Apple to launch new iPad on October 16th

New iPads expected to include Touch ID fingerprint sensor and Apple Pay functionality

The new iPad is expected to be launched on October 16
The new iPad is expected to be launched on October 16

Apple is expected to announce the new iPads at an event to be held at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California on Thursday, October 16.

"It's been way too long," Apple teased in an invitation it sent to the media

Some reports suggest that Apple may also give details about the long-awaited OS X operating system, during the event.

Experts say that dormant code within the latest iOS 8.1 beta software suggests that Apple’s next-generation iPads will have both the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and Apple Pay, which is currently found on the iPhone 6.

Touch ID ties in with Apple’s new payments service Apple Pay to allow contactless payments. Apple has said it will activate Apple Pay with a software update in October.

The Touch ID and payment programming code, buried in the latest developer test version of Apple’s iPhone and iPad software, specifically states that users can “pay with iPad using Touch ID. With Apple Pay, you no longer need to type card numbers and shipping information.”

Reports hint that Apple will introduce a “multi-window” split screen function similar to that used by Microsoft’s Windows 8 software on its tablets and Samsung on its Galaxy Tab range.

The new device is hoped to boost flagging sales of iPads, as consumers are upgrading to the next model of tablet far more slowly than their smartphones.

Last month Apple unveiled the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch amidst great hype, even featuring a performance by U2 at the launch. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sold a record 10 million units in three days. The new models also incorporate the Touch ID sensor.