Apple Planning 10.5" iPad Pro in 2017, 'Revolutionary' OLED iPad as Soon as 2018

[Sakurambo-kun]

I don't know what they would gain with a 10.5 inch iPad. I do agree that they need to take a hard look at the mini and see if it is still a viable product for them in their lineup.

As a Mini user, I realise it's the unloved mutant step child of the iPad family, but it's great for reading books on. It's also the only iPad small enough to thumb type comfortably on. If it goes away I'll probably end up with some sort of Android tablet of a similar size.

 

[0000757]

And yet they cannot make a 17" rMBP...

It's not that they can't, it's that there's no incentive for them to. They most likely would lose more than they would gain. The 17in notebook sector is nonexistent at this point.

 

[69Mustang]

one of the main issues of color accuracy (and effective resolution) is Samsung being cheap and using pentile on many of their displays.

Where have you been hiding? Samsung might have issues, but color accuracy is not one them. Your comment is a bit dated.

 

[inhalexhale1]

That was quick. Bought an iPad Pro 9.7 Thursday and already rumors of the next one.

I very much doubt these rumors are true. Why introduce a third iPad size, that is less than 1 inch bigger than a current model. That would be ridiculous.

The other OLED stuff might be true, but it says 2018. I think you'll be OK lol.

 

[Zandery]

OLED in 2018, really? If everyone else can do it now for phones and the like, why can't Apple?

 

[dingdong]

Don't care. Tell us the Macbook Pros God damit.

 

[thekeyring]

Remember what Steve did when he came back to Apple? He drastically cut back the product range as it was full of chaff. Here we are 5 years later and look, it's full of chaff again. Apple has become Sansumg, although even Samsung wouldn't do something as idiotic as removing the headphone jack.

No, it's not.

I agree it needs slimming down - have the latest models and that's it. But let's not pretend it's back to the chaos of the 1990s or indulge this stupid idea that Apple was perfect with Steve and completely incompetent without him.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

OLED in 2018, really? If everyone else can do it now for phones and the like, why can't Apple?

Because apparently the idea hadn't come to them until just now. Of course Samsung will have one a year sooner while Apple "get's it right" (because it's rocket science to put an OLED display on a device).

 

[thekeyring]

Too many SKUs.

SKUs dont matter - options can confuse the customer, but a different colour means a different SKU and it's hardly challenging to pick which colour you want.

After all, there's one technical difference with the Apple Watch: 38mm or 42mm, so it's currently simpler than even the iPhone lineup.

But there are a lot of SKUs because of how you want it to look.

 

[kazmac]

If they're going to make the 10.5" size, why not offer the mini, 10.5" and 12.9"?

9.7" and 10.5" seem too close in size.

 

[samcraig]

SKUs dont matter - options can confuse the customer, but a different colour means a different SKU and it's hardly challenging to pick which colour you want.

After all, there's one technical difference with the Apple Watch: 38mm or 42mm, so it's currently simpler than even the iPhone lineup.

But there are a lot of SKUs because of how you want it to look.

More specifically - between sizes and PROs - they shouldn't streamline their offering. Since technology is always advancing - it makes little sense to keep having a split between iPad and iPad Pro. Unless it's one size. My .02.

 

[mi7chy]

Makes more sense from a consumer standpoint for Apple to drop the 9.7" while introducing the 10.5" and keeping both 7.9" and 12.9" but it's more profitable for Apple to only offer the bigger devices.

Considering that Apple doesn't want to cannibalize its iPads so the iPhones will not get features like split view multitasking and pencil features which would benefit Galaxy Note sales.

 

[coolfactor]

Why not just make 1 stretchy iPad size made of some rare earth element and call it a day.

Also, are iPads even in demand anymore? I haven't touched the one I bought in 2010 in a good 3 years because it's just not that useful when you have an iPhone and a Mac.

"when you have an iPhone and a Mac".

You just answered your own question. Many people are buying iPad as their only computer, so yes, there is demand... from them, not you.

 

[pmau]

My guess is that 10,5" OLED is easier to produce with a standard resolution.
I think it already exists, but Apple is waiting for the pricing to drop (i.e they are greedy these days).

This way they can sell the updated 12,9" with TrueTone display and make people buy twice.
By the way, I agree that Apple should keep the 9,7" and the 12,9", but it's probabaly a supply chain game, as it happens to be these days.

 

[bensisko]

That would be nice for sure, but sadly, I'm not seeing any rumors pointing to a new iPad Mini so far.

There are many reasons for that:
(1) unless there's some new thing the mini will offer that other iPads don't... You probably won't see rumors for it.
(2) Last year's mini was a stealth launch, yet still fantastic
(3) No rumors doesn't mean no product (far from it)

Kuo is good, but he's FAR from perfect. Being right 50-60% of the time just puts him ahead of the pack of analysts.

 

[Supermacguy]

Switching to OLED is not a revolutionary change. It's a large technical change for Apple, but users won't care nor notice too much. If anything it's an EVOlutionary change. Now, if the entire screen also acted as the camera, that might be revolutionary, if there was some user benefit to it.
And beyond that, what change can be made to the design of iPads and iPhones? They are smooth slabs with a glass front. There is almost no design to speak of, save for button placement and feel. It's not real design. All these phones and pads are such basic slabs of flatness. To hail minor changes in antenna line placement or a bump for a camera as some great design accomplishment is BS. I'd say that given the fact that nearly every user has a phone cover or pad cover, the actual design of the device is mostly irrelevant to its function.

 

[oldmacs]

Makes more sense from a consumer standpoint for Apple to drop the 9.7" while introducing the 10.5" and keeping both 7.9" and 12.9".

Considering that Apple doesn't want to cannibalize its iPads so the iPhones will not get features like split view multitasking and pencil features which would benefit Galaxy Note sales.

I think its to do with keeping a budget option around, its about greed - keep the price down as much as possible on the 9.7 inch model so they can continue charging premiums for the 'pro' version.

There should be the Mini, then the 'iPad' (9.7 or 10.5)- (Get rid of Pro and Air monikers, nether really are needed for the 9.7 model) and the iPad + (12.9) The iPad (9.7) should be the same price as the 9.7 iPads used to be. All iPads should be compatible with the pencil and keyboards.

Apple should standardise across the iPhone and iPad lines - The small model should be 'Mini' (EG rename the SE), the mid model should be plain (iPhone/iPad) and the big model should be '+'.

 

[bensisko]

What does Kuo mean by "radical changes in form factor design & user behavior"? It's already a flat rectangle with a display and guts behind it. Making it thinner or changing bezel sizes aren't radical... Only thing I can think of that would fit that descriptor would be a flexible display. Any other thoughts?

I agree with those that feel iOS's limited capabilities and the developer community that has mostly failed to produce convincing software are the iPad's biggest problems.

Personally I think it means he's talking crap. He doesn't know.

 

[Thunderhawks]

So they'll phase out the 7.9" model because the 5.5" model is "close enough," but they'll add a 10.5" model because both 9.7" and 12.9" models aren't enough? Umm...what?

Agreed, going in the wrong direction.
I'll buy a 17 or 19"

 

[cardfan]

An OLED display would get me to buy another. But since that's a few years away...

Seems like any ios device worth buying is 2017/2018 at this point. This is a mac year for me. Although looking forward to external graphics amplifiers later.

A 17" mbp would be an instant buy for me though. This nonsense that there isn't a market for it is just that..nonsense. Apple needs to think different.

 

[DJ Dilbert]

Okay I've had enough! Time for someone to dropkick Tim Cook in the kidney and tell him to stop fraking fragmenting the iOS line!

 

[jonnysods]

You can't put a component that's been around for years 2 years from now and call it revolutionary...

 

[Kobayagi]

Guys, this frightens me. Phone screen sizes are closing in on tablets, tablets screen sizes closing in on laptops and MacBooks are not getting any updates. Above all that, Apple keeps banging on that bs that tablets will replace our computers.

What if they suddenly say, ''We're out of the Mac business."

 

[DevNull0]

I suppose technically it is revolutionary to keep selling LCD panel iPads through 2018 when fairly cheap android tablets have had OLED for years.

That puts Apple well over 5 years behind the competition on Tablets. The fact that they sell any at all is amazing. It's no surprise their market share and unit sales are plummeting.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Don't know what to make of all this JUST glad I bought my 9.7" iPP on opening day and enjoying the heck out of it.

This story just lays out the don't wait for something when that something is unknown.