Apple to unveil new features for iPad, Macs: sources

San Francisco

APPLE Inc is developing new features for the iPad to cater to professional users, along with new Mac laptops and desktops, say people familiar with the matter.

As they were speaking without authority on products yet to be launched, they requested anonymity.

Apple declined comment.

First, the improvements to the iPad:

Upcoming software upgrades for the iPad include wider operating-system support for Apple's stylus accessory; hardware performance improvements are also in development, said the sources.

The company hopes to ship the updated iPad software next year. Apple may roll it out as part of an upgrade to the iOS 10 operating system in the first half of next year, or save the enhancements for the next major iOS version later in the year, said one of the people.

Apple began integrating features exclusive to the iPad last year with the release of a mode to work in two applications simultaneously.

The planned iPad update will include improvements to the Apple Pencil, a handwriting and drawing stylus aimed at professionals, said one of the sources. Apple has considered allowing users to annotate objects in many applications across the whole operating system, including in Mail, the Safari web browser and iMessage, similar to what Samsung Electronics Co offers on its Note smartphones.

Currently, Apple supports Pencil functionality only in specifically developed apps.

The new iPad hardware will include faster display technology that allows for smoother zooming, panning and scrolling, one of the people said.

Apple isn't planning to update its iPad lineup until next year, when a new version of the iPad Pro will be released with a 10.5-inch display, up from the current 9.7-inch display, said a recent research note by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPad unit sales have declined year-on-year for nine straight quarters, but the average selling price jumped in the fiscal third quarter from purchases of pricier iPad Pro models. This produced the first increase in quarterly iPad revenue in more than two years.

The new features aimed at higher-paying professional customers could support this trend.

As for the refreshed Mac hardware line, it will include new versions of the iMac desktop, MacBook Air laptop and a 5K standalone monitor in collaboration with LG Electronics Inc, in addition to a thinner MacBook Pro laptop.

The Macs are expected late this year, said the people.

Apple has not updated any of its Macs - besides the 12-inch MacBook - since last year.

The goal of the Mac updates is to keep the line's sales numbers stable, even as sales of rival personal computers continue falling.

Apple is planning to release some of the new Mac products as early as October, said the people.

The updated line includes tweaked MacBook Air devices with multi-functional USB-C port technology and iMacs with an option for new graphics chips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

A thinner MacBook Pro with a flatter keyboard is also in the pipeline, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News earlier this month.

The standout feature is a digital function key display above the keyboard, which will allow for common tasks to be done more quickly for whatever program is being used. The feature is internally called the "Dynamic Function Row", said two of the sources; Apple's official name may differ.

For example, if a user is on his desktop, the screen will show a virtual representation of the standard function row, which includes brightness and media controls. But when he is in an application, the virtual row will show options specific to the task at hand, but volume controls and a switch to show the default functions will always be present.

The Safari web browser would enable controls for finding and defining terms, while the iMovie video editor would offer controls for cutting clips and a more-precise volume slider.

The feature requires the upcoming Sierra Mac operating system, which is on track to being released as early as the end of September, said one of the people.

Sierra will also bring the Siri voice assistant to the Mac, support for Apple Pay transactions on the web, new animations in the iMessage application, deeper iCloud integration for file storage and an auto-unlock feature for users wearing Apple Watches, the company said in June.

Apple is holding an event on Sept 7 in San Francisco. The keynote will focus on upgraded versions of the iPhone, a new Apple Watch with GPS tracking and new health features, and an iOS 10 software update for iPhones and iPads, said the sources.

The new Macs are currently expected to be announced at a later date, they added.

In addition to the new Macs, Apple is working on a new standalone monitor to connect to its computers. After exiting the monitor business earlier this year with the discontinuation of the 27-inch Thunderbolt display, Apple is working with LG Electronics on a new monitor with a high-resolution "5K" screen, said one of the sources.

Apple currently sells an iMac with a built-in 5K panel, which has more than seven times as many pixels as standard 1080p displays.

A spokesperson for LG declined to comment. BLOOMBERG