iOS 12 suggests iPad Pro 3 could have Face ID and a notch

iOS 12 has just been announced and already people have been digging around in the developer beta and found compelling evidence that a future iPad – likely the iPad Pro 3 – could have Face ID and a notch.

On the Face ID front, iOS developer Guilherme Rambo has actually found a Face ID setup screen hidden in the beta on his iPad, as well as a settings screen that mentions using Face ID to unlock an iPad.

That’s very strong evidence that it’s coming, but it’s not the only evidence, as iOS 12 also brings multiple user support to Face ID, which is a feature that would be far more useful on an iPad than an iPhone, since tablets are typically shared more than phones.

The iPad is mentioned by name on this Face ID screen. Credit: Guilherme Rambo

The iPad is mentioned by name on this Face ID screen. Credit: Guilherme Rambo

And if Face ID gets added then the home button and fingerprint scanner might get removed, like they have been on the iPhone X.

That would explain the fact that iOS 12 brings iPhone X-like navigation gestures to the iPad, letting you, among other things, return to the home screen by swiping up from the dock, largely removing the need for a home button.

There's definitely room for a notch there. Credit: Steven Sinofsky

There's definitely room for a notch there. Credit: Steven Sinofsky

Making space

There’s not quite as much evidence of a notch, but there’s still some, namely the fact that the status bar clock has moved from the center to the left-hand side on iPad, which, as Twitter user Steven Sinofsky points out, leaves plenty of room for a notch.

Neither Face ID nor a notch are confirmed for now then, but the evidence is strong, and in the case of Face ID it’s not the first we’ve heard of it either.

If Apple does include these features then the iPad Pro 3 could be a major upgrade from the likes of the iPad Pro 10.5, and you shouldn’t have too long to wait for it, as it may get announced alongside the iPhone XI in September.

  • iOS 12 wasn't the only thing announced at WWDC 2018

Via Phone Arena, The Verge and 9to5Mac

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.