Malcolm Owen
Apple will be using an "LCP Soft Board" in its next generation of iPad Pro models, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, the first time the company will be using the technology in the product line, one that could potentially help improve the tablet's wireless communications and set it up for the introduction of 5G in 2021.
A future revision of the iPad Pro family will start mass production sometime in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020, an investor note from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims. The models will have 11-inch and 12.9-inch displays, the same as the current generation, but while there isn't any indication of changes to the outside, the analyst believes there will be some internal alterations.
The chief change will be the first usage of a "LCP Soft Board," reports UDN, referring to a material known as Liquid Crystal Polymer. As the name suggests, the board is soft and can be used as a flexible way to connect components together, working around the restrictions of inflexible PCBs.
The use of LCP Soft Board is apparently being made in preparation for the use of 5G modems in the iPad Pro. According to Kuo, Apple will introduce 5G-supporting models in 2021.
It is claimed the LCP Soft Board will be used to connect the antenna to the motherboard, which will supposedly help reduce signal loss and improve overall networking performance. Positioned as a productivity tool, the analyst believes that sometimes the connection requirements could be even higher than that of a mobile phone, making connectivity an important element to the iPad Pro.
There is speculation a firm called Murata will be a provider of the LCP components for the iPad Pro's construction, as it already does so for the iPhone. Another Taiwanese company is also a candidate, with its current production capacity apparently adaptable to help meet the initial demand for the component.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
10 Comments
We are looking into buying an iPad but we certainly won’t wait until 2021. From all I’ve read 5G is turning out to be overhyped and will almost surely underdeliver on the claims being made by the hysterical and fawning tech media. It’s not the revolution it’s being touted as, especially in the millimeter band where the real speed supposedly is.
Not that exciting of a rumor here. There’s a whole host of software improvements that need to be done, so really looking for to iOS 13.
Hardware wise, tough to come up with exciting new features for the form factor, the usual performance improvement excepted. I’d like to see 11.5” and 13.5” 5:4 aspect ratio displays, 2 TB3/USBC ports, and no camera bump for iPad Pros. It’s really the software that’ll make the form factor shine though.
On a more serious topic, anyone know where I can get that wallpaper?