Last week, MacRumors laid out evidence suggesting that the just-released iPad Pro models do not contain a U1 Ultra Wideband chip, including the lack of any mention of the chip in tech specs or Apple’s press materials, the absence of software support for U1 features, and more. Then, the teardown artistes at iFixit were unable to find the chip or related antennas in the device.
The new model’s internals are nearly identical to those of the 2018 model, down to the logic board layout… Adding a U1 chip to the iPad Pro would have required a redesign of the iPad Pro logic board, and depending on how the U1 interfaces with the device’s main chip, may have required more substantial changes in the A12Z chip itself, perhaps necessitating an all-new A13X chip to support the feature.
The U1 chip also requires associated antennas that wouldn’t play particularly nicely with the iPad Pro’s metal chassis.
With rumors of a more substantial iPad Pro refresh as soon as this fall, including at least one mode with an A14X chip and a new mini-LED display, the latest model appears to have been a stopgap update to add some new AR-related capabilities without making a full overhaul of the device…
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s new iPad Pro family is a stopgap, yes – as indicated by the lack of the U1 ultra wideband chip, but a very nice stopgap nonetheless!
Hopefully the refresh later this year will just skip to the U2 chip and include Bono and The Edge as part of the capabilities. Also comes in product(RED).
Harrumph.
I don’t expect a pro refresh this year. Pros have been refreshed every 1.5 years so far.
Why include today what you can milk tomorrow?
Perhaps you’re dumb enough to buy one today and be milked tomorrow, but that’s your problem, not ours.
Display you just imply that whoever buys an iPad Pro today is dumb? Because your sure dumb enough to not realize you agreed with me.
Did you just imply….
Stupid Apple autocorrect.