12.2-Inch 'iPad Air Plus' May Launch Between April and June 2015 With A9 Processor

[brendu]

Agreed.I really don't like the 'plus'naming.sounds cheap.

Apple has used "plus" for a very long time. Going all the way back to the Macintosh plus back in 1986. You might think it sounds cheap but it's something apple has used many times and it never related to a cheap product before.

Edit, it actually goes back to 1979 with the "Apple II Plus"

 

[Digital Skunk]

Hm, not understand why they don't use the 'Pro' moniker, as used in the portable Mac line.

iPhone Pro, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro.

Will they rename it to MacBook Plus? :/

I can see them doing that in the Retina 17" Macbook Pro . . . . maybe.

Real pressure sensitivity would be huge for those who want to do artistic work.

Or those that want to have serious professional pen input without having to spend $200 for a bluetooth chubby pen accessory that still doesn't get it as perfect as the Surface Pro or Note series.

It's really one of the major areas the iPad suffers in.

 

[koyoot]

One thing is getting apparent.

There will be another Apple Special Event.

Event, where they can again focus on promoting the AppleWatch with announcing the start of preorders, and sales, eventually, where they can present iPad Pro, and update the iPad Mini and Mac Pro.

I think that could be between February and March of 2015.

 

[thekeyring]

One thing is getting apparent.

There will be another Apple Special Event.

Event, where they can again focus on promoting the AppleWatch with announcing the start of preorders, and sales, eventually, where they can present iPad Pro, and update the iPad Mini and Mac Pro.

I think that could be between February and March of 2015.

Yeah. I reckon it'll be Watch and Music focused, but they pack so much into events now I wouldn't be surprised at an iPad Pro, too

 

[Serban]

i think with the iphone 6 plus they rethink the ipad screen strategy with ipad air 9.7" and ipad pro/plus with 12" and remove the ipad mini from 2016

 

[pdqgp]

Apple invented the smartphone as we know it

will wait on you to further clarify this statement. what they did in 2007 was introduce a muliti-touch phone with finger inputs and no keyboard.

they waited until they were able to make a brilliant 'phablet' before moving to that market.

there's little to nothing brilliant about the iP6 devices in terms of calling them a phablet. In fact IMO they are nothing but larger versions of what already existed.

The proof that they were right to wait is that their 'phablet' is now crucifying Samsung.

The iP6 isn't what's hurting Samsung. Samsung and the Chinese makers are what's hurting them. The S5 nor Note 4 are anything revolutionary over their preceding models. That's where they are to blame.

 

[KohPhiPhi]

People don't want a tablet AND a laptop. They want one device that does both.

Errrr no?!

I want a powerful Macbook Pro on my desk for productivity tasks, and a comfy iPad Mini around the couch for browsing the net. They are fantastic at what they do, separately. I dont want one device that's half way in between, excelling at neither.

 

[cdmoore74]

A9 + bigger display isn't gonna cut it. Give full OS X functionality or kthxbye

If we see full OS X in tablet form expect it to cost $800 to $1000 just for the base model. Even more if they use intel i processors.

 

[mattroman246]

but...why?

bigger than bigger than bigger

 

[2010mini]

Errrr no?!

I want a powerful Macbook Pro on my desk for productivity tasks, and a comfy iPad Mini around the couch for browsing the net. They are fantastic at what they do, separately. I dont want one device that's half way in between, excelling at neither.

This. this. This.

Mobile and desktop computing needs to be kept separate. Personally I would never use a Surface or an iPad as a laptop substitute. My company gave me an iPad with one of those keyboard case for that "laptop feel"..... So ackward to use. I still use the onboard keyboard 99% of the time.

 

[ghettochris]

Have you even used the Surface Pro 3? It's definitely not perfect by any means, but it's a damn impressive device nonetheless

Haven't tried the surface 3, but played with the 2 a little, and while impressive, it was a big bulky annoying tablet compared to the iPad, and the ****** laptop that you can't use in your lap compared to a MacBook air.

 

[Renzatic]

Haven't tried the surface 3, but played with the 2 a little, and while impressive, it was a big bulky annoying tablet compared to the iPad, and the ****** laptop that you can't use in your lap compared to a MacBook air.

The Pro 2 was a brick, yeah. But the Pro 3 is about as thick as the iPhone 5, and only weighs a bit more than my iPad 3. That old joke about MS taking 2 or 3 tries to get something right definitely applies here.

 

[CEmajr]

This whole giant iPad thing seems rather pointless to me. At such size I'd rather just get a Macbook Air 11' and have a full OS X experience with a keyboard.

 

[Menneisyys2]

DOA if it
- doesn't support a radio pen AND split-screen multitasking AND
- is significantly more expensive than current iPads, boosting the price into the Surface Pro 3 territory.

----------

If we see full OS X in tablet form expect it to cost $800 to $1000 just for the base model. Even more if they use intel i processors.

Too bad it's highly unlikely we'll see a full OS X tablet any time. The OS simply doesn't allow for touch operation - the window handler icons are small etc.

The OS would need a complete overhaul (as was done for Windows 8) to be properly supported on touch screens.

Nevertheless, I'd LOVE a decent OS X tablet - something like a SP3. Particularly with a 4k 19+" screen for some serious work. And, of course, Wacom / nTrig support.

----------

I can see them doing that in the Retina 17" Macbook Pro . . . . maybe.

Would love it too (entering this on my 17"). I just can't put up with the lower screen estate of smaller-screen MBP's.

 

[handsome pete]

Errrr no?!

I want a powerful Macbook Pro on my desk for productivity tasks, and a comfy iPad Mini around the couch for browsing the net. They are fantastic at what they do, separately. I dont want one device that's half way in between, excelling at neither.

You're obviously not the target demo for this type of device. I'd like a device that can hand off files easily to my main workstation, one that can run desktop software, and has a wacom digitizer or equivalent. So hopefully that's what we get. If it turns out the main feature is just a bigger screen, then I don't see the thing taking off.

 

[Menneisyys2]

an apple-version (read: actually done correctly) of the surface pro 3 would be interesting. Something like a macbook air and an ipad put together, and it can dual boot OS X and iOS

Agreed. I've been contemplating getting the SP3 because of the excellent hardware but the (not very numerous but still annoying, see e.g. Wi-Fi) problems with the OSx86 running on it deterred me from actually doing so.

A NATIVE OS X tablet, capable of at least what the SP3 is capable of (and having as rectangular screen as possible - not 16:9, not even 16:10!) would be a godsend for me.

 

[handsome pete]

Haven't tried the surface 3, but played with the 2 a little, and while impressive, it was a big bulky annoying tablet compared to the iPad, and the ****** laptop that you can't use in your lap compared to a MacBook air.

It's improved since the 2. And you're probably right about the lap part of it since that looks awkward, but I've heard people using it that way just fine. Besides, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've had to use my MacBook air on my lap.

 

[GenesisST]

Finally! I will be able to release my Twister app!

 

[CEmajr]

Also those clamoring for full blown OS X or a Surface-like device from Apple will be waiting for a very long time.

Apple is going to hold off as long as it can before making a product that is truly capable of replacing the PC. Making a Surface like device or giving iPads OS X would severely cannibalize Macbook sales as well as sales of the current iPads. So we can dream of geeky things like an iPad that dual boots OS X and iOS but potential revenue will always win out over geek fantasies. Apple will not offer such a device until it makes sense financially rather than technologically. Microsoft didn't mind cannibalizing PC sales with the Surface because PC sales are dying out and not making money anyway.

 

[GenesisST]

Agreed. I've been contemplating getting the SP3 because of the excellent hardware but the (not very numerous but still annoying, see e.g. Wi-Fi) problems with the OSx86 running on it deterred me from actually doing so.

A NATIVE OS X tablet, capable of at least what the SP3 is capable of (and having as rectangular screen as possible - not 16:9, not even 16:10!) would be a godsend for me.

What do you mean by "as rectangular as possible"? 16:9 or 16:10 are rectangles... Hell, 32:1 is still a rectangle

 

[HolyGrail]

Apple is going to have to innovate in this space soon. The corporate world is moving past tablets and what I am seeing is more and more people looking towards Surface Pro 3 type devices. Mobile and desktop are converging and this is where the growth will be. People don't want a tablet AND a laptop. They want one device that does both, especially if their computing needs are on the lighter end of the spectrum which is probably where 75% of people are.

My employer is moving our execs and mobile folks towards the Lenovo Tablet 10s and away from their iPads. I'm seeing it in other businesses as well. Someone is going to have to make the iOS world and OSX world play nice, and soon. The writing is on the wall.

Disagree. Both can coexist just fine. Even if they do make a pro version, Many people are still going to want a simple tablet they can pick up and use.

 

[Menneisyys2]

What do you mean by "as rectangular as possible"? 16:9 or 16:10 are rectangles... Hell, 32:1 is still a rectangle

Sorry, I meant "square" That is, at least 3:2 (as is the SP3), but I'd even more prefer 4:3 (as is the iPads / the Nokia N1 / the Nexus 9).

 

[sracer]

Errrr no?!

I want a powerful Macbook Pro on my desk for productivity tasks, and a comfy iPad Mini around the couch for browsing the net. They are fantastic at what they do, separately. I dont want one device that's half way in between, excelling at neither.

He didn't say EVERYONE wanted that... just "people". Clearly you don't and since those products already exist, you're all set.

This. this. This.

Mobile and desktop computing needs to be kept separate. Personally I would never use a Surface or an iPad as a laptop substitute. My company gave me an iPad with one of those keyboard case for that "laptop feel"..... So ackward to use. I still use the onboard keyboard 99% of the time.

Simply because it hasn't been done properly in the past is no indication that it won't in the future.

There's more to converting a tablet to a laptop than just slapping a keyboard on it.

The keyboard sub-market for iPads is a clear indication that there are many people who want to expand their use of their iPads beyond touch-interaction alone. But as I said, more needs to be done to provide an optimal transforming (tablet <-> notebook) experience.

Apple has been very resistant to that. (they yanked their keyboard dock soon after the 1st gen iPad was released.) They've also been resistant to smaller iPad screens until consumers sent a clear message (with their $$$ to competitors). They were resistant to larger iPhone screens, again until consumers sent them a message.

There ARE people who want to use their tablet more than just a coach-potato device.


I find it amusing that some are pointing to Microsoft's Surface as "proof" that a hybrid/transforming tablet/notebook device is not a good idea. If Apple were looking to Microsoft for leadership in what is and isn't a good idea, the iPad wouldn't have been created in the first place. Their early Windows tablets and later on Origami devices would've "proved" the uselessness of tablets.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Apple is going to hold off as long as it can before making a product that is truly capable of replacing the PC. Making a Surface like device or giving iPads OS X would severely cannibalize Macbook sales as well as sales of the current iPads. So

Let me disagree. The complete lack of a natively OS X-capable tablet makes us serios tablet / active pen fans / users go for Windows-based tablets. What else could we do?

That is, Apple in no way would cannibalize the Macbook sales - at least on serious tablet users' part.

 

[MacRazySwe]

I could definitely see this future product line-up at Apple, would be pretty applicable to todays products:

- iPhone Mini (4") - The smallest device in the line-up, for the one-handed users.
- iPhone Air (4.7") - The thinnest device in the line-up, 6.9mm, hence "Air" moniker.
- iPhone Plus (5.5") - The largest device, with a few extra features, tiny bit thicker at 7.1mm.

- iPad Mini (7.9") - Smallest
- iPad Air (9.7") - Thinnest (think iPad Air 2 vs current Mini)
- iPad Plus (12.2") - Largest


The iPhone Mini would be an iPhone 5S repackaged into the iPhone 6 case, with a 4" display. Scrap all the old products, such as the iPhone 5S, 5C, iPad Mini 1, Mini 2, Mini 3, Air 1, et c.

While I must say that I very much like the option of buying the iPad Mini 2 for a great price, rather than only having the Mini 3 as an option, this does cause a very odd product line and I don't think it's right for the long run. You don't see Apple selling 2011 MacBooks along their 2014 models (don't ruin my argument by bringing up the cMBP from 2012...) neither do I think they should sell a 2011 iPad Mini in 2014.