DigiTimes: 5G iPad Pro Models With A14 Series Chip to Launch in Fall 2020

[BWhaler]

Unfortunately it makes more and more sense for Apple to wait with new iPP so they can use A14 (X) and 5G and skip the March event. I wanted an updated iPP i March. Too bad.

agreed. I want it soon, but later will be more meaningful.

what the iPad platform need is better software, neé innovative, software. Show what this form factor can be.

 

[GregJohn]

This i believe - i never saw them releasing it next month

id rather they update it with iphone 12 features than push out some half done new iPad. The current almost 2 year old iPad is still the best on the market. no need to rush

but this will be an expensive fall

 

[Spock]

God hope it is March

I highly doubt the iPad will get 5G before the iPhone.

 

[alias.archi]

Apple needs to update to support sales.
Personally, I will not buy an iPad Pro 2018 today even if I know that it is an excellent machine and that the power is more than enough to do everything ...
For the same price I prefer to wait for the 2020 model.
So no update = no sales!

Apple a besoin de faire une mise à jour pour soutenir les ventes.
Personnellement, je n'achèterai pas un iPad Pro 2018 aujourd'hui même si je sais que c'est une excellente machine et que la puissance est largement suffisante pour tout faire ...
Pour le même prix je préfère attendre le modèle 2020.
Donc pas de mise à jour = pas de ventes !

 

[PickUrPoison]

As @reallynotnick noted above, if there is an A14X iPad Pro released this fall, there is no A13X to use this spring. A14X would be 5nm, and the timing fits with 5G.

There was no A11X, the current A12X is a beast, and a fall A14X with 5G is what makes sense to me. Last December, Kuo also forecasted an A14X iPad Pro for 3Q2020, but last month he said 1H2020 🤷‍♂️

I can’t see how a March iPad makes sense for any of the 5 models.

 

[brinary001]

Or they could just release the update in March and then ADD the 5G model in fall. The majority of people don't buy cellular anyway

I bought my 2017 10.5" iPad Pro with cellular thinking I would need the mobile broadband, yet haven't activated it once thus far and probably never will 😂

Don't get me wrong, I can think of plenty of use cases for the cellular models. For example, companies with employees who work in the field a lot and need constant access. But yeah, for most folks it isn't necessary.

 

[code-m]

I hope the iPad Pro gains four additional speakers (2 on each side) or better yet front facing ones for complete surround sound. Apple Pencil should gain a charging strip on four sides and make that port capable to charge and data support for a keyboard case rather than the three magnetic circles behind the 2018 iPad Pro shell (seems like an after thought). Maybe just invent USB-C over magnetic strip an included magnetic strip dongle with a female USB-C port on the other end, this way there are three to four potential magnetic ports on the side of the device. Bi-lateral charging magnetic strips with full USB-C data support. 🤤

 

[brinary001]

Maybe Apple will compromise with themselves and meet in the middle of the two rumored release dates, at WWDC? It's not uncommon for them to announce new hardware then, especially Macs and iPads.

 

[realtuner]

This actually seems like a reasonable prediction. A12X is already smoking fast, and iPads are usually kept longer so they don’t really need a yearly update.

I wanted to buy one this March, but I guess I can wait.

 

[NickName99]

Breaking news: Apple to debut new iPhones with A15 series chip in fall 2021, followed by new iPhones with A16 series chip in fall 2022! After that who knows what crazy thing they’ll do next

 

[stylinexpat]

I sure do hope though that Apple does something to make Data transfer speeds via USB C cable faster for transferring data,files and images. Current iPhone backup speeds are really unacceptable for 2020 when Thunderbolt 3 exists and fast USB C cables are available that can handle fast data transmission speeds.

 

[code-m]

As @reallynotnick noted above, if there is an A14X iPad Pro released this fall, there is no A13X to use this spring. A14X would be 5nm, and the timing fits with 5G.

There was no A11X, the current A12X is a beast, and a fall A14X with 5G is what makes sense to me. Last December, Kuo also forecasted an A14X iPad Pro for 3Q2020, but last month he said 1H2020 🤷‍♂️

I can’t see how a March iPad makes sense for any of the 5 models.

Apples "X" series chips are a half generation like a .5 denomination advantage. For example:

2014 - A08
2014 - A08X (iPad Air 2)
2015 - A09
2016 - A10 (entry iPad models 2019)
2016 - A10X (iPad Pro)
2017 - A11
2018 - A12 (consumer iPad models 2019)
2018 - A12X (iPad Pro)
2019 - A13
2020 - A14 (consumer iPad models 2021)
2020 - A14X (iPad Pro)
2021 - A15
2022 - A16 (consumer iPad models 2023)
2022 - A16X (iPad Pro)
2023 - A17
2024 - A18 (consumer iPad models 2025)
2024 - A18X (iPad Pro)

If you observe a pattern the iPad Pro silicone gets every second generation A series chips with a X boost. The consumer iPad models usually get the same A series chips as the iPhone's. Interesting to see if the Pro iPhone models will receive an X type of chip. The entry level iPad that was released in late-2019 just seems like an oddball with its 10.2" screen as it is so close to the Air 10.5", Apple should drop one of these screen size models it is way too close. If the Mini redesign gains an edge-to-edge display, Apple may be able to fit a 8" screen that way the iPad line up has some cohesion and simplicity to it.

iPad models: 8" and 10" (Consumer)_2" difference between models drop the "Mini and Air" moniker.
11" and 13" (Pro)_2" difference between models.

Difference between the larger screen size consumer model and smaller screen size pro model is 1" in-order to up sell. Apple needs to clear up it's product line in-order to make table space at the Apple Store to have other products such as AR/VR Lenses/glasses, etc.

 

[jonen]

Sigh, I really want to upgrade my iPad Air2. I'll wait until mid-March and see where the rumors fall and get something then.

I'm in the same boat. Bought my Air 2 used years ago for a great price and it's still going strong with a Type+ keyboard case.

At this rate, I may have to just wait until the USB-C iPad Pros have a strong used market and upgrade when a good deal comes up...

 

[VARTV]

If they had the option of a camera-less iPad I would go for it.

I see your point here. Curious how much a fancy camera adds to cost. I would still like a bare minimum cam for scanning checks, docs, QR codes etc...

 

[jonnyb098]

I bought my 2017 10.5" iPad Pro with cellular thinking I would need the mobile broadband, yet haven't activated it once thus far and probably never will 😂

Don't get me wrong, I can think of plenty of use cases for the cellular models. For example, companies with employees who work in the field a lot and need constant access. But yeah, for most folks it isn't necessary.

Now that the iPhone has had hotspot capability for the last few years, cellular iPads are nearly pointless unless absolutely necessary for field work. That $130 premium they charge is obnoxious.

 

[bpeeps]

All you poor souls who thought Apple was going to update the IPPs in fall 2019. Pouring one out for you.
[automerge]1581614908[/automerge]

Maybe Apple will compromise with themselves and meet in the middle of the two rumored release dates, at WWDC? It's not uncommon for them to announce new hardware then, especially Macs and iPads.

Doubt it, in Pad release history spanning ten years only once has a model been released in June.

 

[WiseAJ]

Really hoping for an update in March, I don't want to wait until fall. My iPad Pro is 4 years old now.

I don't care bout 5G in my iPad I just use my iPhone's hotspot.

I really think they will update in March for the Cameras and Chip and then add a 5G capable model (exactly the same just with 5G instead of LTE) in the fall if they have enough supply of modems to not restrict the iPhone sales.

 

[delta0]

Will be interesting to see if they bring out an A14 non 5g iPad Pro before then

 

[GuruZac]

I was hoping they would announce and launch these new iPads this Spring. I am replacing my iPad Pro 10.5 with a 12.9 model. I guess at this point I'll go with a refurbished 12.9 with 1 TB to get the 6GB of RAM. This will need to last me 4 years so the extra RAM will likely be needed with the growing multitasking features in iPadOS.

Edit: Just saw where they may update in March. I would love an iPad Pro with A13X and 6GB of RAM with 256GB storage. I need to purchase before July so that would be ideal. I could care less about cameras and 5G. I always get WiFi only anyway.

 

[44267547]

Really hoping for an update in March, I don't want to wait until fall. My iPad Pro is 4 years old now.

I guess this is confusing. What is it that your current iPad Pro can’t do now that it needs to do by a potential fall release? Even if your iPad Pro is four years old, what is exactly that you’re experiencing that you couldn’t wait six months to upgrade if a new Pro model launches Sept/Oct 2020? (i.e Performance issues/latest features, ect.)

 

[pacalis]

I hope they keep the 2018 pro form factor and improve the keyboard. The 2018 is blazing fast, and I won't upgrade it, but the apple keyboard option is remarkably underwhelming.

 

[brinary001]

Doubt it, in Pad release history spanning ten years only once has a model been released in June.

I can still hope tho! I'm sure they will have some kind of update in March, even if it's just a spec bump. I really just can't see them going two whole years without any update whatsoever to the iPad Pro line, which is their flagship iPad, and holding off on an update until the fall.

 

[HVDynamo]

I'll be disappointed if i have to wait until fall. I have been stretching my old iPad4 for as long as I can, but it's still stuck on iOS 10 and it's really really slow now. I was hoping to buy a new one here in a month, and I don't want to buy the current model since it's almost 18 months old now. I guess I'll wait another 6 months if I have to.

 

[jerryk]

Apple doing double updates again.

I would advise anyone wanting to upgrade wait until fall. As some people that bought the 2019 15" MacBook Pro in spring only to see the 2019 16" MacBook Pro come out in fall found out, being first can be an expensive lesson.

 

[Dwalls90]

They’ve done that exactly once and it was because the first iPad with a Retina display offered little performance improvement over the iPad 2 and to slap a Lightning port on it. Bam, a new “new iPad.”

You’re also trying to establish a pattern based on 3 generations of iPad Pros (including the first). I’d exercise caution with that. They’ll certainly survive if they wait until fall; the A12X is certainly not struggling by any measure, and the current iPad Pros remain superb tablets.

We can all agree that a 6 month update was odd, but Apple has certainly done it before with the iPad as well as other hardware lines. Are we saying that if moving to Lightning justified a 6 month update, then 5G does not?

Yes, 3 product releases is enough to establish a guesstimate (this is a rumors forum), for which there has been a trend of a ~18 month release interval for the iPad Pro:

1st gen: 11/2015
2nd gen: 6/2017 (19 months later)
3rd gen: 11/2018 (17 months later)

By looking at the above, a June 2020 release @ WWDC actually seems more likely.

No one is questioning that the A12X is struggling at all, and having a newer model come out doesn't make the previous model obsolete. The A12 wasn't struggling when the A13 came out. Should Apple have waited 6-12 months further to release that chip based on this premise alone?