When it comes to Apple products, the less expensive products tend to inherit the features of the more expensive ones, and the iPad Pro and iPad Air 6, which will be released in 2024, appear to be reversing that by adopting design changes first seen on the far less expensive iPad 10

In January, iPadOS 174 beta code suggested that the iPad Pro's Face ID sensor had been moved from the top of the device when held in portrait mode and to the top when held in landscape mode

"During Face ID setup, the iPad must be in landscape orientation and the camera must be at the top of the screen," the text in the code said Thankfully, that doesn't mean you need to keep it in landscape mode whenever you want to access it, however, the text said that it can be unlocked in both portrait and landscape after setup is complete Add

Now, Weibo leaker Instant Digital claims that the design will also be used on the iPad Air The iPad Air 6 109/129's camera position has been moved to the center of the horizontal, "which is a good thing, as the iPad Air 6 109/129's camera position has been moved to the center of the horizontal

While it is definitely unusual for a high-end Apple device to take design lessons from an entry-level one, this is a welcome move As our global editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer wrote in his review of the iPad 10, moving the camera to the long side is a "welcome change," especially when the iPad is docked to the Magic Keyboard Folio, which "allows for more natural It will allow for video calling"

If anything, it makes more sense for the "Pro" iPad, which Apple often markets as a laptop replacement Indeed, the Smart Keyboard was created as an accessory specifically for the iPad Pro (and is rumored to undergo a major redesign in the next version)

Assuming that the entry-level iPads released in 2024 will retain the new camera position, the iPad mini will remain the only tablet with an unidentified front-facing camera position Apple may or may not follow suit with the iPad mini 7

On the one hand, Apple prefers consistency in design, but on the other hand, the mini's smaller form factor makes it closer to a smartphone with the front camera positioned naturally at the top In fact, we imagine that fewer people will use it as a laptop replacement because the keyboard case will be much smaller and the typing experience will be less comfortable

We expect to get confirmation of some iPad changes soon It was previously suggested that both the iPad Pro and iPad Air (currently 109" and 129") could appear within the month