Apple's iPad cover is about to get a lot smarter if a patent filing showing designs for a new version are to be believed.
First reported by Business Insider, the schematics for the case show Apple's trademark folding cover design, but instead of being blank it has a range of different screens that can function without opening the iPad.
The patent filing goes on to explain that three panels will display information that ranges from notifications from apps to interactions with those very same apps and there could even be the chance for widgets to make an appearance.
A patent filing could mean nothing. However, this would be an incredibly useful way to quickly check what's happening on the device without having to open it up, and it won't lose its functionality as a stand if the design is to be believed.
iPad Pro in November?
When it comes to the first device that will have the benefit of the cover, the rumor mill has been in overdrive regarding the possible release of the iPad Pro later on this year. The iPad Pro, which isn't even an official name, is rumored to be significantly larger than the current crop, with a 12.2-inch screen. It would go up against other enterprise-friendly devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
The iPad Pro release date is currently pegged at mid-November and with a new cover coming as part of the same unveiling it could be just the right time for early adopters of the original iPad to make the move to a new tablet.
