A new rumor claims that a future iPad Pro may feature a horizontal camera layout and a landscape Apple logo on the back, as part of a supposed push from Apple to promote usage of the iPad Pro in landscape orientation, rather than portrait.
The rumor originating from Dylandkt claims that a future version of the iPad Pro will include a horizontal camera layout and a landscape Apple logo on the back. Dylandkt, whose track record is yet to be fully established regarding a plethora of past information about upcoming Macs, said they can't fully state when these design changes will be released but said it is "in the works."
Apple in recent years has started to promote its higher-end iPad Pro as a near laptop replacement when equipped with a keyboard. Currently, the logo on the back of the Magic Keyboard is in landscape, so Apple may simply want to bring the iPad Pro itself to more parity with its accessories. Additionally, the startup Apple logo shown on iPadOS is also now in landscape.
Bloomberg has reported that the 2022 iPad Pro will feature an updated glass back which could enable reverse wireless charging for devices such as the iPhone or AirPods, as well as wireless charging for the iPad Pro itself. Apple last updated the iPad Pro this past April with the M1 chip and a 12.9-inch mini-LED display, but the iPad Pro's design has not changed since its significant redesign in 2018.
Down the road, Apple is aiming to further blur the lines between the iPad and a laptop and is reportedly exploring sizes more extensive than the current 12.9-inch footprint to do so. The future of the iPad remains largely murky, mainly due to Apple's decision to implement the M1 chip, designed for Apple silicon Macs, into the iPad Pro and what it means for the future of the product category.