Apple is set to introduce a new iPad Pro featuring the M5 chip later this year, but the headline feature may be an upgrade to the front-facing camera system.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the 2025 iteration of iPad Pro will have a second front-facing camera, this time positioned on the portrait edge of the device.
That’ll enable an improved FaceTime and selfie experience, regardless of whether the tablet is being held in landscape or portrait orientation.
The change is likely designed to address complaints from users about the previous move to relocate the camera from the portrait to the landscape side in last year’s M4 iPad Pro. While the addition of a second camera might seem like a small change, it’ll appease those who prefer to use their iPad in portrait mode.
This move is odd to me, and it feels like having two distinct cameras on the front of a tablet is a peculiar move. A far smarter solution would be to improve Apple’s Center Stage feature, which is there to keep your face in the frame on a video call, wherever you’re looking away from the camera.
Expect a switch to the M5 chip
Aside from that dual-camera setup, the next iPad Pro is likely to ship with the M5 chip – an upgrade over the M4 in the current model – which will bring boosted performance.
It’s unlikely the M5 iPad Pro will bring any major design changes. Considering Apple revamped the iPad Pro line pretty majorly with the M4 model, including a thinner design and an OLED display, it’s hardly a surprise that no hefty changes are expected here.
It also seems a safe prediction that the iPad Pro 2025 will come in two sizes – an 11-inch and 13-inch – and pair with a range of accessories to make it work more like a laptop. This will continue to be of more use with the upcoming release of iPadOS 26, which turns the iPad’s operating system into something more akin to a desktop OS.
Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons (via MacRumors) the M5 iPad Pro models might not enter mass production until the second half of 2025. However, Apple might still launch them sooner, possibly in September or October, in line with its typical 18-month refresh cycle for the iPad Pro.
