iPad Pro Likely to Ship With iOS 9.1, Suggesting No September Launch Alongside iPhone

[MacRumors]

Earlier this week, we saw hints of Apple's work on iOS 9.1 in the MacRumors visitor logs, speculating Apple had begun work on the update as a way to test features on the much-rumored 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" or the iPad mini 4 ahead of production. As it turns out, we were correct.

This morning, analytics company AppSee found an "iPad6,8" with a resolution of 2,732 x 2,048 in its logs. We asked AppSee to check what version of iOS the iPad had installed on it, and as it turns out, it's running iOS 9.1, suggesting Apple's work on iOS 9.1 coincides with the development of the iPad Pro.

iOS 9.1 on the large-screened tablet in AppSee's logs suggests that's the operating system the iPad Pro will ship with, which rules out the possibility of a launch in September alongside the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. Both iOS 9.1 and the iPad Pro will likely be unveiled at a separate event later in the year.

Rumors this morning have also suggested the iPad Pro will be entering mass production in September or October, pointing towards a late October or November launch date. It's possible Apple plans to stick to the same October iPad unveiling timeline it's used for the past several years, introducing the iPad Pro in mid-October and shipping it at the end of the month.

It is not clear what will be introduced in iOS 9.1, but the iPad Pro includes several features that could require a dedicated update, such as a pressure sensitive Force Touch display, a stylus, and a USB-C port that could support peripheral devices.

Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be the first major new addition to the iPad lineup since the iPad mini was unveiled in 2012. At 12.9 inches, it's significantly larger than the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2, and could bring a much-needed boost to Apple's flagging iPad sales.

Article Link: iPad Pro Likely to Ship With iOS 9.1, Suggesting No September Launch Alongside iPhone

 

[NoWayBehind]

Soooo just iOS for a Pro device?

GG apple

 

[sniffies]

This blows! Means no Mac OS X.

Nevermind then, I won't be selling my Mac Pro and iMac with Retina 5K display.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Just like usual.

 

[jetjaguar]

Soooo just iOS for a Pro device?

GG apple

Yup this sucks if it's iOS

 

[Benjamin Frost]

I'd jump on a jumbo iPad.

 

[redheeler]

Soooo just iOS for a Pro device?

This blows! Means no Mac OS X.

You can't expect Apple to put OS X on hardware it's not and never was designed for, can you? iOS is what I always expected.

 

[gsmornot]

I don't need an iPad Pro. (...but I spent a few minutes wondering how I could make it happen)

 

[OriginalMacRat]

I don't need an iPad Pro. (...but I spent a few minutes wondering how I could make it happen)

Me either.

I need a 20" MacBook.

 

[Rogifan]

I have to laugh at people thinking/expecting this device would run OS X. If that were the case believe me they would be rumors about it by now. No way would Apple be able to keep that a secret. I'm not sure why anyone is shocked this device will be running a version of iOS.

 

[Ghost31]

Why....would people think an iPad, which is known as an iOS device, would just all of a sudden run OS X?

These people...

 

[thekeyring]

Why are people moaning about it running iOS? If there's a feature or two you'd like in a Pro tablet (for example: true multitasking) why aren't you leaving comments like 'without true multitasking, I don't want it'.

If you want every feature of OS X, you need a laptop.

 

[Northgrove]

I have to laugh at people thinking/expecting this device would run OS X. If that were the case believe me they would be rumors about it by now. No way would Apple be able to keep that a secret. I'm not sure why anyone is shocked this device will be running a version of iOS.

Yes, I think it's harder for them to keep big secrets now than before when they were still a rather small company. I remember the shock when they revealed OS X running on Intel machines though!

 

[tekchic]

I just want a non-sausage pressure sensitive stylus on a normal sized iPad for sketching and note-taking. No bluetooth stylus option I've tried yet is remotely comparable to sketching on a Wacom digitizer Surface Pro.

 

[Dydegu]

Are they going to make the app icons larger, or allow for more rows and columns? The iPads currently have too much space between apps. The mock-up for the iPad Pro looks even worse. Half the screen is just dead space.

 

[JonneyGee]

This blows! Means no Mac OS X.

Then I won't be selling my Mac Pro and iMac with Retina 5K display.

I don't think anyone expected any iPad to ship with OS X.

And it's better this way. When you try to have one operating system to run touchscreen and non-touch devices, you get the train wreck that is Windows 8.

 

[JonneyGee]

Are they going to make the app icons larger, or allow for more rows and columns? The iPads currently have too much space between apps. The mock-up for the iPad Pro looks even worse. Half the screen is just dead space.

That's a really old mockup image, for what it's worth. Note that the iPad has the larger pre-Air bezel.

 

[timber]

Using Mac OS X on this would be just as good as those Windows XP tablets. Ok it would be better but you get the idea.

Despite that and as an iPad owner I can fully relate to those wanting to make more of the iPad.

But what the iPad needs is for iOS to have the file system exposed and usable in a clever way that i'm sure Apple can work out.

 

[Mildredop]

iOS to have the file system exposed and usable in a clever way that i'm sure Apple can work out.

It's taken them 8 years so far and... nothing.

 

[Dave245]

I think most people knew that the iPad Pro is likely to be announced at the October event if its going to be announced this year that is. It's also no surprise that it will run IOS and NOT OS X, being realistic we have known this since Tim Cook and other Apple executives have spoken out against hybrid devices. I agree, i think iPad's should be IOS and Mac's OS X, iPad's are not laptop or desktop replacements and desktop's and laptops are not iPad's. Personally i believe that the multitasking features in IOS 9 are enough.

The iPad Pro is not going to be for everyone just like the Macbook isn't for everyone, i'm sure Apple know this. Just because Microsoft have done a hybrid device in the form of the Surface, it doesn't mean that Apple need to.

 

[b0nd18t]

I was definitely hoping for a Surface killer. Oh well.

 

[JonneyGee]

I was definitely hoping for a Surface killer. Oh well.

Who's to say this won't be a Surface killer anyway? Look at sales numbers from the Surface and from iPad and I think it's clear which is better even without the larger-screened device.

 

[2010mini]

I was definitely hoping for a Surface killer. Oh well.

I think you mean Surface Pro 2. The Surface was murdered by Apple long ago. Microsoft took a loss on that.

 

[timber]

It's taken them 8 years so far and... nothing.

Unfortunately I'm not holding my breath.

A few years ago I thought that MS needed a lot of time (both for the hardware to improve particularly in efficiency and for the software to be worked out) so that their one device does everything strategy could work and it would be virtually impossible for Apple to concede them that time and that iterating the iPad would keep them on check. I was wrong.

 

[Mackinjosh]

iOS? LOL no thanks. Just buy a real device and get a laptop.

 

[gotluck]

Why are people moaning about it running iOS? If there's a feature or two you'd like in a Pro tablet (for example: true multitasking) why aren't you leaving comments like 'without true multitasking, I don't want it'.

If you want every feature of OS X, you need a laptop.

I was hoping the ipad pro would be a touchscreen laptop. In other words, I was hoping the ipad pro could do everything a laptop could. I don't care about the OS as long as the capability is there.