Apple is developing 5G-enabled iPads with mmWave support, according to sources cited by industry publication DigiTimes.
A paywalled preview of the report claims Taiwan's Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will supply antenna-in-package technology for the 5G iPads, in addition to 5G iPhones. While not specified, it is almost certain that these models would be iPad Pros given 5G is a high-end feature with higher production costs.
While the first 5G iPhones are expected in fall 2020, the report does not indicate when the 5G iPads would be released. Major new features often come to the iPhone before the iPad, but a notable exception was the third-generation iPad receiving LTE support in March 2012, prior to the iPhone 5 in September 2012.
mmWave or millimeter wave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it best suited for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.
The complete report should be published by tomorrow, and we will update this post if there are any additional details to share.
Update: The full report is now available and it speculates that 5G iPads could be released as early as the second half of 2020.
