Analyst Skeptical About Imminent Launch for 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro'

[organerito]

Musicians like me who have already left paper behind would love this size. Average music is 8 1/2 x 11 and larger, and tough on the eyes with the standard iPad. I've been hoping for a while that this rumor is true.

I am there with you!
I am an organist. if I play a two-keyboard organ, the iPad is still ok. If I play any organ with more than 3 keyboards, the iPad is too small.
People in orchestras, choirs would love to have a 8 1/2 x 11 iPad. The only complain I always hear about the iPad as a music sheet reader is its small size.
I would two iPads Pro on release day.

 

[Casiotone]

In the normal usage mode of holding the iPad by one edge in one hand and operating it with the other - that means that not only is it 1lb heavier, but the centre of gravity is further from your hand, so there's more torque on your hand. So, twice the weight of the current iPad, with your hand at a greater 'mechanical disadvantage'. Not good.

Comparison with the weight of a Macbook is irrelevant - you don't hold or support the Macbook in one hand - you rest it on your lap (if you are immune to heat-rash) or, more often than not, put it on a desk.

Oh really? "Normal usage" is holding it by the edge with one hand? How are you supposed to type on it? The 9.7" iPads are already too heavy to be comfortably used that way for the very reason you mention. I suspect that a lot of people mostly use it while sitting and distributing the weight on their lap/thigh/knee, or on their coffee table in the living room.

So do you always use it sitting at a desk, with the iPad on a stand? That's likely to be the only comfortable way of using a giant iPad. Maybe there *is* a market for that, but its not necessarily the same as the current iPad market, which shows every sign of preferring the Mini to the regular iPad.

No I mostly use it while sitting the way I just described, like Steve Jobs was using it when demonstrating it in a chair. The first iPad was 1.5lbs, yet people found ways to use it without having to hold it by one hand for a long periods of time. I like the bigger screen of the 9.7" iPad, it's a compromise I'm willing to make (like many other who still buy the large iPads even though the mini is cheaper and lighter yet almost as powerful).

But at least you admit that there may be a market for it. The person I was replying was essentially saying that it was the most stupid idea ever and that it would be ridiculously heavy and nobody would want that.

 

[TheRainKing]

*Sigh*

"Pro Users". "Serious work". Why does everyone like to oversimplify everything and put it in a box?

People are using the iPad for "serious work". They are getting paid for it. Hence, "Pros" are using iPads. Perhaps you mean "computing intensive tasks" as the only instance of "serious work"?

Who is this product aimed at? Anyone who likes or can benefit from a bigger screen, more typing real-estate, the iPad app ecosystem, and does not require the high-powered laptop to do autocad or whatever. Musicians would definitely be all over it.

Something like this:

Image

or this:

Image

or this:

Image

I oversimplify because I don't really know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, I'm just taking issue with it being called the iPad 'Pro'. Most iOS apps are kind of watered down compared to their desktop equivalent, so I figured most pro users would rather use a MacBook. If I'm wrong, fair enough!

 

[cube]

I still haven't upgraded my iPad 1 because I'm waiting for an A4 tablet.

Maybe I will buy the 12" Samsung, but it only has 64GB of internal storage, and I want 4:3

May iPad is already 64GB since that long ago.

 

[Casiotone]

Maybe some of you should read this article : http://www.phonearena.com/news/Are-tablets-really-mobile-devices-Usage-patterns-say-no_id38842

Not everyone carries around their iPad everywhere and need to use it while standing up and holding it by one hand.

 

[forceone2014]

Go bigger apple

i am a radio dj,and also a producer... and i think they should go bigger...about 27"inch tablet for the home, so i can use my djay 2, and traktor...other brands have already manufactured this item, and their reviews are great...i would definitely prefer an apple product, but that other piece looks awesome....just saying as a DJ

 

[kdarling]

i am a radio dj,and also a producer... and i think they should go bigger...about 27"inch tablet for the home, so i can use my djay 2, and traktor...other brands have already manufactured this item, and their reviews are great...i would definitely prefer an apple product, but that other piece looks awesome....just saying as a DJ

I like this idea of super sized, for music apps... or for a kitchen computer on a stand... or a table top game center.

It would be extra useful if it had multitasking windows, of course, so you could have multiple apps displayed at the same time, like a dashboard.

 

[Digital Skunk]

They don't sell that anymore, remember? Had something to do with no one wanting a 17" cumbersome, heavy laptop.

They were actually the first to make a 17" laptop, and marketed it as a professional workstation. Everyone else hoped on board afterwards.

Also, they sold quite well up until Apple stopped innovating it, and essentially just made it a slightly larger, slightly heavier 15" MacBook Pro.

, the current 12" tablets don't sell that well.

What all two of them?

One of which hasn't even been fully released?

Also, since when did Apple EVER look at whether or not a competitor's products sell well as indication for making their own? We'd still have the Bondi Blue iMac with that kind of thinking.

 

[0997853]

Anal-ysts again…

 

[tdale]

Actually, the word rumours is often mentioned. After the last couple of iPhones and iPads, I class them as leaks now. Whether they are leaked from employees or intentionally by Apple to get the hype mill going, unsure

 

[deaglecat]

ipad pro will be

larger screen
2gb ram
pressure sensitive screen
better usb support for keyboard etc
32gb starting storage

 

[theluggage]

Oh really? "Normal usage" is holding it by the edge with one hand? How are you supposed to type on it?

If its more than about 100 words, by turning off the iPad, getting up out of the comfy chair, walking to the next room and sitting down at my Mac.

The 9.7" iPads are already too heavy to be comfortably used that way for the very reason you mention.

...maybe why the sales of the lighter iPad 2 held up for so long, and only tanked this Xmas when the iPad Air and retina Mini showed up?

I suspect that a lot of people mostly use it while sitting and distributing the weight on their lap/thigh/knee, or on their coffee table in the living room.

YMMV, but I don't find keeping my legs crossed and one knee up high enough to raise it to a good viewing angle particularly comfortable. 10 minutes of that and I have a dead leg. I only have it in that position when I need to use both hands. Throw glasses, especially bi/varifocals into the mix and its even worse. For web browsing, ebook reading or watching video I'd at least support it with one hand.

How long did Steve Jobs sit for in that demo?

But at least you admit that there may be a market for it. The person I was replying was essentially saying that it was the most stupid idea ever and that it would be ridiculously heavy and nobody would want that.

There may - it will be a different market, though. If they do the decent thing and include an active stylus (so, more precision, pressure sensitivity, palm rejection) it would be an awesome graphics tool. Not so good for browsing MacRumors on the sofa.

Maybe some of you should read this article : http://www.phonearena.com/news/Are-tablets-really-mobile-devices-Usage-patterns-say-no_id38842

Not everyone carries around their iPad everywhere and need to use it while standing up and holding it by one hand.

Woah, we may have a contender for stupid infographic of the week!

• 90% of people say they use their tablet at home.
• The other 80% of them say they use their tablet in public places, work or other.

...so 170% of people use a tablet! No wonder Apple are doing well.

Ok, ok, nice snark but that's obviously not what it means. Let's read the article. Oh, 'phonearena' says:

A comScore/Business Insider study found that 90% of the time people use their tablets at home. Less than 40% use it in public and less than 30% at work. Not very mobile, is it?

Ah, OK, so the first bar is the % of the time people use their tablets at home, and the other bars are the % of people who use them in other places. Since you can't add apples and bananas I suppose that avoids the "adds up to >100%" issue, but replaces it with the "you fail graphs forever" issue.

At a guess, maybe they let people tick any combination out of 4 boxes and the graph shows what % of the sample ticked each box. Or, put it another way, since they add up to 170%, a lot of people ticked more than one box. That chart could easily mean that the majority of people used their phone at home and in at least one other place with only a minority of exclusive home users - but there's simply not enough information to say. It certainly doesn't tell you anything about what % of time people spend using their tablet in each location.

On top of that, 'mobility' isn't just about whether you use it at home or in the park. Its about whether you use it on the desk in your home office, in the comfy chair, in bed, in the loo...


Disclaimer: after diving 3 links deep I still hadn't reached the cited source, Comscore, so they get the benefit of the doubt and I'll assume that there was some sort of sensible rationale behind it and/or they drew different conclusions.

 

[Digital Skunk]

ipad pro will be

larger screen
2gb ram
pressure sensitive screen
better usb support for keyboard etc
32gb starting storage

NICE!
But I say 4GBs
Wacom Support with optional digitizer
USB3 Lightning connector
USB Dock that connects to displays etc. and boots the iPad into MacOSX

Yes, 32GBs to start, but ideal will be 64GB.

 

[tdale]

ipad pro will be

larger screen
2gb ram
pressure sensitive screen
better usb support for keyboard etc
32gb starting storage

Possibly. But it will still be JUST an iPad. Pro assumes its for a professional or productive market, but the iPad is essentially a consumption device. make a MBP with no screen, allow iPad Pro to be the screen, allow some communication between them, even if its just document created syncing to the other. Thats an iPad Pro. And some, like the music sector will just get it as its bigger, great also.

----------

NICE!
But I say 4GBs
Wacom Support with optional digitizer
USB3 Lightning connector
USB Dock that connects to displays etc. and boots the iPad into MacOSX

Yes, 32GBs to start, but ideal will be 64GB.

Cannot make an iPad boot to OSX. iPad is on A series SoC, OSX is on Intel, you cannot combine these unless you re wrote one to work on the other chip infrastructure. Cannot see that. Possibly have an iPad Pro including both OSX and iOS hardware, and that some can be shared so as to dual boot, or be switchable. Expensive, heavy, and over cannabalistic IMO.

Screenless MBP, and use iPad Pro as the screen, awesome.

 

[cube]

Cannot make an iPad boot to OSX. iPad is on A series SoC, OSX is on Intel, you cannot combine these unless you re wrote one to work on the other chip infrastructure. Cannot see that. Possibly have an iPad Pro including both OSX and iOS hardware, and that some can be shared so as to dual boot, or be switchable. Expensive, heavy, and over cannabalistic IMO.

Most of the code is hardware independent, you don't need to reprogram everything.

That's how OSX PPC/Intel, Windows x86/RT, and Linux whatever work, you build for each target.

Apple probably already has OSX working on ARM since quite a bit.

 

[apolloa]

good!! bigger isn't always better. at least thats what i try and tell my gf

Really? She told me bigger DID matter the other night?........ wait for it.... drum roll.....

That's What She Said!!!


I thank you...

 

[Lancer]

I never believe rumors and always wait for Apple to release their products.

Still waiting to buy my first iPad, I just don't have the need for one. My iPhone 5s works great and more practical when I'm out and need to check something I just can't justify the cost.

good!! bigger isn't always better. at least thats what i try and tell my gf

:lol:

 

[vomhorizon]

NICE!
But I say 4GBs
Wacom Support with optional digitizer
USB3 Lightning connector
USB Dock that connects to displays etc. and boots the iPad into MacOSX

Yes, 32GBs to start, but ideal will be 64GB.

I seriously doubt apple will ever go down this route. You and quite a decent sized market may want something like this..But apple targets a much wider consumer base..I think they will stick to CREATIVE productivity ( ) rather than your day to day heavy OFFICE/PC style productivity. Perhaps a new UI and redesigned screen more optimized for certain segments. But a dual IOS/OSX will be a big surprise as far as I am concerned.

 

[coolboy561995]

Agreed. I have a Galaxy Note I and the pen is of the lowest-end Wacom model. Even newer Notes use the same low-end wacom tech. If Apple brings a precise pen, i.e., you can precisely draw a point on the screen coinciding exactly with the pen tip, it would be a major update.

Well there was a rumour about tactile sensitivity in the next Apple screens. If true, combined with sapphire glass, it'd be the perfect designer's tool right?

 

[tdale]

That graph interpretation. To me it means, where do you use the iPad?

Of the sample taken, 90% use at home, 40% use at work etc. Some people use it at both, so they tick both options. It isn't an add up to 100% graph.

 

[uburoibob]

I am encouraged. The minute someone suggests that there isn't a market for something Apple is developing is the minute you know that it's going to be a smash success.

 

[Casiotone]

If its more than about 100 words, by turning off the iPad, getting up out of the comfy chair, walking to the next room and sitting down at my Mac.



...maybe why the sales of the lighter iPad 2 held up for so long, and only tanked this Xmas when the iPad Air and retina Mini showed up?



YMMV, but I don't find keeping my legs crossed and one knee up high enough to raise it to a good viewing angle particularly comfortable. 10 minutes of that and I have a dead leg. I only have it in that position when I need to use both hands. Throw glasses, especially bi/varifocals into the mix and its even worse. For web browsing, ebook reading or watching video I'd at least support it with one hand.

How long did Steve Jobs sit for in that demo?



There may - it will be a different market, though. If they do the decent thing and include an active stylus (so, more precision, pressure sensitivity, palm rejection) it would be an awesome graphics tool. Not so good for browsing MacRumors on the sofa.




Woah, we may have a contender for stupid infographic of the week!

• 90% of people say they use their tablet at home.
• The other 80% of them say they use their tablet in public places, work or other.

...so 170% of people use a tablet! No wonder Apple are doing well.

Ok, ok, nice snark but that's obviously not what it means. Let's read the article. Oh, 'phonearena' says:



Ah, OK, so the first bar is the % of the time people use their tablets at home, and the other bars are the % of people who use them in other places. Since you can't add apples and bananas I suppose that avoids the "adds up to >100%" issue, but replaces it with the "you fail graphs forever" issue.

At a guess, maybe they let people tick any combination out of 4 boxes and the graph shows what % of the sample ticked each box. Or, put it another way, since they add up to 170%, a lot of people ticked more than one box. That chart could easily mean that the majority of people used their phone at home and in at least one other place with only a minority of exclusive home users - but there's simply not enough information to say. It certainly doesn't tell you anything about what % of time people spend using their tablet in each location.

On top of that, 'mobility' isn't just about whether you use it at home or in the park. Its about whether you use it on the desk in your home office, in the comfy chair, in bed, in the loo...


Disclaimer: after diving 3 links deep I still hadn't reached the cited source, Comscore, so they get the benefit of the doubt and I'll assume that there was some sort of sensible rationale behind it and/or they drew different conclusions.

Ok I guess we could go on and on about how people use/hold their iPads, but I know that I find my iPad 3 to be uncomfortable to use using one hand for more than a few minutes. To me, the additional weight of an iPad pro wouldn't make much of a difference the way I use it since I rarely put the whole weight of it on my hand.

And I do a lot more stuff than just surfing and playing games on the couch (music, drawing etc.), none of which I do while holding the iPad solely with one hand.

The iPad 2 only weighted 0.2 lbs less than the iPad 3/4, I doubt it could have had a significant impact on sales. I don't think people bought it because of the weight difference. I think it has more to do with the fact that the iPad air looks like a more attractive product, and there's now a $299 iPad mini.

And yes it's not rare for a survey to include a question with multiple possible answers (trust me on that), though I agree that the graphic doesn't make it clear, and phonearena may not be the best reference.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Also, they sold quite well up until Apple stopped innovating it, and essentially just made it a slightly larger, slightly heavier 15" MacBook Pro.

Even back in the time 17"'s were certainly ahead in the number of USB ports (in addition to the additional screen estate & resolution, of course).

Now, comparing past 17" models to the currently available MB's, 17"'s are incomparably more flexible than current 15" rMBP's; for example, they were dual-spin, making it very easy to exchange the optical drive to a HDD. My 17", for example, has a 256G Vertex 4 SSD for the OS and work stuff and a 9.5mm 1 TB HDD for media. This is only possible with an external drive with all current rMBP's, let alone MBA's.

----------

Well there was a rumour about tactile sensitivity in the next Apple screens. If true, combined with sapphire glass, it'd be the perfect designer's tool right?

Not without Wacom support. Tactile touch has nothing to do with proper Wacom support.

 

[Speedy2]

Why did they offer a 17" MacBook?

yeah why *did* they ? (past tense)

 

[brinary001]

Apple is going after the screen sizes that they feel is what customers want. In order to do a ~5inch model, they have to look at weight, battery life, speed, cost, etc. etc. I think when Apple decided to go after the larger screen size, they just couldn't create what they felt comfortable with until this year. I don't see what the problem with a larger screen iPhone? I personally want this larger screen model largely due to my eyesight. Obviously, there are people that have small hands, medium sized hands, large hands and one size doesn't fit all. Apple tries to go after the sweet spot as they do have to sell enough to warrant producing the product.

I think that there is a large enough market, already proven by the amount of Android/Windows/Blackberry phones with a larger screen size. It's just a matter of hitting all of the areas to make it a great product. So far, I'm not really thrilled with the alternatives. The HTC One is the closest I've seen to a well designed product, however I just don't like Android OS and all of the associated problems with it. I welcome a larger iPhone and they should have a few screen sizes to choose from, they'll probably gain quite a bit of market share when they do it.

Oh no there would be no problem with bigger screens on their products. I would welcome them, too. In fact, if Apple did an iPhone with a 4.5" or so screen I would undoubtedly return to the dark side. Hehe.