This September, Apple is expected to launch new iPad Pro models alongside its latest iPhones; one of the rumored improvements? Face ID.
Well-known developer Steven Troughton-Smith has shared new evidence that the upcoming iPad will feature the iPhone X’s groundbreaking facial recognition and tracking technology.
In an iOS 12 beta, Troughton-Smith discovered that AvatarKit has indeed landed on the iPad despite the tablets lacking the TrueDepth camera system. Now, if AvatarKit, which runs the popular Animoji features of the iPhone X and won’t work properly without Face ID’s TrueDepth camera, one can only assume that the camera technology will be making its way to at least one of Apple’s tablets later this year.
New in iOS 12: AvatarKit comes to iPad. Still requires a TrueDepth camera to do face tracking, though, i.e. an iPad with Face ID pic.twitter.com/9TvP2vsP6X
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) July 3, 2018
Apple only implemented AvatarKit in the iPhone X firmware previously – the only existing device to use Face ID. Its existence in the latest iOS 12 build for more devices is a great indication that the Cupertino firm is looking to add the technology to other forthcoming handsets and tablets.
This isn’t the first time that such evidence has been discovered. Previously, some tweaked iPad gestures that were similar to iPhone X’s gestures were also seen in iOS 12, indicating the possibility of a tablet with an iPhone X style notch that houses a TrueDepth Camera System. However, this will also indicate that the upcoming tablet lineup will be released without a Home button, solid state or not.
Apple will likely announce its new iPad Pro models, or whatever these new iPad models are named, in early September, when the trio of new iPhone models is expected to launch.
