5G iPad Pro May Launch Later This Year, Report Claims

Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch its first-ever 5G iPad this year, apart from the rumoured 5G-capable iPhone 12 in September. For this, a Taiwanese component company Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) has reportedly broken into the supply chain for Apple’s mmWave 5G iPhones and 5G iPads with its substrate-based FC-AiP (flip chip antenna-in-package) technology.

Apple Insider reported the news, citing Taiwanese publication Digitimes that usually covers supply chain developments. Apple is expected to update the iPad Pro in early 2020, but a 5G model could debut later in the year.

Apple-watching analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently revealed that the iPhone maker is expected to release new iPad Pro models with rear 3D sensing in the first half of 2020.

Kuo in a research note with TF International Securities said the iPad Pro models will gain 3D sensing through the rear-facing camera system.

As per the report, Apple is expected to use a time-of-flight system, which measures the time that it takes for light to bounce off of objects in a room to generate a 3D map.

Additionally, Kuo also reiterated that Apple plans to release its low-cost iPhone SE 2 in the first half of 2020 too.

The iPhone SE 2 will use a 10-layer Substrate-like PCB (SLP) for its motherboard, the same technology used by the iPhone 11 version.

Kuo expects the device to look similar to the iPhone 8 and believes it will be a popular upgrade option for existing iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s owners.