Apple is said to launch new iPad models as soon as early May, and new code in the first iPadOS 17.5 beta discovered by MacRumors suggests that Apple could expand the revamped Battery Health settings menu from the iPhone 15 lineup to upcoming iPads.
According to the report, various hidden strings found in iPadOS 17.5 beta 1 suggest that Apple is actively working on introducing the expanded Battery Health settings menu from the iPhone 15 series to iPadOS with yet-to-be-released iPad models. The unearthed strings hint that users will be able to view their iPad’s maximum battery health and its current cycle count, something that Apple introduced with the iPhone 15 lineup and later consolidated into a single menu with the iOS 17.4 update.
Some of the code strings related to the iPad’s battery health and found in iPadOS 17.5 beta 1 include the following:
- “iPad must be regularly used while not connected to power to show maximum capacity.”
- “This is the number of times iPad has used your battery’s capacity.”
- “The iPad battery is performing as expected.”
- “iPad batteries, like all rechargeable batteries, have a limited lifespan and may eventually need to be serviced or replaced.”
- “The original battery was designed to retain X capacity at X cycles under ideal conditions. Actual battery performance depends on a number of variables, including how iPad is used and charged regularly. The one-year warranty includes service for defective batteries in addition to rights provided under local consumer laws.”
The expanded Battery Health settings menu is likely to be exclusive to future iPad models, including the upcoming OLED iPad Pro and new iPad Air lineups. Apple has kept the new Battery Health menu with cycle count information exclusive for the iPhone 15 lineup with iOS 17.4, and the company is likely to maintain this exclusivity with future iPad models, the soonest of which is expected to drop in early May.
Apple is likely readying iPadOS 17.5 to power the highly-anticipated OLED iPad Pro and the new iPad Air lineup that will include a larger 12.9-inch screen size for the first time. The launch will also see the introduction of a new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, with hidden code found in iPadOS 17.4 hinting at new features for the drawing and note-taking accessory.
