Rumor: Apple to debut 10.5-inch iPad Pro at special event in early April

Posted:
in iPad edited March 2017
The rumor mill is ablaze about a supposed 10.5-inch iPad Pro, with the latest claims out of East Asia saying Apple has pushed up manufacturing of the alleged flagship tablet to make an early April launch.




Citing sources within Apple's supply chain, DigiTimes on Tuesday said the company has moved up production of the unannounced 10.5-inch slate to March in preparation of a debut in early April. Apple is supposedly working to unveil the new iPad Pro model at a media event meant to mark the inauguration of Apple Park, which is set to open next month.

DigiTimes has a less than stellar track record when it comes to predicting future Apple products, and the publication's assertions regarding an Apple Park keynote are likely unfounded. While employees are expected to start moving into the headquarters in April, construction of the on-site Steve Jobs Theater is not scheduled for completion until later this year.

So far, various rumors have pegged the 10.5-inch tablet to launch in March, April and May. According to the latest scuttlebutt, Apple could debut new iPad products between March 20 and 24, though the company has yet to send out media invitations for the usual product keynote.

Whether or not Apple plans to debut its latest iPad hardware at a public presentation, evidence suggests a series of new tablet devices are being tested in and around San Francisco Bay Area. On Monday, mobile marketing firm Fiksu said it discovered four new iPad identifiers running versions of iOS 10.3 in its device tracking logs.

While an accurate launch timeline remains elusive, industry insiders believe Apple will reveal a flagship 10.5-inch iPad Pro in the coming weeks. The device is said to be slightly larger than the 9.7-inch iPad Air, but boast a larger display thanks to a new design with thinner bezels.

Alongside the 10.5-inch model, Apple is widely expected to release an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a cheaper 9.7-inch variant that could take the place of iPad Air 2 at the bottom of the lineup.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    Quote
    On Monday, mobile marketing firm Fiksu said it discovered four new iPad identifiers in its device tracking logs.

    There is a reason why I limit my use of any device in public areas. These guys can obviously identify who and where and importantly what device is being used. That is just like all those no good tracking cookies we love to hate.
    With enough coverage this sort of information becomes very valuable and not only to the Ad slingers but even to crooks.
    Data says that all the iDevices known to belong to a family from say Duluth are now in Orlando. Cue a robbery at the home in Duluth.
    What will the insurers say then eh? You literally broadcast the fact that you were away on Holiday. Claim rejected.
    I know that this is taking things to extremes but it is in the Insurance company's interests to limit claim liability. Some already load your premiums for coverage of your stuff away from home. Next we will see a surcharge for the 'Empty Home'. Go away for more than a day and you have to pay more. Just business you understand.


    Soli1983GeorgeBMacMetriacanthosaurusjustadcomics
  • Reply 2 of 44
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    indieshacktallest skilbrucemc
  • Reply 3 of 44
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    You should double up on that tin foil hat! You clearly don't understand what information is sent to a website when you browse it.

    Device ID, browser ID and a check for cookies from previous visits. There is no personal info nor any way for a device to be linked to you.

    techprod1gynetmageRoyfb
  • Reply 4 of 44
    evilution said:
    You should double up on that tin foil hat! You clearly don't understand what information is sent to a website when you browse it.

    Device ID, browser ID and a check for cookies from previous visits. There is no personal info nor any way for a device to be linked to you.

    What about targetted adverts when you are in Shopping Malls?

    I'm just saying that there are people out there who buy and sell all sorts of data about you. Not all of them are 'good guys'. If you have a certain device type and it can be tracked then it does not take a Phd to realise that 'you' can be identified and tracked. Once that data gets to a tipping point, your whole life can be mapped out. The Ad slingers wet dream? Yes. But also a gold mine for the bad guys.

    Buy a nice bit of bling for the wife. Increase your insurance cover for the bit of bling. Go on a cruise to celebrate an event and bingo, your home is a target waiting to be hit. That does not even include posting of the inevitable selfies from a beach in the Bahamas on Social Media.
    Paranoid? you might think I am but others may not.
    If no one points out the risks then the biind will carry on and walk over the edge. I don't use any social media site for very good reasons. This sort of thing being one of them.
     

  • Reply 5 of 44
    michelb76michelb76 Posts: 610member
    Just what developers and creatives needed.
    staigard
  • Reply 6 of 44
    I have both the iPad Pro 9.7 & 12.9 w/keyboard and pencil. They are both robust and fantastic tools and have enjoyed the use of these tremendously. I can't imagine how they will continue to improve these tablets. I look forward to the reveal, I'm sure they must have some great innovation to add.
    on the new speculated size, 10.5" with a decrease in the Bezel dimension. It will be interesting to hear what people think of the smaller bezel for art and design with the pencil. Unless Apple has designed in a better way to,subtract finger/hand or palm replication while using the pencil, the thinner bezel might detract from the user experience for that segment. I find the present bezel dimension ideal for that use.
    watto_cobraslprescottpscooter63tmaytechprod1gyjustadcomics
  • Reply 7 of 44
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Who said they wouldn't update different aspects of the iPad, too? Lack of information.. actually exciting because we don't know what else will be offered. 

    But even if it was rumored to be able to clean your house by itself you'd still complain
    Rayz2016watto_cobrachiatmaytechprod1gyandrewj5790pscooter63StrangeDaysjustadcomicsalbegarc
  • Reply 8 of 44
    I think the new size iPad will introduce Apple's new Augmented Reality functionality. This functionality has been heralded already by Tim Cook. 

    Now the way I think the Augmented Reality functionality will work is to have facial tracking capability on the front of the device. This will allow the machine to display a "seamless" version of reality on the screen (actually the bezel will be the "seam", that is why they are reducing it as much as possible) as it can work out exactly where the viewer's eyes are all the time.

    Obviously this functionality is more pertinant with an iPad compared to an iPhone as an iPad provided its viewer with a bigger chunk of "reality" (for the same distance from the eye, of course).

    I think this will be BIG. I just hope the technology can be protected by patents or by some other means. Maybe the fact that Apple designs their own chips now will be sufficient to stop the opposition from copying.


    apple jockeywatto_cobratmay
  • Reply 9 of 44
    TiBook2002TiBook2002 Posts: 5unconfirmed, member
    Any speculation that the slightly larger size has something to do with a full sized keyboard accessory to compete with the entry level laptop market?
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 10 of 44
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Remember when forum comments were original?
    pscooter63chiatmaynetmageMetriacanthosaurusmike1beowulfschmidtpatchythepirateroundaboutnowStrangeDays
  • Reply 11 of 44
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    evilution said:
    You should double up on that tin foil hat! You clearly don't understand what information is sent to a website when you browse it.

    Device ID, browser ID and a check for cookies from previous visits. There is no personal info nor any way for a device to be linked to you.

    What about targetted adverts when you are in Shopping Malls?

    I'm just saying that there are people out there who buy and sell all sorts of data about you. Not all of them are 'good guys'. If you have a certain device type and it can be tracked then it does not take a Phd to realise that 'you' can be identified and tracked. Once that data gets to a tipping point, your whole life can be mapped out. The Ad slingers wet dream? Yes. But also a gold mine for the bad guys.

    Buy a nice bit of bling for the wife. Increase your insurance cover for the bit of bling. Go on a cruise to celebrate an event and bingo, your home is a target waiting to be hit. That does not even include posting of the inevitable selfies from a beach in the Bahamas on Social Media.
    Paranoid? you might think I am but others may not.
    If no one points out the risks then the biind will carry on and walk over the edge. I don't use any social media site for very good reasons. This sort of thing being one of them.
     

    I'm not saying you are wrong, but it would be more straightforward to obtain the passsnger list for the cruise than to get logs from multiple servers.
  • Reply 12 of 44
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,462member
    sog35 said:
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Sub 10 comment poster strikes again.

    AppleInsider can we please have stricter rules for new posters? I'm getting sick of 'new' posters coming here and every single one of their posts are negative crap. New posters should be screened and if they are only posting negative, then their account should be banned.
    AI I totally disagree with the comment above. Newcomers have valid opinions, this forum should never be purely for Apple zealots.
    firelockapple jockeybrucemc
  • Reply 13 of 44
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    sog35 said:
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Sub 10 comment poster strikes again.

    AppleInsider can we please have stricter rules for new posters? I'm getting sick of 'new' posters coming here and every single one of their posts are negative crap. New posters should be screened and if they are only posting negative, then their account should be banned.
    AI I totally disagree with the comment above. Newcomers have valid opinions, this forum should never be purely for Apple zealots.
    Actually, I'd support Sog's idea, but only if they also ban people who  drone on about their portfolios, whine like brats when the Apple share price drops and then pretend they supported the CEO all along when the share price rises. 

    Folk like that are far more annoying than any new poster. 
    edited March 2017 ajbecker8netmagemike1chiabeowulfschmidtroundaboutnowwilliamhasdasdStrangeDaysjustadcomics
  • Reply 14 of 44
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Not really....I don't know where some get this idea that every single Apple event was exciting. Watching Steve Jobs do 2hr demo's of iLife was incredibly boring. Watching Steve Jobs introduce an updated PowerMac G4 with a 100 MHz upgrade that was actually slower than the outgoing model was pretty boring. Watching Steve Jobs do 1hr demo's of tiny updates to Mac OS X as it was called was pretty boring. Watching countless demo's of OS X apps and games at what seemed like every single Apple Keynote was pretty boring!

    The only things we remember were the couple of times Apple had good keynotes like announcing a totally redesigned iMac G4 or the original iPhone. Or, watching the Apple Watch being introduced for the first time was pretty cool. However, those were really few and far between. Its just that the exciting ones stick out and we forget all of the boring ones that happened more often. 

    I remember growing up as a teenager and in my early twenties I was always really excited to watch an Apple Keynote event, but typically about an hour into it, all of the excitement wore off and I became bored. Sure, there was the "There is one more thing..." that sometimes popped up, but even then, sometimes that wasn't all that exciting. 
    edited March 2017 pscooter63netmageStrangeDaysfirelockjustadcomicsbrucemc
  • Reply 15 of 44
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Any speculation that the slightly larger size has something to do with a full sized keyboard accessory to compete with the entry level laptop market?
    I suspect that, even if it doesn't have anything to do with a full size keyboard, that that is their target.   As the Axx processors become increasingly powerful, the lower end Intel laptops enter target range...

    Picture a typical student:  Would you buy a $500 tablet plus a $1,000 laptop -- or just a single "hybrid" that does both EQUALLY well for about half that total amount?  Not only do you save money but you have less to lug around.
  • Reply 16 of 44
    sog35 said:
    sog35 said:
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Sub 10 comment poster strikes again.

    AppleInsider can we please have stricter rules for new posters? I'm getting sick of 'new' posters coming here and every single one of their posts are negative crap. New posters should be screened and if they are only posting negative, then their account should be banned.
    AI I totally disagree with the comment above. Newcomers have valid opinions, this forum should never be purely for Apple zealots.
    being a zealot is one thing. But being a constant BASHER on your first 10 comments is something else.

    Isn't it obvious a person is a troll if they go through all the trouble to make a new account and then in the their first 10 posts all they do is bash Apple?
    Well, unless they have gotting really angry at something Apple did. 
    edited March 2017
  • Reply 17 of 44
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    sog35 said:
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Sub 10 comment poster strikes again.

    AppleInsider can we please have stricter rules for new posters? I'm getting sick of 'new' posters coming here and every single one of their posts are negative crap. New posters should be screened and if they are only posting negative, then their account should be banned.
    AI I totally disagree with the comment above. Newcomers have valid opinions, this forum should never be purely for Apple zealots.
    AI, I'd like to add agreement to Bloggerblog's comment...
    I also think it's hilarious that Sog feels, apparently, that negative, even vituperative comments are perfectly fine,
    if, like him, you've posted thousands of them...
    apple jockey
  • Reply 18 of 44
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,544member
    Any speculation that the slightly larger size has something to do with a full sized keyboard accessory to compete with the entry level laptop market?
    I suspect that, even if it doesn't have anything to do with a full size keyboard, that that is their target.   As the Axx processors become increasingly powerful, the lower end Intel laptops enter target range...

    Picture a typical student:  Would you buy a $500 tablet plus a $1,000 laptop -- or just a single "hybrid" that does both EQUALLY well for about half that total amount?  Not only do you save money but you have less to lug around.
    Gosh, not again: 

    currently, what those typical students are doing is NOT buying hybrids. And as has become abundantly clear from all the tedious discussion, and what even the die-hard Surface proponents admit: the "hybrids" do NOT do "both EQUALLY well". 
  • Reply 19 of 44
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,080member
    Would you buy a $500 tablet plus a $1,000 laptop -- or just a single "hybrid" that does both EQUALLY well for about half that total amount?
    Except that a device that does both equally well does not in fact exist.  

    Really, I've read the arguments already, no need to rehash.  Just not buying it.
  • Reply 20 of 44
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,309member
    sog35 said:
    inteliboy said:
    Cool. They changed the size of the screen. Remember when Apple events used to be exciting?
    Sub 10 comment poster strikes again.

    AppleInsider can we please have stricter rules for new posters? I'm getting sick of 'new' posters coming here and every single one of their posts are negative crap. New posters should be screened and if they are only posting negative, then their account should be banned.
    sog,

    You might not want to paint everyone with such a broad brush. A very informative post was made by Staigard, above, his eighth in a number of years.
    edited March 2017
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