A strange rumor suggests that the 10th generation iPad will have a Touch ID button on the side and a FaceTime HD camera placed on the width. Apple’s next cheapest iPad could feature a power button incorporating the fingerprint sensor and a repositioned FaceTime camera, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara.
A design closer to the iPad Air and iPad mini
The report cites several Chinese sources who claim that the alleged iPad 10 renders shared earlier this month do not accurately depict the position of Touch ID or the FaceTime camera on the front of the device.
First, while renders showed the new iPad with a classic home button on the lower bezel, the report suggests that the device could have a Touch ID power button on the top edge of the chassis, like the latest iPad Air 5 and iPad mini 6 models.
Second, the report claims that the front camera could be positioned on the right width of the device for use in landscape mode. To support this thesis, our colleagues indicate that Apple’s Center Stage function, which allows you to stay framed during video calls, works better when the iPad is placed in landscape orientation.
Finally, today’s article confirms that previous renders of the 10th generation iPad accurately showed the overall dimensions of the device. If all of that is true, then the iPad 10 will feature a larger 10.5-inch LCD display, USB-C port, A14 Bionic chip, 5G support on the cellular models, with thinner and flat edges. For comparison, the iPad 9 has a 10.2-inch screen and an A13 Bionic chip.
Mass production of the 10th generation iPad is reportedly underway. Apple is expected to announce the device at an event in October, in part because iPadOS 16 was reportedly delayed by a month, although it’s worth noting that the ninth-generation iPad was unveiled in September 2021 alongside iPhone 13 and a new iPad mini 6.