Apple’s beta release of iOS 12.2 continues to deliver possible clues about the tech giant’s upcoming devices. A report by MacRumors cites a find by developer Steve Troughton-Smith that references four new iPad models and a new iPod model in the code of the iOS 12.2 developer beta.

All the new iPads are listed as variants of “iPad11,” showing both Wi-Fi and cellular models of the same device. The new iPod in question is dubbed “iPod9,” a designation that hasn’t been assigned to any existing iPods.

While this doesn’t definitively signal new devices, it’s bolstered by a move from Apple. The company recently registered seven new iPad models with the Eurasian Economic Commission Database. Those filings don’t reveal much information about the unreleased devices, but they lend more credence to the possibility that Apple will release new tablets in the near future.

The four new iPads listed in iOS 12.2 could reference the rumored iPad mini 5. The iPad mini hasn’t been updated since 2015, and rumors that started last year pointed to the possibility of Apple updating the tiny tablet soon.

According to Troughton-Smith, none of the four new iPad models have Face ID, which would make sense because Apple would likely update the iPad mini but keep it as a more affordable alternative to the iPad Pro models (and even the 9.7-inch iPad). It’s also possible that the four new models reference updated versions of the 9.7-inch iPad, which Apple debuted almost one year ago.

The iPod reference is more curious, as it could mean that Apple is planning to debut a 7th-generation iPod Touch. Apple most recently updated the iPod Touch in 2015 (like the iPad mini), and it basically acts as an iPhone sans cellular connectivity and many improved hardware features such as high-end cameras and biometric authenticators.

The new model referenced in the iOS 12.2 beta reportedly doesn’t have Touch ID or Face ID, and if that’s true, the new iPod Touch will be less like the current iPhones than ever before. Nevertheless, the iPod Touch’s ability to store and play music, play games, and download apps makes it a limited yet more affordable alternative to the iPhone, which has steadily increased in price over the past few years (the current iPod Touch starts at $199 while the iPhone XR starts at $749).

There’s no word from Apple on when it will debut new iPads or a new iPod Touch. However, March often brings the first Apple event of the year, so we could see official news soon.

https://arstechnica.com/?p=1447297