iPad Pro Icon Leak Shows No Home Button, Thinner Bezels Ahead of October 30 Launch

Apple is all set to host another launch event for the second consecutive month this year, after the iPhone 2018 announcement last month. This event slated for October 30 is expected to witness the unveiling of new iPad models, a successor to the affordable MacBook Air, and possibly some other hardware or software-related announcements. One of the biggest highlights of the upcoming Apple event will be the rumoured iPad Pro with Face ID, no home button, and minimal bezels. A new leak has now come to light that shows off its design just hours before the launch. Additionally, eSIM support on iOS 12.1 is also most
likely releasing on the same date as the event, which is October 30.

An iPad icon has been found within the code of iOS that shows off a prototype without a home button and smaller bezels than before. The icon has been spotted by 9to5Mac which previously also found a smaller, but similar, icon in the Developer Beta 5 of iOS 12. The new icon however gives us a clearer look at the design of the new iPad which is expected to retain the lock/ power button on top and volume buttons on the right. Additionally, the bezels appear larger than expected but the report mentions that this could be due to the restrictions around constructing the icon itself and not the final product that comes to market. There is also no notch on this leaked iPad icon.

A report from Bloomberg has predicted that the new iPad Pro models will sport “nearly edge-to-edge screens” with “slimmer, symmetrical bezels” like the latest iPhones. This might also be the first time that an iOS device gets a USB Type-C port. The tablet will come with Face ID, with support for both portrait and landscape mode. Apple is reported to be opting for cheaper LCD panels instead of OLED ones on the iPhone XS, and Face ID will bring support for Animoji on the iPad Pro 2018 model. Apple is also expected to unveil an affordable MacBook model in its current lineup, finally giving the MacBook Air a much-needed successor this year. Stay tuned for live coverage of Apple's October 2018 event on Gadgets 360.

Separately, carriers have started hinting that eSIM support, and naturally iOS 12.1, will start rolling out to the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max on Tuesday, October 30. To recall, the iPhone 2018 lineup comes with dual-SIM support, where one of the SIM cards is physical while the other can be installed as an eSIM. The SKUs in China, however, come with support for two physical SIM cards. The official user guide has also been updated with iOS 12.1, hinting at an impending release. iOS 12.1 will also include certain other major features such as Group FaceTime, live depth control for the latest flagship iPhones, and 70 new Emoji.