Oliver Haslam·

2019 iPad Refresh To Feature Touch ID, Headphone Jack

An updated iPad is something that has been a rumor for a few weeks, with an arrival at some point in March being something that many have touted. Now, supply chain blog Macotakara has weighed in, reporting that Apple’s 2019 iPad will offer two features we weren’t sure would be around – Touch ID, and a headphone jack.

There was some hope that we would see the removal of the Home button with Face ID added instead, but it would appear that this isn’t going to happen just yet. It’s likely that this is to ensure that Apple can meet its expected price point of around $329, simply due to the costs associated with adding Face ID. It also allows Apple to continue the differentiation between the standard iPad and the more capable iPad Pro.

Unlike the iPad Pro, the new iPad is expected to also keep its headphone jack for at least one more revision, something that makes plenty of sense considering the belief that we should not expect a redesigned chassis to be part of the release this year.

The report also suggests that we will see an iPad mini update at the same time as an updated iPad, something that has been part of the rumor cycle of late. We’re possibly more excited for signs of life in the iPad mini, so we can’t wait to see what that ends up offering.

As for release dates, we’re still in the dark. A media event to share news on Apple’s new service initiatives is expected before the end of March, although indications are that we shouldn’t expect hardware announcements at the same event.

(Source: Macotakara)

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