The Next IPad Pro Could Feature A Connector Like No Other Apple Device

Although the site doesn’t provide any further information on these 4-pin ports, it speculates that they are intended to “help in powering peripherals which connect to the Thunderbolt/USB–C port on [current] M1-chip-equipped iPad.” The USB-C port is compatible with existing adapters and accessories. It’s not clear why this function wouldn’t be continued by the USB-C port. The new 4-pin connector, or whatever Apple branding it uses, may have a higher specification for data transfer or faster charging.

Or are two ports the key? Macotakara’s article seems to suggest, confusingly, that the 4-pin ports will be located on both the top edges and bottom edges. However, it’s not clear how “top” and “bottom” relate to a device that can rotate 360 degrees. 

Does this refer to the two long edges or the two shorter ones?

Two ports may allow the iPad Pros to be plugged in and also charge (or transfer data to) peripheral accessories. Although this would increase productivity when replacing a laptop, Apple has never offered more ports than necessary.

The iPad Pro and iPad Air both have a 3-pin smart connector at the back for connecting the Magic Keyboard. The original connector was located on the iPad Pro’s edge, but it moved to the back in 2018’s redesign. The new connector will not be compatible with the existing Magic Keyboard, so it is unclear if Apple will offer two versions.

Apple fans might find this announcement somewhat disappointing, considering that Apple appears to be close to unifying its ports across all of its tablet ranges. The 10.2-inch iPad, which is still missing Lightning, will be the first to adopt USB-C in the coming months. The iPhone range appears to switch to USB-C next.

We will have to wait to see if Macotakara has the right sources. The site’s accuracy rating on AppleTrack is 58.5 percent as of the time of writing. The new iPad Pros will be launched this fall at either the September event of the iPhone 14 or at a separate event in the next month.