What does the new sensor on the back of the iPad Pro (2024) do?

The 2024 iPad Pro models have some changes. While the OLED displays are probably the most well-known upgrade, not far behind is the inclusion of the new, powerful 3nm M4 chip replacing the M2 that powers the iPad Pro (2022). The front-facing camera is now in landscape orientation, and the number of cameras on the back is reduced from two to one with the removal of the Ultra-wide lens.

So what exactly is this sensor, and what does it do? It seems that this is a rear Ambient Light Sensor. You probably are saying to yourself, “Doesn’t such a sensor adorn the front of the tablet?” If you’re asking yourself that, you’d be 100% correct. The front Ambient Light Sensor is used to control the settings for the automatic brightness feature for the display, and the True Tone setting. The latter uses sensors to adjust the color temperature of the display based on ambient light.

If this sensor has any other reasons for existing besides improving the capture of documents, Apple has yet to reveal it.