Apple Rumored To Be Readying 12-Inch 'iPad Pro' In Attempt To Take On Surface Pro 3
How unflattering. Apple appears to be preparing, at least according to rumors, a 2-in-1 hybrid tablet convertible that's very much competitive to what Microsoft's Surface Pro line offers, along with countless hybrid tablet-notebook convertibles that have custom-built detachable keyboards. Though Jony Ive gets a little feisty about copy-cat devices as not just flattery but more specifically "theft," it does seem ironic that Apple appears to be lining up to potentially follow the trend once again, rather than lead. The original iPad may have set the tablet revolution in motion but then eventually came the iPad Mini, as Apple caved to the market share success of smaller 7 to 8-inch devices.
Now it looks like Apple is taking note of the success of convertible tablet-notebook devices like Microsoft's popular Surface Pro 3, because, you know, not everyone just wants just a consumption device; some folks want to get real work done too. Enter the "iPad Pro" or "iPad Plus." Call it what you want, but this iPad is rumored to offer 12.2 inches of tablet real estate in addition to enhanced functionality.
Apple iPad Air 2 with a companion Bluetooth keyboard. It's just not the same.
Now it looks like Apple is taking note of the success of convertible tablet-notebook devices like Microsoft's popular Surface Pro 3, because, you know, not everyone just wants just a consumption device; some folks want to get real work done too. Enter the "iPad Pro" or "iPad Plus." Call it what you want, but this iPad is rumored to offer 12.2 inches of tablet real estate in addition to enhanced functionality.
Apple iPad Air 2 with a companion Bluetooth keyboard. It's just not the same.
Reportedly, this will be a more substantial and thicker iPad device (thicker than the iPad Air 2 at least) that could potentially even sport a different OS than the rest of the iPad line. Could it be that Mac OS is in the cards for this device and perhaps even Intel's Core M is under the hood? That's all speculation on my part but it would make for for an interesting product. The report dose indicate that this device is thicker than the iPad Air 2 and sports another speaker port area for more full stereo audio output. Projections are that this big boy iPad won't hit until Q3 2015.
Drop in a purpose-built keyboard dock and you've got, well, the Mac or iOS equivalent of the Surface Pro 3 or an ASUS Transformer. But we won't call it theft. It's all good. There's iteration and innovation. If these rumors are true, Apple is continuing its iterative cycle and underscoring the legitimacy of the 2-in-1.
Drop in a purpose-built keyboard dock and you've got, well, the Mac or iOS equivalent of the Surface Pro 3 or an ASUS Transformer. But we won't call it theft. It's all good. There's iteration and innovation. If these rumors are true, Apple is continuing its iterative cycle and underscoring the legitimacy of the 2-in-1.
