Mike Peterson
Apple may be testing a new iPad Pro model with a glass Apple logo, reportedly as a way to bring MagSafe to the tablet lineup without ditching the aluminum backplate.
The company is rumored to be developing iPad Pro models with MagSafe, which would necessitate at least a portion of the tablet's rear to be glass. A metal rear casing would inhibit MagSafe charging.
However, Apple reportedly has concerns with the entire back being glass, which would make the device more fragile. As a workaround, 9to5Mac reported on Friday that the company is testing at least one prototype with a larger Apple logo on the rear made of glass.
It's through this supposed glass Apple logo that the rumored iPad Pro model with transmit power via MagSafe. The site also notes that the iPad would sport "stronger magnets" and faster wireless charging than the iPhone.
Apple has never had an iPad model with wireless charging support. Previous reports have suggested that Apple would bring MagSafe to its tablet lineup through a "glass sandwich" design.
A glass surface as large as an iPad's rear brings its own host of structural issues. There are also structural and engineering problems with a glass surface embedded into a material with different characteristics..
Apple is expected to debut new 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in 2022. The smaller of the two could feature a miniLED display, while both devices may sport a new chip based on a 3nm manufacturing process.
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12 Comments
I called this for the iPhone years ago when people wondered how Apple could remove the lightning port.
I think it’s a great idea but a better idea would be engineering MagSafe without glass which I’m sure is already possible.
The logo on the back is plastic now. I haven’t looked inside at the iFixIt tear downs in a while< so I don’t know it it’s backed by aluminum. But I do t see a problem with a plastic logo. I’m sure Apple could make it attractive if they wanted to.
MagSafe from iPhone or MagSafe 3 skinny from MacBook Pro.
no doubt testing both.
was kind of hoping iPad pros with rumours of landscape logos might get 2 usbc ports so there is one each side. MagSafe 3 on one side and something else the other would be interesting…
could they make battery and internals of MacBook Air and iPad Pro basically the same just different casing?
Why do we need glass? Isn't plastic also effective at allowing transmission since it's not metallic?
There are plenty of good plastics that last a long time.