Alleged iPad Air 4 Manual Depicts All-Screen Display With Touch ID Built into Power Button

Photos of an alleged leaked manual for an unreleased iPad Air have emerged on social media this morning suggesting Apple's next middle-tier iPad option could feature an all-screen display in lieu of a Home button, with Touch ID integrated into the Power button instead.

EgZqrbFVoAEaEUH
Originating from Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu and shared on Twitter by leaker DuanRui, the photos depict a Spanish-language manual for an iPad Air with an edge-to-edge screen similar to the iPad Pro.

The manual makes no mention of Face ID, however, and instead instructs users to activate "Touch ID with the top button to unlock the iPad Air," above an image of an iPad with a noticeably longer power button.

On other pages, the manual references USB-C connectivity rather than Lightning, and shows a Smart Connector on the rear of the device to connect a Magic Keyboard and other compatible accessories.

4leaked ipad air manual touch id power button
Multiple rumors suggest Apple will release a new iPad in the near future, but there has been some confusion over the model of the device as well as its display size.

Anonymous Twitter account L0vetodream has claimed that Apple is working on an 11-inch iPad Air with an all-screen display that uses an under-display version of Touch ID rather than Face ID like the iPad Pro.

Meanwhile, DigiTimes has suggested a 10.8-inch iPad Air is coming in the second half of 2020, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects Apple to release a 10.8-inch iPad in the second half of 2020. However, Kuo has not specified if the 10.8-inch iPad is an Air or a low-cost standard iPad.

It's not impossible that these rumors refer to the same device shown here, and that the confusion over the details stems from Apple's novel implementation of Touch ID, which allows it to offer an all-screen mid-tier device without the prohibitive costs of the TrueDepth camera system required for Face ID.

It's worth noting that the only previous mention we have seen of Touch ID integrated into a power button was in a January 2020 research note from Kuo, which said that Apple plans to release an LCD iPhone with a Touch ID power button on the side of the device in the first half of 2021.


The next-generation version of the iPad Air has already been rumored to feature a USB-C port like the iPad Pro, instead of a Lightning port, and that's what we see here.

Apple in late August registered seven new iPads with the Eurasian Economic Commission, some of which could be a new iPad Air. Leaker Jon Prosser has also claimed that Apple will release an unspecified new iPad in September, with an announcement done via press release. It's not clear if this refers to the iPad Air, but it is possible given prior rumors of an iPad Air release in the second half of 2020.

Bear in mind these photos have not yet been verified and Twitter leaker DuanRui does not have much of a track record, but has previously leaked photos of a new Lightning to USB-C cable allegedly shipping with upcoming iPhone 12 models.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Tag: DuanRui
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

bobmans Avatar
43 months ago
Now that’s what I call a solid, believable leak.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ophh1 Avatar
43 months ago
Now let’s put this design to the iPad mini
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zedsdead Avatar
43 months ago
What I want is Apple to also now include these Touch ID power buttons on iPhone and iPad Pro so you have two options to use to unlock the devices.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fokmik Avatar
43 months ago

Apple would never put Touch ID in a side or top button. Same reason they’ve never put one in the back of something. Not as user friendly and would create a bad experience.
they would never, until they will do it...like other things
That ship is sailed
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AmazeSE Avatar
43 months ago

Nice, will be interesting to see what features distinguish the iPad Pro from this model -


* Face ID
* Camera
* Pencil 2 compatibility
* Screen size
* Processor(?)


What else?
I think it will support pencil 2 since it has USB-C. It is not possible for the iPad to charge a pencil 1.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Oblivious.Robot Avatar
43 months ago
Suddenly have the urge to gift away my Air 3 purchased last year to my niece, because I’m that generous lol.

Seriously though, if it has quad speakers then I’d be definitely tempted to upgrade much sooner than expected. Had the Air 2 for 5 years before upgrading.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...