LG Rumored to Supply 3D Sensing Camera Sensors for iPad Pro Refresh in March 2020

[MacRumors]

Korean website The Elec continues to believe that the iPad Pro lineup will be refreshed in March 2020 with 3D sensing rear cameras, noting in a report today that LG will supply time-of-flight sensors for the devices.

MacRumors concept of iPad Pro with triple-lens rear camera system​

However, there is still debate as to whether the iPad Pro will be refreshed this October, next March, or in both months.

Early this year, Bloomberg's oft-reliable Mark Gurman claimed a laser-powered 3D camera could debut on an iPad Pro as early as spring 2020, but he more recently reported that Apple plans to refresh the iPad Pro lineup by the end of 2019, so Apple's roadmap for its high-end tablet is not entirely clear.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara and Sonny Dickson also expect the iPad Pro to receive a triple-lens rear camera system in October.

Meanwhile, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said there is an over 50 percent probability that the iPad Pro adopts time-of-flight technology in the fourth quarter of 2019 or first quarter of 2020, adding to the uncertainty.

On a purely speculative basis, we can think of three possible scenarios: the March refresh with 3D sensing ends up being an October affair instead, or the iPad Pro receives a minor refresh in October and a bigger update with 3D sensing in March, or the iPad Pro is simply not refreshed until March.

Apple would be breaking precedent by refreshing the iPad Pro in October, as the tablet has gone roughly 18 months between hardware updates since first launching in November 2015 — the second-generation 12.9-inch model was released in June 2017, followed by third-generation models in November 2018.

The Elec also expects LG to supply 3D sensing rear camera sensors for 2020 iPhones, slated to launch next September, although it appears to mistakenly refer to the iPhones as iPads in one section of its report.

The Elec has established a small track record after accurately claiming the iPhone 11 would have a 3,110 mAh battery.

Article Link: LG Rumored to Supply 3D Sensing Camera Sensors for iPad Pro Refresh in March 2020

 

[EugW]

Does The Elec have any sort of track record?

Also, it didn't seem to me that Sonny Dickson actually definitively said the new iPad Pro is coming in October, just that it will come with the new camera system, and then made what seems to be a general statement that the iPad Pro is expected in October.

 

[macduke]

Refreshed in both months? Apple, please don’t pull an iPad 3/4 again.

 

[laurieballard]

I have the iPad Pro 10.5" 2018 and my Wife has the iPad Air 3 (2019), I don't think either of us have used them for taking pictures so a better camera is certainly not going to be worth bothering with for us.

To be honest they are both lightening fast so I genuinely do not see anything they could do to the next ones or even the ones after that to make me want to upgrade.

I reckon its going to be 2022 before we even consider an upgrade.

It seems the upgrade cycle for phones is 2-3 years, iPads 3-4 years and Macbooks is 5-6 years for us.

 

[jimmy_uk]

If Apple have improved the internal structure of the casing and release in October then I will gladly purchase an iPad Pro 12.9. 🤞

 

[TheRealAlex]

This is great news I’ve owned my iPad Pro 11 since Day 1 October 2018, and I’ve taken exactly Zero pictures with it.
My Note 10 Plus is my camera.

 

[zunamo]

I think they will add it for AR stuff, not to take better pictures. Likely not the same cameras as iPhone if it is mainly for 3D sensing.

 

[webperfex]

I really do hope the camera is flush like that with the body, unlike the protruding version we say few days ago.

 

[EugW]

I really do hope the camera is flush like that with the body, unlike the protruding version we say few days ago.

If it's one of those tri-cameras, there is no way in hell it will be flush. Not a chance. Even a single-lens camera wouldn't be flush on a Pro model.

 

[BeefCurten]

I use my iPad Pro 12.9" on a daily basis and never take pics with it. Apple should go the way of the Surface and create a 15" with a removable keyboard. Here's hoping PadOS will provide a better experience.

 

[delta0]

I may hold for March. I think this new camera system will be fun to work with.

 

[CouldBeWorse]

I wonder how long we'll have to wait for an OLED iPad Pro.

 

[EugW]

I wonder how long we'll have to wait for an OLED iPad Pro.

Likely in two generations or later. Could be micro-LED instead though. First step may be Apple Watch.