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I wish there were a case and smart cover combined. Paying for the two separately is so expensive! It's like they think people only want one side protected!
I think the iPad Air 2 smart case would work well. No need for magnets on the side so there shouldn't be an issue.
 
What about if the iPad Pro silicone case will be backward compatible with the iPad Air 2?

I've studied the photos for a bit now and the only thing that will be a problem are the speaker hole cutouts. The iPad Air 2 speaker holes are much closer to the Lightning port while the Pro has them much more spread out, so this is definitely going to affect sound quality.

But by how much? I'll have to order one and try it out this Thursday to find out for myself.
 
Step 1, add "Pro" to the moniker and charge $50-$100 more (DONE!)
Step 2, make all previous accessories obsolete so that people buy new original accessories from you (DONE!!)
Step 3, make the camera bump so that it justify buying cases for your iPad (DONE!!!)

What's next apple?
Flushing the camera next year to justify upgrade.
 
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I think the iPad Air 2 smart case would work well. No need for magnets on the side so there shouldn't be an issue.

This is what I am hoping for, I guess it depends what magnets they mean, do they mean the magnets to keep the cover connected or the magnets on the cover to sense when the case is open and closed?

the issue with the Smart Case is that there are no cut outs for the top speakers, the bottom speakers do not seem to align and there is no cut out for the rear flash.

as long as the power and volume buttons align the same... i am planning to punch extra holes in an iPad Air 2 smart case for the flash and speakers.

Guess the issue now is the open close screen magnets .... hmmmmm

Edit:-

Open / Close magnets are an issue and seem to be reversed.... leaves the cover with a "Semi-on" instead of closing properly

need to look for a 3rd party case, unless Apple decide to actually release a leather case soon
 
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Shaping up to be an expensive buy here in Canada, on March 31st -

9.7" iPad Pro, Space Grey, 128GB, WiFI + Cellular, Silicone Cover, Apple Pencil, Tax

$1,179 + $89 + $129 + $182 = $1,579

YIKES.
 
Aw man.

Not recommended because it could damage the device or not recommended so you'll buy a new one?
 
So, I get the impression that there is a group of people here that wants Apple to design future hardware to the specs of previous accessories? Accessories are optional additions to compliment or supplement products. They are, by design, built to go alongside some other primary device. I would hope that Apple wouldn't even consider previous accessories in the design of new products.

The camera bump is a complaint I understand. I'd like some hands-on time to see how bad it is. I know that I mostly draw on my pro while holding it in my lap. I take notes while it's in a logitech case (which is less than ideal sometimes). When dedicated use on a table or desk is at play I like it tilted up somewhat. I guess I rarely set if flat with nothing to protect it, is my point. YMMV, of course.

I'm envious of the camera though. Scanning documents is much more useful than I had expected, now that I use my pro to take handwritten notes on top of documents all the time. Not even something I expected to do with it at all and now one of its best uses, so I think the camera trade-off is a good one.
 
I wish there were a case and smart cover combined. Paying for the two separately is so expensive! It's like they think people only want one side protected!

Well I do - i've never seen the need for anything more than the cover, its very easy to just throw the device down smart cover side down. Always perfect condition - then again people round here wrap their phones in rubber and clingfilm all over cos they're unable to own anything without smashing it to pieces on a regular basis.
 
OK. If you are going to be pedantic, how about "more expensive than the line it replaces." Air 3, 9.7 Pro, what's in a name? Nothing other than it would have been an even tougher sell to jack up the price on an Air 3. There is nothing intrinsically "pro" about the "Pro." At best it's "prosumer."
Yes I am going to be pedantic. This isn't an iPad Air with a chip upgrade for $100 more. It's a new product line for Apple. The only thing not "pro" about it is software and that's fixable.
 
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I'm envious of the camera though. Scanning documents is much more useful than I had expected, now that I use my pro to take handwritten notes on top of documents all the time. Not even something I expected to do with it at all and now one of its best uses, so I think the camera trade-off is a good one.

Thats quite a good use case. I've been tempted to get one just to do mock ups of designs and websites with the pencil I do now it now on current iPad with other pen devices. Have you thought about using your iPhone to scan though? You could scan using scannable and fling to iPad with AirDrop and it wouldn't take much longer than doing it natively on device but you'd get the better quality and the use of the bigger iPad Pro screen.
 
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So, I get the impression that there is a group of people here that wants Apple to design future hardware to the specs of previous accessories? Accessories are optional additions to compliment or supplement products. They are, by design, built to go alongside some other primary device. I would hope that Apple wouldn't even consider previous accessories in the design of new products.

The camera bump is a complaint I understand. I'd like some hands-on time to see how bad it is. I know that I mostly draw on my pro while holding it in my lap. I take notes while it's in a logitech case (which is less than ideal sometimes). When dedicated use on a table or desk is at play I like it tilted up somewhat. I guess I rarely set if flat with nothing to protect it, is my point. YMMV, of course.

I'm envious of the camera though. Scanning documents is much more useful than I had expected, now that I use my pro to take handwritten notes on top of documents all the time. Not even something I expected to do with it at all and now one of its best uses, so I think the camera trade-off is a good one.

According to Matthew Panzarino the device doesn't wobble at all when laid flat.

https://twitter.com/panzer/status/712328099384270849

Unfortunately though it seems the 9.7" Pro only has 2GB RAM. That's crap.

https://twitter.com/panzer/status/712327424659161089

Also Apple changed the design of the LTE model which no longer has the plastic cut out. I hope the thinner antenna lines come to iPhones.

CeKvcepUMAARTxj.jpg
 
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Yes I am going to be pedantic. This isn't an iPad Air with a chip upgrade for $100 more. It's a new product line for Apple. The only thing not "pro" about it is software and that's fixable.

That is some stiff kool aid you are drinking. So tell me what makes it "all new"? Maybe you can persuade me. From my view it takes the Air 2, adds the current chip, a better camera, and pen support. They then discontinued the 16 and 64GB storage options and added a 256GB one. That doesn't sound like an all new product to me. It sounds like an Air 3 wrapped in a pro moniker.

A new product is something like the MB was to the Air. New lighter, thinner case, new port, new keyboard, different CPU, really a whole different machine than the Air from the ground up. The 9.7 Pro and Air 2 have more similarities than dissimilarities. In fact the dissimilarities are the types of upgrades we are use to seeing in a new model, not a new line.
 
That is some stiff kool aid you are drinking. So tell me what makes it "all new"? Maybe you can persuade me. From my view it takes the Air 2, adds the current chip, a better camera, and pen support. They then discontinued the 16 and 64GB storage options and added a 256GB one. That doesn't sound like an all new product to me. It sounds like an Air 3 wrapped in a pro moniker.

A new product is something like the MB was to the Air. New lighter, thinner case, new port, new keyboard, different CPU, really a whole different machine than the Air from the ground up. The 9.7 Pro and Air 2 have more similarities than dissimilarities. In fact the dissimilarities are the types of upgrades we are use to seeing in a new model, not a new line.
All I'm saying is in Apple's eyes it's a new product line. I wouldn't be surprised if iOS 10 brings software changes specific to the iPad Pro.
 
Flushing the camera next year to justify upgrade.
While Sept 2017 is technically next year, it'll be interesting to see if iPads are now on a 1.5 yr cycle. Or even longer.

I am having a really hard time convincing myself that the new 9.7 Pro (Air 3) is a worthwhile upgrade to my Air (1). Mostly I just regret that my Air is only 16GB, and maybe a refurb Air 2 with more bits is the better choice. But it's hard buying an already-1.5-yr-old device, you know? $879 vs $599 for 128GB+LTE. Is the Pro really $280 better than the Air 2? I wonder how long we have to wait to see what the next model brings.
 
Yes but this is basically like when Apple Store employees were told to tell customers that the coloured Sport bands were 'not compatible' with the Space Grey Sport Watch face, purely because you couldn't choose a coloured band with a space grey face online. They're compatible, but Apple would rather you do as they say.
 
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