad Pro Price and Value The Pixel Slate's price starts at a reasonable $599 but quickly rises once you add the keyboard and pen accessories. It's also worth noting that the Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB of RAM and 32GB SSD included in the base model won't cut it for power users. Another $200 upgrades the processor to an 8th Gen Intel Core m3 and doubles both RAM and SSD storage.<doc-sep>With recent discoveries essentially confirming a new iPad announcement for later this month, even more details about the tablets are leaking. Today, new details surrounding the device’s model numbers have leaked. As reported by MySmartPrice, four new model numbers were discovered from a recent MIIT certification, hinting at iPad Pros and Apple Pencil updates. The report cautions that some of these model numbers may be for other iPad models Apple plans on releasing this fall, not just the iPad Pros. Receiving certification on September 29, 2018, the model numbers are A1876, A1980, and A1993. Additionally, the firm spotted a Bluetooth device with model number A2051, which could be hinting at a possible Apple Pencil update. While it’s all speculation here, Apple typically has two separate model numbers for Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + LTE models of the iPad. At an event expected for later this month, we’re expecting new iPad Pro models featuring a near bezel-less design, Face ID, and USB-C, along with an updated Mac lineup including a new Mac mini. Are you excited for new iPads this fall? Let us know in the comments below! Related Stories: Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:<doc-sep>
Apple is widely expected to hold an event this month to introduce new 2018 iPad Pro models, new Macs, and more. Much of this has been confirmed by evidence within the iOS 12.1 beta, which includes references to an iPad2018Fall device. Today, sources familiar with the development of the new 2018 iPad Pro have offered additional details about the device, its features, and more. Updated 10/10: added information about the new Apple A12X processor. The model codes for the Wi-Fi models of the 2018 iPad Pro will be iPad8,1, iPad8,2, iPad8,5 and iPad8,6. Meanwhile, the cellular-capable models will be iPad8,3, iPad8,4 and iPad8,7 and iPad8,8. This means there will be two Wi-Fi models in both size options, and two LTE models in both size options. Apple A12X Processor We can confirm that this new iPad will have a new A12X processor, an even faster version than the A12 processor found on this year’s iPhone models. This new processor will also include an even more powerful A12X GPU, according to sources. The processor’s part number is T8027 and its codename is Vortex, as seen in earlier reports. 2018 iPad Pro Display The new iPad Pros will have an edge-to-edge display and will not feature a Home button, much like the iPhone. Unlike the iPhone, however, the iPad Pro will not have a notch. Even though the new 2018 iPad Pro models will sport thinner bezels, those bezels will still be wide enough to accommodate the TrueDepth camera system necessary for Face ID. Face ID in landscape The 2018 iPad Pro will include Face ID with the same image signal processor as the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. Further, we can confirm that Face ID on the new iPad Pro will work in both portrait and landscape orientations, though it won’t work upside down. The Face ID setup process on the new iPad Pros will be very similar to the process introduced with the iPhone X. Notably, despite post-setup support for landscape Face ID, the setup process must be completed in portrait orientation. It’s not clear if the new landscape support requires a special hardware feature, or if it can be made available to iPhones with a simple software update. External displays With its USB-C port, the 2018 iPad Pro will be able to output 4K HDR video to external displays. To accommodate this feature, there will be a new panel in the settings app where users will be able to control resolution, HDR, brightness and other settings for connected external displays. New Apple Pencil A new version of the Apple Pencil will be released for the 2018 iPad Pro, sources tell us. The new Apple Pencil will be paired with iPad Pro by proximity, much like AirPods or HomePod. Switching between devices will be possible without connecting the Apple Pencil to the charging port. It’s unclear whether the current model of Apple Pencil will work with the new iPad. Magnetic Connector The new iPad Pro will have a brand new connector for accessories. The Magnetic Connector will be at the back of the iPad and will allow for the connection of different accessories, such as a new version of the Smart Keyboard and other third-party accessories. Are you excited for this new iPad Pro? Let us know in the comments below! Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: