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10.5-Inch iPad Pro Entering Limited Production, But Spring, WWDC, or Fall Launch Remains Unclear

I don't think they would do a full redesign for the 10.5" model. It will certainly be updated, which is necessary, but I think they'll let the iPhone ride with the new design for a bit before porting it over. 10.5" is enough to get some people to buy it—especially if it has the same workspace as the iPad Pro 12.9" at a higher PPI—and then updating it in another year with the new design would get some more people on board. What I don't often hear people talking about is the software, and I think ipad software will see bigger changes at WWDC this year. But is that enough to hold on a launch? I think the original iPad shipped with iOS 3.2 or something weird, so it's not impossible that they would update the hardware and then preview the new software at WWDC for launch in the autumn. But if they do that, would they just wait to announce it at WWDC? Maybe show full Xcode running on the iPad Pro?

As for hardware features, I'm hoping for more RAM on the smaller model, graphics capabilities approaching newer Tegra chips from Nvidia, even better Pencil capabilities, 3D Touch, a solid state home button (it really is better after using the iPhone 7 and weird when I push the mushy button on my iPad Air 2), water resistant, replace Space Gray with Jet Black, and of course the same display resolution as the 12.9" iPad Pro which will make multitasking more enjoyable.
 
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Limited production, must mean some of the parts are in very limited supply.

But, look on the bright side, it gives Apple more time to see how long all the glue inside will stick together.

hahaha

gotta love their repairability
 
Doesn't make sense to have a small website refresh with some new items just to have a keynote a month later. Why not save it all and have an even bigger event? The only reason I could think of doing that would be that they are holding out to have the next big product reveal in the Steve Jobs theater.

My money is on a Fall release, particularly if the 10.5 inch iPad will have any of the features heading for the flagship iPhone this year.
 
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People have only so much disposable income to spend on expensive Apple toys. There won't be nuthin coming out until after the next iPhone is announced.
Save your pennies folks. It's gunna be a doozy...
 
No way the 10.5" (if that's the size) will launch before the iPhone if it will use the upcoming A11 SOC.
Apple would never reveal the A11 on an ipad. Far to much PR in announcing speed and other "increments" of the A11 to waste it on an iPad launch.

So IF the 10.5" is coming before october it will be A10 based. My money is on a october/post october launch to allow for A11 use in the new PRO ipad line (10.5 and 12.9)
 
If we ever see a completely bezel-free anything, palm/grip rejection software had better damn well be perfected.
 
I don't know. I think Apple will wait until the iPhone event this Fall to introduce the edge-to-edge iPhone and iPad.

Or, introduce it next month and say its available Fall 2017 aka when the new IPhone is released. They did introduce the Apple Watch quite early.
 
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"Among all the other aforementioned things that don't make sense regarding the rumor that a 10.5-inch iPad is imminent is the idea that the new design language would debut on an iPad, not an iPhone."

Actually it does. Consider the fact that the technology in an iPad is different and simpler than an iPhone - more room to spread it out and to work with, as well as no 3-D touch due to screen size. Add to that the desire to increase iPad sales....

More points towards iPad development before iPhone than away.
 
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macduke said:
I don't think they would do a full redesign for the 10.5" model. It will certainly be updated, which is necessary, but I think they'll let the iPhone ride with the new design for a bit before porting it over. 10.5" is enough to get some people to buy it—especially if it has the same workspace as the iPad Pro 12.9" at a higher PPI—and then updating it in another year with the new design would get some more people on board.
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That's what I'm thinking too. It's entirely possible, and consistent with some rumors, that the iPad Pro 10.5" could have the form factor of the 9.7" with reduced bezels while keeping the home button.


1*xP-O5S0Ixk9ar7dSMDVBIw.jpeg

(Picture from Studio Neat, "A 9.7" iPad Pro with a 10.5" piece of paper overlaid.")

There's enough room for the home button if it is moved down slightly from where it is now.

ccrunner_tj said:
Doesn't make sense to have a small website refresh with some new items just to have a keynote a month later. Why not save it all and have an even bigger event?
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Similar updates happened before with the Mac Pro (1 week before MWSF 2008) and MacBook Pro (1 week before WWDC 2007). The reverse happened last year with a MacBook update a month after Apple's March 2016 event.

As for saving updates, Michael Gartenberg, former Apple senior marketing director, speculates that there could still be an event soon:
Michael Gartenberg said:
I still think this was take out the trash event to clear the deck for something larger.
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I think a spring event could contain some of the possibilities below:
  • iPad Pro 12.9" update and new 10.5", with A10X
  • MacBook with Kaby Lake
  • iMac with Kaby Lake, Vega 10?, and Touch Bar keyboard?
  • Mac Pro update with Vega 10? (wishful thinking!)
None of them seem to be particularly "large" updates (not at the level of last October's MBP update, for example) but together they could form an event.
 
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I got me a Macbook Pro 2016 15" and I'm very satisfied, and I have an iPad Pro 12" also very satisfied. But I see absolutely no reason to buy a newer iPad anytime soon.
I also owned the iPad 2,3,4,Air, too. Frankly, I don't see much difference between all these iPad versions.
The only major changes that worth noting was TouchID and Apple Pencil. The rest was all just Software based additions to circumvent their own virtual limitations and minor hardware improvements. iOS Apps also doesn't demand much cpu/gpu power. Just Apple keeps adding blur, transparency effects to iOS, to make current hardware feels sluggish and old.

Same goes to the iPhone.
I own a iPhone 7 Plus, it's the best iPhone I ever owned, but my old 6 Plus(non s) was still superb. Other than the camera lens, for me, there was absolutely no essential reason to upgrade.

I wish Apple would adapt iOS more to the iPad, and differ it more from the iPhone iOS version.
Like add Mouse support, add an unified local storage location which is accessible from all apps.
Make Xcode available, open up the terminal and allow us to run bash/python/ruby,etc. and allow us to run some webserver and database on it while hacking in an editor, allow us to read/write external storages per cable, add a finder, and so on. Well the usual features people are requesting since iOS exist.

Instead of adding e.g these useful features, they keep rearranging and redesigning icons, and adding other gui elements that does not even worth mentioning here. I don't need more RAM because there is no App that demands more RAM, and there won't be any Apps that demands more RAM if they don't finally start making the iPad more useful and finaly professional. I don't need macOS on the iPad, the iOS type GUI is absolutely fine, but I would like to have more of the macOS core functionalities with the iOS GUI on top.

It's also exactly the reason why iPad sales is dropping, because there is no reason to move to newer iPads, other than Apple own iOS updates making older iPads sluggish.
iPhone just sells great, because most people gets a new Phone every 2 years with the renewal of their mobile phone contract anyway. And Phones tends to wear out faster, people drop,scratch,break them more often.
 
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At this point I think I'm just going to get the current 9.7" iPad Pro. Even if it's updated in a month what crazy new feature will there be? A lack of a home button, a lack of a headphone jack, a faster processor and a slightly better screen? I feel like an iPad Pro 2 will be a marginal upgrade that won't be worth the wait.
 
DoctorDoctor said:
If you have a Pro already. But there are plenty of us with older models that would like a Pro version but don't want to buy one now is a new one is on the horizon.
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I had an air 1, and bought a 9.7 just recently.
Rlittle89 said:
At this point I think I'm just going to get the current 9.7" iPad Pro. Even if it's updated in a month what crazy new feature will there be? A lack of a home button, a lack of a headphone jack, a faster processor and a slightly better screen? I feel like an iPad Pro 2 will be a marginal upgrade that won't be worth the wait.
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I ordered one yesterday, gets here on Thursday. Totally agree with everything you said.
 
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timilner said:
Why release new iPad pros in the same quarter as new iPhones? They'll cannibalise each other as far as sales go. I call WWDC for updated iPads, not October. Makes no sense.
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Not sure how they would canabalize each other. The two really are not fungible, esp a 10.5" screen model. Besides that Apple execs, including Jobs when he was living, said they are not concerned about their products canabalizing each other as long as people are buying their products and not competitors. They have never shown any concern in this area.

There were a few years when Apple did release new iPads in the same quarter as iPhones. In fact they released their entire yearly updates in two Special Events. So there is history there.

What doesn't make sense though is a product ramp up in late March for a Sep/Oct announcement. That's a long time to be warehousing product and will hurt the bottom line for two quarters. More likely is a late April announcement and a May ship date. Apple hasn't announced hardware at WWDC. Possible but recent history would say not likely since it's focus is on software.
 
Tha_Real_Tim_Cook said:
Apple has to release some new macs at the wwdc. I'm afraid that there will be no april event and apple will release the new 10.5'' iPad (Pro) at the wwdc. The iMacs will be pushed back to a fall release together with a updated mbp. Bye bye Mac pro and mini

Hope I'm wrong
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It's getting a bit ridiculous. I know so many long-time Mac users who are now switching or contemplating a switch to Windows b/c the professional offerings just aren't there anymore. It's been a long, slow decline for Apple's professional products ... and by 'professional' I mean anyone doing graphics, video, animation type work ... or anything else that requires a powerful computer. Even the lack of connectivity options is increasingly becoming a deal-breaker. WWDC will most likely be very telling; if no new 'pro' type products are announced, I think it's safe to say Apple's future is iPhones and laptops. Last year's WWDC was all about emoticons and the big news last week was a red iPhone. I know Tim Cook said pros will not be neglected, but it's been 3.5 years since the last MacPro was released and Apple has killed most of their pro apps, server equipment, monitors, networking equipment - there's nothing left.
 
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Chupa Chupa said:
Not sure how they would canabalize each other. The two really are not fungible, esp a 10.5" screen model. Besides that Apple execs, including Jobs when he was living, said they are not concerned about their products canabalizing each other as long as people are buying their products and not competitors. They have never shown any concern in this area.

There were a few years when Apple did release new iPads in the same quarter as iPhones. In fact they released their entire yearly updates in two Special Events. So there is history there.

What doesn't make sense though is a product ramp up in late March for a Sep/Oct announcement. That's a long time to be warehousing product and will hurt the bottom line for two quarters. More likely is a late April announcement and a May ship date. Apple hasn't announced hardware at WWDC. Possible but recent history would say not likely since it's focus is on software.
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Agree that warehousing for long periods of time is not fiscally sound but there have been hardware updates at WWDC before now. Personally, I'm ready for an iPad Pro now. Sooner rather than later but June seems sensible.
 
Am I the only one who thinks an edge to edge iPad would be really, really awkward to hold in your hands?
 
I was surprised when I checked the buyers guide that the iPad is actually below average days between updates. So Apple holding off until the fall wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world.

However, with no Spring event, it does make think the iMacs will have to arrive at WWDC. If not, what gives? Apple have said they still care about desktops. If nothing else, that means an iMac, which is overdue for an update.

I thought if Apple had put their foot down iMacs might have been ready for Christmas 2016, but then I remembered this article: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tim-Cook-Regrets-Shipping-2012-iMac-Early-347920.shtml

...and assumed Apple were waiting for their March event. So far, my theory has turned out completely wrong.
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Tha_Real_Tim_Cook said:
Apple has to release some new macs at the wwdc. I'm afraid that there will be no april event and apple will release the new 10.5'' iPad (Pro) at the wwdc. The iMacs will be pushed back to a fall release together with a updated mbp. Bye bye Mac pro and mini

Hope I'm wrong
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I think you can say goodbye to the mini. As for the Mac Pro... I think there's a new one coming.
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sledgehammer89 said:
But... will it run ... macOS?
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No, because then it would be a Mac in a different form factor.
 
7.9" Pro please.

Oh what am I saying, something light enough to walk around with, take detailed accurate notes on, and still fit in your back pocket, and yet with a large enough display to be comfortable to look at... madness. Better discontinue the mini pronto.
 
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