Apple is reportedly building a new iPad with facial recognition tech and no home button (AAPL)

apple ipad pro

It sounds like Apple is trying to take the key features from the iPhone X and stick them in an iPad.

According to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Californian technology firm is building a new "high-end" tablet computer with features including facial recognition technology Face ID, slimmer bezels round the screen, and no home button.

The device will allegedly come in at least one size, 10.5 inches, and be released in 2018.

In early November, the iPhone X went on sale. It's the tenth birthday edition of Apple's smartphone, and made some major changes — including ditching the home button and fingerprint scanner in favour of on-screen controls, facial recognition tech to unlock the device, and a new design with an almost edge-to-edge screen.

As such, Bloomberg's report makes sense: Apple is seemingly trying to ensure its product lines have similar user interfaces and core features. (It also suggests that at some point down the line, Macs and MacBooks might also ditch fingerprint scanners in favour of Face ID.)

However, the new iPads will reportedly not come with an OLED screen — unlike the iPhone X. The new phone was Apple's first smartphone to feature the alternative screen technology, that allows for darker brights and more extreme contrast. But it sounds like Apple's suppliers won't be able to prepare one suitable for a new iPad in time for a 2018 release.

Don't expect Apple to confirm or deny any of this, however. The company almost never comments on unannounced products and rumours.

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