Apple develops iPad Pro with wireless charging

Apple is developing a new iPad Pro with wireless charging and working on its first redesign of the iPad mini in six years, as it seeks to continue the momentum of a category that has seen resurgence in sales during the pandemic.

The Cupertino, California company plans to launch the new iPad Pro in 2022 and the iPad mini later this year.

The main change in the design of the iPad Pro is the transition to a glass back instead of the current aluminum back.

The updated iPad mini is planned to have narrower screen borders. While the removal of the home button was also tested.

The iPad has become an increasingly key part of Apple's portfolio over the past year as people have looked for new ways to work, study and entertain themselves at home during lockdowns.

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Sales of iPads jumped 43 percent during the last six months of 2020 compared to the previous year.

The gains continued in the first three months of 2021 when tablets brought in $7.8 billion - an increase of 79 percent over the same quarter a year earlier.

For the new iPad Pro model, a transition to a partially glass back is being tested to enable wireless charging for the first time.

Making the change in materials brings iPads closer to iPhones, which Apple has transitioned from aluminum to glass in recent years.

Apple's development work for the new iPad Pro is still early, and the company's plans could be changed or canceled before next year's launch.

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iPad Pro with Wireless Charging:

Wireless charging replaces the power cable, making it easier for users to charge their device's battery.

This feature has become popular in smartphones. But it is rare among tablets.

Apple added wireless charging to iPhones in 2017. Last year, it updated it with its magnet-based MagSafe system, which ensures more consistent charging speeds.

The company is testing a MagSafe system similar to the iPad Pro. Wireless charging is likely to be slower than plugging the charger directly into the Thunderbolt port, which remains a part of the following models.

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As part of the development of the next iPad Pro, Apple is also experimenting with a technology called reverse wireless charging.

This allows users to charge iPhones or other gadgets by placing them on the back of the tablet.

Apple was previously working on making this possible for the iPhone to charge AirPods and smartwatches.

In addition to the next-generation iPad Pro and iPad mini, Apple is also developing a thinner version of the iPad aimed at students.

This product is scheduled to be released as early as the end of this year, around the same time as the new iPad mini.

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The company is still exploring a future wireless charger that would work similarly to the failed AirPower charger.

It is also internally investigating alternative wireless charging methods that can work over greater distances than an inductive connection.

However, converting this technology into a product is likely to take several years.

Apple last redesigned the iPad Pro in 2018. Previous updates focused on performance and camera technologies.

The iPad mini was last updated in 2019 with support for the Apple Pencil and a faster chip.

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