The dynamic balance between the Mac and the iPad may be about to shift again. Both the MacBook Air and iPad Pro will reportedly get updated this spring, boosting performance with the inclusion of the new M3 chip. But a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates that a new “landscape Face ID camera” may be in the works for the iPad Pro, potentially taking away one of the main advantages that MacBooks have over iPads. With so much of work happening in video calls, the iPad Pro might become a far better laptop replacement in this new generation.
There are all sorts of reasons why the iPad Pro might not be a great replacement of a MacBook, but the position of the camera is definitely near the top of the list. If you’ve ever tried to take a video call from an iPad, you know exactly what I mean. While the camera and screen work in landscape mode, the position of the camera over to the left creates a very awkward angle for video calls. It’s always plainly obvious that you’re taking a call from an iPad, your eyes appearing to look just off screen. It’s a shame too, because the iPad would otherwise be a great device for taking video calls on, whether that’s for work in Teams or Zoom, or for personal calls on FaceTime. The camera is high resolution and it provides a crisper image than what you get on a MacBook Air — especially compared to older models with 720p screens.
If the report from Gurman is to believed, Apple appears to be moving the Face ID camera from its iPhone-like position to more of a laptop-like position — aka, from portrait to landscape. This would make a ton of sense, especially since the iPad Pro is obviously meant to be used in tandem with the Magic Keyboard as a 2-in-1 laptop. Docked in place, it really makes very little sense for the camera to be positioned where it currently is. In other words, all that could make the iPad Pro a much better laptop replacement. The addition of a Face ID camera in a proper location would go a long way toward being able to ditch MacBooks entirely.
To make things worse, the MacBook line faces an even larger challenge with its cameras that doesn’t appear to be getting solved this year. The current crop of MacBooks offer decent webcams, but the lack of Face ID, which iPads have offered for years, has become increasingly glaring. This situation leaves one looming question: Will the MacBook get Face ID?
The answer to that is murky, but there are some clues littered here and there. We know that Apple is at least considering bringing Face ID to the Mac because the company has been awarded a bunch of patents detailing exactly that. That’s not a guarantee that it’s coming by any means, but it suggests Apple is taking the idea seriously. It also just makes sense. Using Touch ID on your Mac is secure, but it interrupts your workflow by requiring you to lift your hand off your keyboard or mouse. Face ID is more secure than Touch ID and less disruptive, as it only asks you to look at its sensors to unlock your computer. That makes it a very elegant, Apple-like solution to the type of security problem the company loves fixing. As far as new feature ideas go, it feels tailor-made for Apple.
If Gurman is correct and the iPad Pro’s March update features a proper landscape Face ID camera, it will be brilliant news for the iPad — but will make the lack of Face ID on MacBooks even more blatant.
In the consumer electronics industry, some products define an entire category, owing to their sheer excellence and lasting presence. They are far and few, though. The iPad is one such product, and it has continued to blaze its path for nearly a decade and a half. It has gotten faster, slimmer, and more popular than ever. For most shoppers out there, the first choice for buying a tablet is often an iPad. Over the years, Apple has diversified the iPad family to cover everything from a budget browsing and video streaming machine to a premium mainstream computing machine for demanding workflows.
What’s happened? Apple has rolled out what might be its final major update for its current software platforms ahead of its total overhaul across all devices this fall. The iOS 18.6 update has rolled out to iPhone users, with other Apple devices also seeing an update in the form of iPadOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, watchOS 11.6, tvOS 18.6, and visionOS 2.6. The summer months often mark the release of numerous new Android phones – most recently, we’ve seen many of the best foldables launch, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Honor Magic V5 – but for fans of Apple’s ecosystem, it offers a glimpse into the future of Apple’s software.
WWDC is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year, as Apple unveils the features that will set the iPhone apart over the next year, as well as breathe new life into many of the best iPhones of yesteryear. Occasionally, WWDC can focus on the features that impact the entire ecosystem, while at other times, Apple can focus specifically on one or two products.
