iOS 9 Hints at Apps For Apple TV, On-Screen Keyboard for Larger iPad Pro

The biggest hint so far that Apple is working on a larger "iPad Pro" has been found in the latest iOS beta, which includes a larger on-screen keyboard for an unannounced device. The beta also includes references to app building tools for Apple TV, which currently lacks any third-party app support, developer Steve Troughton-Smith revealed in a series of tweets.

When viewed at a larger size, the iOS 9 iPad keyboard adds in an extra row with numbers, a caps lock, tab key, and punctuation marks. Pressing the shift key changes the top row to a punctuation row, in a similar fashion to pushing shift on a physical keyboard. The larger keyboard more closely resembles a physical keyboard in looks as well as function, and while iOS 9 includes better support for physical keyboards, today’s news is the best sign so far that Apple will still be encouraging virtual keyboard use even on larger iPads. The rumored iPad Pro is said to include a 12.9-inch screen and launch in late 2015.

The Apple TV is also hinted at in UIKit and GameKit, typically used for app design on the iPhone and iPad, suggesting iOS developers may soon be able to bring their work to the big screen. Apple TV references in GameKit are notable as the framework is normally used for multiplayer gaming support, suggesting Apple’s ambitions for the set top box are to support the same variety of apps and games available on their mobile devices. An updated Apple TV was rumored to appear at WWDC 2015 last Monday, but Re/code reports the plans were shelved at the last minute.