12.9-Inch iPad Pro in Short Supply Ahead of Rumored March Update

[MacRumors]

Just weeks before Apple is rumored to launch a trio of new iPads, 12.9-inch iPad Pro stock is drying up around the world.

A spot check of Apple's online store reveals that most if not all 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are now estimated to ship in 2-3 weeks in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and elsewhere—that's up from a shipping estimate of 1-2 weeks as recently as last weekend.

Apple's in-store pickup tool lists most 12.9-inch iPad Pro models as available on March 3 to March 6 in locations ranging from New York and San Francisco to Toronto, Canada and London, England. Some models remain available for pickup as early as "today," but stock has increasingly depleted based upon our checks.

12.9-inch iPad Pro models are also largely out of stock or backordered by several weeks at resellers such as Best Buy, AT&T, and Verizon in the United States. That's in sharp contrast to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which remains well stocked and available to ship immediately on both Apple's website and at resellers.

Lengthy shipping times can sometimes indicate that a product refresh is imminent, but in this case, the supply chain could be to blame.

In its latest earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company underestimated iPad demand this quarter and had an issue with one of its suppliers. Cook said he does not expect the shortage to be totally resolved this quarter, and that could reasonably explain why the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is increasingly hard to find.

Apple analyst Neil Cybart of Above Avalon said Apple has been experiencing "increasingly noticeable supply chain troubles," as evidenced by long shipping estimates on products that launched months ago, such as Apple Watch Series 2 and AirPods. With a 2-3 week wait, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro can be added to that list.

Rumors suggest Apple will launch an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro with slimmer bezels as early as March—or as late as the second half of this year per hit-and-miss supply chain source DigiTimes. Apple is also expected to release updated 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with faster A10X processors.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara said the next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro will feature a True Tone display like its current 9.7-inch counterpart, using advanced four-channel ambient light sensors to automatically adapt the color and intensity of the display to match the light in the surrounding environment.

The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro will also gain the 9.7-inch iPad Pro's same 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and True Tone flash, and it will allegedly still have a 3.5mm headphone jack, according to the blog.

"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," Cook said last week.

Article Link: 12.9-Inch iPad Pro in Short Supply Ahead of Rumored March Update

 

[Brookzy]

I hope the fact that only the 12.9" is backordered doesn't mean that only the 12.9" will be updated... Apple really needs to get the Pros in sync feature-wise.

 

[Ma2k5]

I am tempted to pick one up just for study notes - will be between this and a (future) Surface Pro 5.

How has peoples experience been writing code/equations? Compatibility/issues with Word/PDF documents?

 

[aaronhead14]

#NewMacPro #MakeAppleGrateAgain (Get it? The cheese grater Mac Pro?) In all seriousness though, we need a new Mac Pro FAR before we need new iPad Pro.

 

[nt5672]

Declining market about the same size as the Mac markets, yet regular updates. Sometimes this stuff is just unbelievable and you have to wonder just what does Apple strategy look like?

 

[guzhogi]

I hope the fact that only the 12.9" is backordered doesn't mean that only the 12.9" will be updated... Apple really needs to get the Pros in sync feature-wise.

Agreed. Plus, maybe simplify the iPad lineup. Drop the Air, and have the only difference between the 7.9 Mini, 9.7" & 12.9" be just that: the screen size. Maybe add a 11" iPad, but whatever.
[doublepost=1486653979][/doublepost]

#NewMacPro #MakeAppleGrateAgain (Get it? The cheese grater Mac Pro?) In all seriousness though, we need a new Mac Pro FAR before we need new iPad Pro.

Wouldn't mind a Mac Pro with leading edge graphics like an Nvidia Titan X, and work with game manufacturers to really show off what Macs can do.

 

[nerdAFK]

Meanwhile the iPad Air 2's shipping date has slipped to 7-10 days, while the 9.7 iPad Pro is in stock.
I think it is pretty clear the 9.7 Pro is going to replace the Air 2, hopefully also at iPad Air 2's lower price.

 

[Labeno]

"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," added Cook.

Ya, a huge price increase. I think this is the only thing in Tim's pipeline these days.

 

[pat500000]

First 12.9 model is great. I have doubt that Apple would release it on the day..or at least mention it.

 

[SoApple]

Hopefully they come out with something really innovative and groundbreaking. The iPad line has been boring for many years.

 

[big-ted]

I am tempted to pick one up just for study notes - will be between this and a (future) Surface Pro 5.

How has peoples experience been writing code/equations? Compatibility/issues with Word/PDF documents?

Go for the Surface Pro. The iPad is great for consuming information but poor for creating text on
[doublepost=1486654591][/doublepost]

Hopefully they come out with something really innovative and groundbreaking. The iPad line has been boring for many years.

Like a magnet to hold the pencil

 

[centauratlas]

Ya, a huge price increase. I think this is the only thing in Tim's pipeline these days.

But, most importantly, will it be thinner with new emojis?

 

[Chupa Chupa]

"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," added Cook.

Keeps saying this even as iPad sales keep plummeting. At what point does reality hit him that the iPad's OS needs to be more robust than that of a phone if the general public is going to think of it as a viable laptop equivalent?

 

[manu chao]

I hope the fact that only the 12.9" is backordered doesn't mean that only the 12.9" will be updated... Apple really needs to get the Pros in sync feature-wise.

What's likely going to happen is that the current 9.7" iPad Pro will remain in production but be discounted by $100 (as happened before with the Air 2, Air, iPad 4 (sort of), and iPad 2). Now, one might ask why the same isn't happening with the current 12.9" iPad. Maybe the new 10"-ish iPad partially closes the price gap between the current $600 9.7" iPad Pro and the $800 12.9" iPad. Maybe Apple doesn't feel the need to keep two 12.9" iPads on offer.

 

[infinitejest]

I'm wondering how they are gonna name the new iPads to charge even more. iPad Pro Edition? iPad Pro SE?

 

[blackcrayon]

Declining market about the same size as the Mac markets, yet regular updates. Sometimes this stuff is just unbelievable and you have to wonder just what does Apple strategy look like?

Apple has much more control over iPad hardware than Mac hardware. And the iPad obviously benefits from all of the R&D that goes into the iPhone. There's no reason why they can't update the iPad just about as often as the iPhone. And since most iPads are far less expensive than most Macs, they're more likely to get upgraders more often.

Go for the Surface Pro. The iPad is great for consuming information but poor for creating text on
[doublepost=1486654591][/doublepost]

Like a magnet to hold the pencil

I think the iPad is just great for creating text on. Now, editing might be a weak point if you aren't really good with keyboard commands

 

[soupcan]

Meanwhile the iPad Air 2's shipping date has slipped to 7-10 days, while the 9.7 iPad Pro is in stock.
I think it is pretty clear the 9.7 Pro is going to replace the Air 2, hopefully also at iPad Air 2's lower price.

It won't (the lower price bit). Even though your average tablet user won't need a bazillion speakers or a ludicrously fast CPU. And it'll have the same dumb camera bump as well.

In about a year you can't look at Apple if you wan't a tablet for "normal" use (some web browsing, YouTube, the horror that is Candy Crush). No, instead you'll be forced to use the more expensive model because it has **** in it you'll never ever use "just because we're Apple".

 

[guzhogi]

But, most importantly, will it be thinner with new emojis?

Indeed. I hate to say it, but Microsoft kinda showed them up with the Surface line. As someone getting into photography, I'd like to actually draw on screen with a stylus or something, and have a larger screen & full computer features like file system access, printing, multiple users, etc.

When they did the presentation for the new MBP with Touchbar, I felt that as good as the TouchBar might be, that's a feature they should've spent 30 minutes on at most rather than 90.

 

[6836838]

#NewMacPro #MakeAppleGrateAgain (Get it? The cheese grater Mac Pro?) In all seriousness though, we need a new Mac Pro FAR before we need new iPad Pro.

A decent MacBook Pro would be nice too. One that has useful ports, a magasafe port and upgradable RAM etc.

 

[KPOM]

A decent MacBook Pro would be nice too. One that has useful ports, a magasafe port and upgradable RAM etc.

The MacBook Pro's ports are far more versatile than the ports on the previous models.

And before anyone jumps on Apple for the right-side TB3 ports having half the bandwidth of the left-side ports, note that the Dell XPS's sole TB3 port is also half-bandwidth.

 

[meady100]

but stock has increasingly depleted

You journos are such wizards with words!

 

[m.x]

Ya, a huge price increase. I think this is the only thing in Tim's pipeline these days.

I'm really curious how they will price the Pro. They already lowered the prices for the Pro by $50/$100 and I've never seen an Apple product which tanked in resell value as quickly as the 12.9" Pro. A few weeks after the 12.9" was announced, you could get the 128GB one here (in Germany) for €750-€850 new and sealed. That was a sign to me that they went too far (SRP was €1079). But I doubt we will see further price decreases...

 

[iMi]

Funny... I have two iPads. One is at least 4-5 years old and the other one is probably 2 years old. Both are working perfectly well. There is no need on my part to replace them. Mac Pro and iMac on the other hand, needs updates desperately. Some pipeline...

 

[satchmo]

"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," added Cook.​

I'm not buying it. Lately, more often than not, Cook's idea of exciting is completely different to mine.
Please tell me you have something more than a faster processor. Frankly, I'd be happier if they simply lowered the prices.

 

[DaveOP]

I hope the fact that only the 12.9" is backordered doesn't mean that only the 12.9" will be updated... Apple really needs to get the Pros in sync feature-wise.

The iPad Air 2 has also been in short supply. I order them regularly though Apple Business, and it's taken 2-3 weeks to get them.