iOS 9 code points to Apple TV apps, 'iPad Pro' keyboard, new Photos feature

The current iOS 9 beta contains references to a collection of unreleased products and features, including the next-generation Apple TV, the "iPad Pro," and new options in Photos, according to a noted iOS developer.

The Apple TV is mentioned in both UIKit and GameKit, interface and multiplayer gaming frameworks normally oriented towards iPhones and iPads, developer Steve Troughton-Smith observed on Monday. Although it was absent from WWDC 2015, the next Apple TV set-top is expected to have access to an App Store, possibly including games. Apple could release the updated set-top this fall, though that may depend on whether a rumored subscription TV service is in tow.

iOS 9 meanwhile appears to contain an even larger iPad keyboard, supporting not just a shortcut bar but things like Tab and Caps Lock keys, and a complete extra row devoted to characters like exclamation marks and parentheses. Troughton-Smith remarked that the keyboard is linked to "a much larger heretofore unseen iPad screen size," presumably the company's rumored 12.9-inch model, which should also ship later this year and come with things like support for an Apple-made stylus.

The iOS 9 Photos app was said to have support for ordering photobooks and calendars. Though a relatively minor feature, it should bring the iOS app closer to parity with its OS X counterpart.

iOS 9 itself is set to launch this fall, presumably in tandem with a next-generation iPhone. Apple typically announces new iPhones in September and new iPads a month later.