Apple's latest software update hints the next iPad will have a huge, beautiful screen
Now, there's some evidence that not only backs up those claims, but also tells us how sharp this larger iPad's display could be.
The code for iOS 9 includes some clues that point to a larger sized iPad - such as the fact that the keyboard can be scaled up to fit a bigger screen, as iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith discovered.
But Taiwanese iOS developer Hiraku Wang pursued that discovery even further, suggesting that the new iPad could have a 2,732 x 2,048 screen resolution.
This would ensure that the larger iPad stays at a Retina display. Since the screen is larger, Apple would have to pack more pixels per inch to make sure it meets the standard for a Retina display. The current iPad Air 2's screen measures 9.7 inches and features a resolution of 2048 x 1536. That means there are 264 pixels per inch. To keep that same pixel density on a 12.9-inch screen, Apple would have to increase the resolution to 2,732 x 2,048.
Here's how Smith and Wang explained it over Twitter:
The new finding correlates with research firm DisplaySearch's predictions regarding the larger iPad's screen resolution, as MacRumors pointed out. Back in 2014, the firm predicted that the 12.9-inch iPad would have a 2,732 x 2,048 resolution display. We won't know for sure until Apple officially unveils its next iPad, but other rumors suggest it may come with a Force Touch screen just like the new MacBook and Apple Watch, and a USB Type C Port.
Apple typically unveils its new iPads in October, about one month after it usually announces its new iPhones in September.