New Apple Pencil, iPad Pro 11 and iPad Pro 12.9 revealed in latest iPadOS 17 update

A few days ago, Mark Gurman indicated that Apple is likely less than a month away from replacing its existing iPad Pro models, including the larger iPad Pro 12.9. Supposedly, Apple has readied new iPad Pros for between May 6 and May 12. However, it is worth stressing that his estimates have been revised in the last few months from his prediction in December that new iPads and MacBooks would debut simultaneously this spring.

At any rate, 9to5Mac claims to have found references to four new iPads in the latest iPadOS 17.5 beta, which arrived earlier this month. Specifically, iPadOS 17.5 Beta 1 is said to contain iPad16,3, iPad16,4, iPad16,5 and iPad16,6, which are all unreleased model numbers at the time of publication. Reportedly, iPad16,3 and iPad16,4 relate to Wi-Fi only and 5G variants of the next iPad Pro 11. By contrast, 9toMac asserts that Apple is developing its new iPad Pro 12.9 under iPad16,5 and iPad16,6 model numbers, again with the same connectivity differences.

On top of that, 9to5Mac states that iPadOS 17.5 Beta 1 'suggests that these iPads will be equipped with OLED displays'. Unfortunately, it has not shared any evidence that supports this claim. Meanwhile, the same beta build also contains evidence that Apple has created a new Apple Pencil. Allegedly, this third-generation accessory will ship with 'LongSqueeze' and 'DoubleSqueeze' gestures, although it remains what official names these will be assigned. Nonetheless, the current Apple Pencil already recognises this gesture, albeit without providing any pressure data other than from its tip. Moreover, the new Apple Pencil is rumoured to support Find My, references to which appeared in iPadOS 17.4.

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