Rumor: Apple's "iPad Pro" to be as thin as an iPhone, sport 12.2-inch display & extra speakers
The latest rumblings surrounding the anticipated release of a larger, education-focused iPad next year suggest the device may touch down with Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 in its crosshairs, sporting a super-slim form factor, enhanced audio, and a slightly more compact 12.2-inch display.
The iPad Air is currently Apple's largest tablet with a 9.7-inch display.
That's according the latest report out of the Japanese-language macotakara, which has at times unearthed details about Apple's future product designs that turn out to be fairly accurate. In this particular case, the publication cites its own sources as saying that iPad maker is specifically designing the device to play into the same markets as Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, but adds that the company may choose to employ a slightly more compact 12.2-inch display than the 12.9-inch option that is widely rumored and also used by the Surface Pro 3.
The overall design of the iPad Pro itself is said to largely resemble a jumbo iPad 2 with two additional speakers (and an additional microphone) located at the top of the device, which "might" make the iPad Pro "capable of supporting stereo audio." It reportedly won't be as thin as the 6.1mm iPad Air 2, but will still be as slim as an iPhone, measuring somewhere between the iPhone 6's 6.9mm and the iPhone 6 Pro's 7.1mm at its thickest point.
While earlier reports suggested that Apple may have been targeting the current quarter as an entry point for the new educational tablet, more recent reports have indicated that full-scale manufacturing of the device will more likely begin in the first quarter of 2015.
Apple faces a number of challenges in delivering on a so-called iPad Pro, according to Ming-Chi Kuo -- a well-connected analyst who has similarly claimed knowledge of the product under development. In addition to executing on the hardware end, he says Apple is also tasked with crafting and secretly evaluating a completely new flavor of iOS designed to take advantage of the device's much larger display real estate.
In a report on the iPad Pro back in February, Kuo accurately predicted that the iPad mini family of products would show signs of neglect this year as the company had prioritized its iPad teams on completing an all new iPad Air 2 for late 2014 and what he called a "12.9-inch iPad Pro" for 2015.
The iPad Air is currently Apple's largest tablet with a 9.7-inch display.
That's according the latest report out of the Japanese-language macotakara, which has at times unearthed details about Apple's future product designs that turn out to be fairly accurate. In this particular case, the publication cites its own sources as saying that iPad maker is specifically designing the device to play into the same markets as Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, but adds that the company may choose to employ a slightly more compact 12.2-inch display than the 12.9-inch option that is widely rumored and also used by the Surface Pro 3.
The overall design of the iPad Pro itself is said to largely resemble a jumbo iPad 2 with two additional speakers (and an additional microphone) located at the top of the device, which "might" make the iPad Pro "capable of supporting stereo audio." It reportedly won't be as thin as the 6.1mm iPad Air 2, but will still be as slim as an iPhone, measuring somewhere between the iPhone 6's 6.9mm and the iPhone 6 Pro's 7.1mm at its thickest point.
While earlier reports suggested that Apple may have been targeting the current quarter as an entry point for the new educational tablet, more recent reports have indicated that full-scale manufacturing of the device will more likely begin in the first quarter of 2015.
Apple faces a number of challenges in delivering on a so-called iPad Pro, according to Ming-Chi Kuo -- a well-connected analyst who has similarly claimed knowledge of the product under development. In addition to executing on the hardware end, he says Apple is also tasked with crafting and secretly evaluating a completely new flavor of iOS designed to take advantage of the device's much larger display real estate.
In a report on the iPad Pro back in February, Kuo accurately predicted that the iPad mini family of products would show signs of neglect this year as the company had prioritized its iPad teams on completing an all new iPad Air 2 for late 2014 and what he called a "12.9-inch iPad Pro" for 2015.
Comments
Wanted to be the first to say, if the thinness is true,
NO, Benjamin - they will NOT bend in a strong breeze...
Hmm...if it comes with a nicely designed stand and keyboard, some new tricks in IOS 8.2 or 9, who knows, it may just be the ideal replacement desktop for small businesses and users who are not tied-in to Winword and Excel. Easier maintenance, less malware/virus threats and cost savings over the long-term.
I know of a friend who wishes to buy a 12" inch iPad just to read his magazine subscriptions on it. But how many people would prefer to consume media on a heavier 12" versus 5.5" plus, 7.9" mini or 9.7" Air?
At the end of the day, it will all depend on softwares and what kind of new uses can be unearthed for new form factor.
The MacCover Air could even replace the Mac mini in the lineup.
Then I would have the option of using the large iPad as the display for my MacCover Air. I would be able to bring an iPad and MacBook with me as one unit. And integrate the two otherwise standalone devices with handoff (even show the iPad connected in iTunes when it is serving as a Mac display)
That would be the correct solution to the convertible. Not one device that acts as two but two devices that can MERGE to be one (like Voltron).
When I split the devices I can use the iPad part with iOS and use handoff to pickup where I left off.
It's all about the software. A 12.2 "pro" device needs better software than the current iOS for iPad.
We heard rumors about a device, possibly this larger iPad, that could run both iOS and Mac OS X. Not a hybrid version of both, but actually both, independently.
Sort of like....when its docked with keyboard/track pad accessory, you automatically see OS X, when its undocked it runs iOS.
After thinking a lot about that...It would be pretty cool. Basically a full blown Macbook Air with the right accessory, and full blown iPad without it. Not a bad deal.
Have we? What moron would want OS X on a touchscreen?
I think PMZ’s proposal is interesting. However, it would be ARM-based OS X so none of the current third-party OS X sotware would work. Or it would have to have an Intel processor which would make it bigger, heavier, more expensive, and have worse battery life.
Look, I’m 100% for... what do we want to call it... “stronger” software on a larger touchscreen device (13”, 15”, and the desktop models). I’ve always called it OS XI, as a desktop successor to OS X.
But that’s a big step and anything that comes out this year won’t be that yet. So that means just another modified iOS since OS X isn’t at all appropriate for touchscreens.
Oh, OS XI won’t let you see folder trees, by the way. If anyone thinks that Apple doesn’t intend to hide them from users entirely, you’re just kidding yourself.
Why not just go away forever?
Would a limited touch implementation of touch on OS X be so bad? They would just have to code in a touch layer designed to enhance certain track pad activities. The ability to grab and move by touching for instance. Close windows, open folders. Then let the developers take advantage of that by adding more complex things to their desktop apps. That could more easily be enhanced there than in the OS.
We all know the software has to be designed to take advantage of touch, but I don't really see the harm in an intermediate step. It wouldn't be much different than the track pad evolution, which slowly added more and more complex features. At least that's what I would propose.
I use it daily for professional reasons. Maybe you're using it wrong.
iOS is the intermediary.