10 Features We Want to See in Updated Apple iPads

The iPad tablet lines is overdue for an update. But Apple mobile market pundits are saying the company has scheduled a media briefing in March where the company will introduce a new a new iPad Pro and perhaps more.

There is some speculation over the CPU model Apple will offer with its iPad. Will the company deliver the A10X processor or will it go with an A11? Regardless, one thing is clear: For the new iPads to be successful, they’ll need to deliver enough power to compete with light and speedy hybrid computers that are stealing tablet market share.

An improved design seems like a guarantee, but exactly how far the company might go with a new-look iPad is unknown. There’s some hope the new iPad will offer a curved display and perhaps a screen that will cover its entire face as a lead-in to the iPhone 8. However, the more likely scenario is that the iPad will come with a thinner frame, a trimmer screen bezel and perhaps a new type of glass screen.

According to the latest report, Apple is planning to deliver four new iPad Pros at its upcoming event. Two will be updates to its existing 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch versions, and Apple is reportedly planning a 7.9-inch model and a 10.5-inch option as well.

There’s little reason Apple shouldn’t offer the Apple Pencil stylus to all of its tablets. Apple should announce support for Apple Pencil and the company’s Smart Keyboard attachment on all iPad models.

Several rumors say Apple is planning a new Home Button in the iPad, but which type is unknown. Apple could be moving to a Home Button sensor like the one it offers in the iPhone 7, or it could offer a virtual home button baked into the screen.

One of the nice things about the iPad Mini 4 is that it’s portable, thin and doesn’t take up too much room in a bag. But the iPad Mini’s fate is uncertain, since reports have circulated that Apple will introduce a 7.9-inch iPad Pro. Whatever Apple chooses, the company must make a commitment to offer a cheap and portable yet stylish iPad.

Consumers and enterprise users alike want high-end cameras. Consumers want the cameras to take pictures and snap selfies. Corporate users are eyeing cameras that help them get work done in the field. Either way, Apple needs to update its iPad’s cameras with bigger sensors and finer detail.

The biggest mistake Apple could make is to assume customers want less storage space and store their content in the cloud. Quite the contrary: Tablet owners—especially iPad Pro owners—want to keep their content locally on their device. Offering more storage would help the iPad compete against hybrids.

Look for security to play a prominent role in Apple’s next iPads. The company could (and should) offer hardware-based encryption. Apple also could offer a newer-generation fingerprint sensor to improve its biometric support. Plus, reports are circling that Apple could deliver a facial-recognition feature in its device.

A price reduction for the new iPads is probably too much to ask from Apple. But at least we can hope Apple will sell the updated models at the same price points of the models it released a year or more ago. Offering the iPad Pro for a starting price of $599 on the 9.7-inch model and $799 for the 12.9-inch model, for instance, would seem fair.