Apple’s newest {hardware} launch was that of the brand new 2020 iPad Professional lineup that consists of an 11-inch and a 12.9-inch iPad Professional mannequin. Apparently, the brand new iPads don’t have the U1 Extremely Wideband chip that Apple debuted with the iPhone 11 collection final yr.
Citing a “little birdie” as a supply, John Gruber – a famend columnist for all issues Apple – confirmed that the “there isn’t any U1 chip within the new iPad Professional.” This was additional substantiated by the truth that Apple by no means made point out of the chip in any of the advertising supplies associated to the brand new iPad Professional. In reality, the U1 chip shouldn’t be even talked about on the specs web page on Apple’s web site.
Contemplating the truth that the U1 chip did make it to the advertising supplies associated to the iPhone 11 collection, this reality itself appears sufficient to corroborate Gruber’s assertion Moreover, of their teardown of the brand new iPad Professional, iFixit too didn’t discover any hint of the chip. The ultimate nail within the coffin is the absence of any UWB-related toggles on the Apple iPad Professional software program that have been discovered on the iPhone 11 collection.
For those not conscious, the U1 chip permits for exact, short-range location monitoring and enabled options like the brand new directional AirDrop performance which might enable customers to easily level their iPhone to a different to share media. With the inclusion of the U1 on the iPhone, the brand new iPad Professionals have been additionally anticipated to characteristic the chip.
AppleInsider claims that issues like provide chain availability and incompatibility with the A12 processor household are simply a few of the numerous the explanation why Apple determined to not bundle the chip with the most recent iPads.
The absence of the U1 chip on the most recent iPads now alerts to the likelihood that Apple may replace the iPad lineup later this yr, because the U1 chip is anticipated to be integral to providers like AirDrop and upcoming merchandise just like the AirTags. Apple’s upcoming AirTags, a Tile-like monitoring machine, is anticipated to utilize the U1 chip to exactly find Apple merchandise.
The rumoured upcoming iPad Professional mannequin – the one with a Mini-LED show – could be the primary iPad to characteristic the U1 Extremely Wideband chip in spite of everything