Hidden code within the latest iOS 8.1 beta software suggests that Apple’s next-generation iPads, expected to be announced in October, will have both the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and Apple Pay functionality, like the iPhone 6.
Apple is also expected to introduce a larger iPad measuring 12.9in diagonally, which would have 76% more screen area, at 79.88 square inches, than the current 9.7in iPad Air if it retains the same 4:3 ratio for its width and length.
Separate sources have suggested that Apple will introduce a “multi-window” split screen function for the larger iPad, like that used by Microsoft’s Windows 8 software on its tablets and Samsung on its Galaxy Tab range.
With sales of iPads having slowed dramatically in the first half, and fallen year-on-year for two quarters in succession, Apple will be looking to tempt business users with its new devices. A deal with IBM, signed in July, could be crucial to reviving flagging sales as consumers have cooled on buying new tablets, replacing them far more slowly than they do their smartphones.
Buried payments
The Touch ID and payment code, discovered by Hamza Sood, is buried in the latest developer test version of Apple’s iPhone and iPad software specifically states that users can “pay with iPad using Touch ID. With Apple Pay, you no longer need to type card numbers and shipping information.”
Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner was first introduced with the iPhone 5S, released in September 2013, but was not fitted to the iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina display released in November later that year.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, launched this month, also have the Touch ID sensor, which integrates with Apple’s new payments service Apple Pay to allow contactless payments from an encrypted form of the user’s credit card, either in store or online. Apple has said it will activate Apple Pay with a software update in October.
The code indicates that as many have expected, the new iPads - rumoured to debut in October – will include Touch ID fingerprint scanners. However it is unclear whether the new iPads would include NFC functionality for in-store contactless payments, as that would require wireless connectivity to complete the transaction, either via Wi-Fi or a mobile connection.
Larger screens?
Rumours have long suggested that Apple’s next iPad have larger screens than the current 9.7in and 7.9in displays on the iPad Air and iPad mini. An “iPad Pro” has been suggested by various sources close to Apple’s supply chain sources in Asia, with Taiwan’s Technews showing photos that appear to show a thinner device with a 12.9in screen and more powerful processor, which it calls the A8X.
An “iPad Pro” would resemble the 11in MacBook Air in size, but thinner and without a keyboard. Separate, but so far unconfirmed, rumours have suggested that Apple will offer an attachable keyboard as an accessory for the device.
Apple’s iPad is currently used by the NHS, publishers and other office-based industries, where it is often used instead of a laptop with increased security, battery life and portability for a lesser cost than laptop alternatives.
The 9.7in iPad Air is expected to get a faster processor and to get a RAM upgrade from 1GB to 2GB. Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both have 1GB of RAM.
The increased memory is expected to aid with the iPad’s multitasking capabilities. A split-screen mode that allows two apps to be used at once side-by-side on one screen has long been rumoured in development at Apple. The increased RAM could help with support for that feature, which would likely feature on an iPad Pro too.
Thin bezels and more storage
The next generation iPad Air is expected to maintain a similar design as the 2013 iPad Air. The Air, released in November 2013, was the biggest design change since the iPad was introduced in 2010, with thinner bezels around the screen and a significantly lighter and slimmer design.
Apple is likely to change the storage available on the new iPads. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are available in three variants with 16, 64 and 128GB, up from the 16, 32 and 64GB storage options of the iPhone 5S.
The new iPads Air is likely to follow suit with 16, 64 and 128GB options available, and possibly a 256GB version, up from the current 16, 32, 64 and 128 storage options. It is also possible that the smallest storage available will be 32GB on the iPad.
A larger storage capacity will mean more apps and games, which have increased in size dramatically over the last couple of years with many taking up well over 500MB of space each, can be installed along with photos, videos and music.
• iPad Air review: lighter, thinner and raising the bar for software
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: a rival for the iPad?
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: a serious iPad Air competitor
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