A lot of Apple fans have embraced the dongle life now that basically all current iPhones and the new iPad Pro don't sport a headphone jack. They might have also grown accustomed to using Face ID for unlocking their devices now that Touch ID is gone.
Those who prefer using wired headphones and a fingerprint scanner might be in for a treat, however. Apple is reportedly bringing those two components back for the its forthcoming model.
2019 iPad Rumors
This comes from a new report by Japanese tech blog Macotakara, as spotted by Apple Insider. The current 2018 iPad model — not the Pro — is one of the few Apple products that still feature a headphone jack and the company's proprietary fingerprint scanner, and Macotakara claims Apple won't be changing the next iPad, with it likely retaining a similar enclosure.
Macotakara cites a supplier as its source, which says that a screen size hasn't yet been determined but that it could be bumped to as much as 10 inches. The supplier further notes that this year's model could be launched alongside a new iPad Mini, which, like the regular iPad, has also been rumored to look similar to its predecessor in terms of design.
Current-Generation iPad
The current-generation iPad, released last year, included significant improvements under the hood but not on the surface, retaining the same classic iPad design Apple fans have been with for years. It's got a 9.7-inch screen, Touch ID, front-facing and rear cameras, and Apple Pencil support.
If what Macotakara's source claims turns out to be true, then it's likely Apple is pretty happy with this design and is going to stick with it for the time being. Apple iPad fans should be pretty thrilled, but perhaps not for long — the iPad Pro line did away with Touch ID to slim its bezels down and accommodate Face ID instead; it also dropped the headphone jack altogether. It's hard to say for now whether the regular iPad will eventually suffer the same fate, but time, as always, will tell.
