Heading into WWDC, we’ve heard plenty of reports about iOS 17, but the iPadOS 17 rumor has been pretty quiet. According to a new report, there might be a reason for that: Apple is reportedly working on a “special” version of iPadOS 17 that will debut alongside the long-talked-about 14-inch model.
According Analyst941 on Twitter, which has already leaked a ton of information about iOS 17 and watchOS 10, there is a “special version of iPadOS 17, developed specifically for the larger iPad Pro/Ultra/Studio models” in the works at Apple. It’s unclear when (or if) this version of iPadOS 17 would launch, but Apple has been rumored for years to be working on a larger iPad than the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Analyst941 doesn’t offer any interface or feature details, but does share this interesting tidbit: The 14-inch model will bring support for two external 6K displays at 60Hz. The current iPad Pro with an M2 processor can connect a single external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, the same limitation as other M2 Macs. However, the M2 Pro chip supports dual 6K displays via Thunderbolt, suggesting the 14-inch iPad will have an M2 Pro or M3 Pro processor and possibly a second Thunderbolt port.
Support for multiple displays would cement the iPad as a Mac alternative and expand the capabilities of Stage Manager, which is now limited to a single external display. Apple finally opened up the iPad to proper external display support with iOS 16, allowing users to multitask and work in separate apps and drag and drop files and windows between them. two screens. Previous versions of iPadOS were mostly limited to screen mirroring.
However, these features are unlikely to make an appearance at WWDC. While we expect to get the customizable lock screen and other features in iPadOS 17, the features here will likely arrive as part of a mid-cycle release alongside the iPad Pro M3 and iPad Pro. 14-inch iPad Pro.
