Apple's vision for an iPad with quad speakers goes back prior to the release of the original 2011 iPad. We covered it in a report titled "Apple: The Tablet Prophecies – Part 2." Apple introduced a four speaker iPad system last year with the original 12.9" iPad Pro. This speaker system has now been extended to the new 9.7" iPad Pro which is available for pre-orders in key markets today. Apple's latest invention regarding their four speaker system for the iPad Pro was revealed today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under application 20160088379

Apple's quad speaker related invention includes new rib structures configured to improve structural support to prevent damage and to dissipate vibration throughout the enclosure. The rib structure can receive a speaker module and a cap member. The rib structure and the speaker module can combine to form a three-dimensional volume allowing the speaker module in which the speaker module may project sound, thereby enhancing acoustic performance. Also, the cap member may be adhesively attached to the rib structure to provide additional structural support against vibration and abuse caused by load forces associated with a drop event.

This chalks up another patent fulfilled.

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