Size of Apple's New 'High End' iPad Pro Model Said to be Between 10 and 10.5-Inches

[Gasu E.]

"When Jobs took the reins as interim CEO in July of 1997, Apple was making more than 350 different products, many of which seemed redundant, expensive, and outdated. In order to get the company focused on making better products that made more sense to consumers, he cut that number down to just 10. He knew that in order for the company that he co-founded to survive, it needed to be leaner and more focused, than it had been under previous CEO Gil Amelio.

At the core of the new line-up were four products, a consumer laptop and desktop, as well as a laptop and desktop designed for professionals. Each of those computers had various configurations of course, but as far as Apple was concerned, the product line remained extremely streamlined and simple. This allowed the company to focus on new technology and design, which resulted in the first iMac, a computer that made waves due to its unique looks, and shift away from traditional IO ports in favor of USB – something that was radical at the time."


http://www.applegazette.com/opinion/apple-selling-many-products/

I'm not sure what your point is, but many of those products were niche items with low sales. It is good business practice to prune those, and Apple continues to do so to this day. Sometimes, overly ruthlessly; there are other threads where Apple is criticized for either killing or deprecating someone's favorite product.

 

[technoholic]

I was sceptical of the 12.9 iPad until I took the plunge and got a refurb. I have to say it's one of the best things I've bought (with the pencil). On its own it's great, I love the size, and with duet display it makes a perfect sized second monitor for the MBP 2016. If apple can apply this rumoured bezel less design to the new 12.9 then it would make it even better for me.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Apologies as well. There was a bit of snark in there as well. Soooo much blind obedience, non-critical thinking concerning Apple on here, that sometimes see it, when it doesn't exist.

A premium is one thing, getting raked over the coals is another. My 2012 15" cMBP is a good example of paying $200-$300 'Apple Tax', at the time of purchase. If I were to originally pay Apple for my final spaced machine, it would have cost $2000 more. In fact, the SSDs didn't exist at the time. THAT is the issue I have with Apple's disposable computers of today.

I know Apple has turned its back on me(see signature). But I've not totally given up on Apple. I'm excited to see what 10" iPad they come up with. I would have gotten the 9.7" iPad Pro, but it didn't come with the RAM I excpected it to.

My son is due for an upgraded machine, but there is no way in $&@%# I am going to get a current Mac Mini. In fact, this is likely to be the event that forces me to start leaving MacOS, as I'll,need a machine to meet his current needs, and future neeeds(e.g. Gaming). And Apple does not offer any compelling product, for a reasonable price. Again, see my signature.

I've been considering building a Hackintosh for that very reason. The glacial and secretive pace of the releases is making it hard to justify waiting. I'm running a 3 4K screen Flight Sim on my Mac, and I don't want to go back to the endless updates (and virus software purchases) of Windows, hence my conversion to the Mac.

I was a MCSA in the past, and started seeing the "UPGRADE OR DIE!!!" mentality of Microsoft from the inside. It's not a criticism of Microsoft, but a different way of doing business. The disposable nature of today's computers makes me wonder about the "green" nature of Apple. It would seem that a computer that lasted 5 (3 + components to get another 2 out of it)years is better for the environment than one that lasts 3 years, and has to be replaced.

 

[Abazigal]

I use the Poetic TPU case with the apple smart cover for a total cost of $57 - best buy 25% off. Works great and holds my pencil.

Is that the poetic quarterback case? Just ordered one for my iPad Pro. Will see how it works.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Tell us where else to get MacOS on compelling hardware.

I'll not hold my breath.

http://www.hackintosh.com

Pick your own high end hardware...

 

[wizard]

Who cares about the screen size anymore? We want to know how thick it is, and how many emojis it comes with, like all your other news posts!

And at a more serious level - I don't think Apple will change the screen size until they are ready to totally overhaul the iPad GUI and move away from the classic iPhone view. And given Cooks view on how the iPad is the de facto productivity standard, I'd say that will take quite some time.

One of the problems with tablets in general is that there isn't a lot of room for design. Manufactures like Apple are left with varying the size of of the device and beefing up the internals. Given that I really don't buy your position, the GUI isn't tied to the screen size nor vis-versa.

As ot Cooks opinion with respect to iPad let just say I'm getting a bit tired of some of Apples policies with respect to iOS. A new GUI will do nothing for them if they maintain the same stupidity with respect to user access, I/O and installed RAM.
[doublepost=1483910391][/doublepost]

Except for the one year old iPad pros that come with the added bonus of a higher price, the iPads, like the macs, are woefully out of date. You would have to be an absolute idiot to buy an iPad mini for example.

This is a big issue for many use. Like the Mac I have to wonder if staying with Apple is the smart move anymore. Frankly I'm really seeing an Apple that is regressing towards the crap hardware they had before Steve came back. It is a shame really as there is much potential for Apple IOS hardware. I understand that the Mac hardware is a different story due to Intel slacking off but there is no excuse for the backwards state of the iPad lineup.

 

[rudychidiac]

This rumor makes zero sense. Why have 2 iPads so close in size? And why make the 10" iPad bezel free but keep bezels on the 12.9"? Does this guy actually read what he writes before he publishes it?

I bet both models will be bezel-free. Also the different would be 2+ inches... that's enough i guess, i mean we already have 13" and 15" Macbooks, and iPhones in 4", 4.7" and 5.5"... It makes a lot of sense.
[doublepost=1483910573][/doublepost]

This rumor makes zero sense. Why have 2 iPads so close in size? And why make the 10" iPad bezel free but keep bezels on the 12.9"? Does this guy actually read what he writes before he publishes it?

I bet both models will be bezel-free. Also the different would be 2+ inches... that's enough i guess, i mean we already have 13" and 15" Macbooks, and iPhones in 4", 4.7" and 5.5"... It makes a lot of sense.

 

[wizard]

You do realize the whole purpose of iOS is to get away from peripherals, right?

Err no! Peripherals can be as useful with iOS devices as any laptop or desktop Beyond that the difficulty with retasking old iOS hardware (after its primary use is done with) really makes Apple the hypocrite when they talk about the environment.

It's a touch based operating system. macOS is not. It never was intended to be and it never will be. When are people going to understand macOS will NEVER be emulated or ported to an iOS device?

Nobody is talking about emulating a mac here. Clearly you don't understand the issue.

If you want a portable device that gives you trackpad capabilities, Apple has a whole line available. It's called their MacBook. It's a lot easier to take iOS functionality and bring it to macOS. You can't do it the other way around. Notifications, handoff, apps, etc; those all started from iOS and went to macOS. Not the other way around.

They only started on IOS due to IOS and iPhone specifically, becoming a gravy train for Apple.

 

[mklnz]

I think they should at least open up APIs to allow Bluetooth mice or trackpads. That way in apps like Screens or RDP you can remote control another Mac or PC for productivity. It won't require a revamp of the OS at all.

Mostly their principle is getting in the way of this.

 

[SeattleMoose]

iPad mini is the superior size for a tablet. I won't be buying any larger iPads because they're a pain to hold while lying in bed, and they're not as portable.

So, iPad mini Pro, or no more iPads for me.

I got this three years ago for my iPadv4 and have never looked back https://www.amazon.com/Talent-iMS-1-Music-Stand-Holder/dp/B007K7JTY4/ref=cm_rdp_product. However I see there are even better products now. But yea, you can lie in bed with your iPad hovering above you. I use a boom Mic stand to hold it above or in front of me.

 

[richinaus]

Why on earth do you need a track pad or mouse with a touch screen device? I use my iPad as a second monitor with my MBP (using Duet Display) and it's odd to see the mouse cursor on the iPad. It works in the context of secondary monitor but not as a primary input method IMO.

wrong.... I would replace my MacBook with an iPad if it had a trackpad with the keyboard. I cannot standing having to reach for the screen to try and place the cursor in a document or keep on touching the screen when at a desk with the keyboard.

When no keyboard attached, all is fine and is a fantastic tablet. But don't introduce a keyboard and make it hard work..

 

[wizard]

A great deal of negativity and BS here.

I can't understand the purpose in going for this bizarre in-between sizing as if 1/2 an inch more is the silver bullet.

First off this is a rumor. Second if they can implement new display technology, the large screens could easily fit into he same form factor. Third more screen real estate is always a good thing.

If this is true it proves they got the earlier sizing wrong and its looks bad for them.

That is pure nonsense. Frankly that makes about as much sense as saying the Mac Book proves that the 11" Mac Book Air was wrong.

What attracted me to Apple in the beginning was their generally small line-up of products which they trusted to be good enough to sell themselves. Now it seems they're confused and can't make their minds up about what's right or wrong.

Well in this regard we might be in agreement if you look at the overall behavior of the company.

The iPhone 5c gets one generation, the iPhone 5SE gets one generation, the Apple Watch seems like an overpriced disaster - they're clearly experimenting with customers as opposed to committing to something they trust is good enough to sell itself.

Apple is actually playing in a very very competitive market when talking about iPhones. They really have no choice but to experiment with the types of devices that sell well. You need to remember that even today Apple iPhone line up is pretty much leading the segment in performance across the board.
[doublepost=1483911799][/doublepost]

What do we make of "decreasing exposure to the iPad mini"?

In some analyst minds the iPad Mini is evil because it costs less than the larger models. I would imagine the hope here is that Apple will not update the Mini thus making it another machine nobody will buy because it is so outdated.
[doublepost=1483912059][/doublepost]

The profit margins aren't high enough. Apple want consumers to buy the more expensive iPads, which have higher profit margin.

(The iPad Mini is a popular device)

very popular. This is why the analyst want Apple to destroy it in favor of higher margin devices. I'm really hoping Apple is not that stupid. An iPad Mini with an A10X would be awesome even if the clock rate is a bit lower than on the larger devices.

 

[Val-kyrie]

Deleted

 

[Mr Fide]

decreasing exposure to the iPad mini

I'm interested to know what this means. Another commenter has suggested that only an absolute idiot would go for the iPad mini.

I'm that absolute idiot.

I bought an iPad Mini just over a year ago, a few weeks before buying an iPhone 6S plus.

Because of the Mini, I really haven't used my iPhone very much at all. Nor have I used my larger iPad at all. Plus I have greatly reduced my leisure time use of my Macs.

The paperback-sized format is really comfortable to hold, it works great for virtually everything, but it has indeed made me feel much less inclined to spend money on a large-format iPhone in future.

Is this what "exposure to the iPad mini" means? That one device does so much it reduces sales of other devices?


Thanks

PS. I think the iPad mini would be just about perfect if it had speakers as good as my 12" MacBook and if it was water-resistant like the iPhone 7.

 

[yakapo]

I realize this idea isn't popular... but if they put OS X on a 11"-12" tablet, I'd dump my iPad and MacBook Air in an instant.

 

[Count Blah]

http://www.hackintosh.com

Pick your own high end hardware...

Three people I've known, in real life, that have tried building one, have always had issues of some kind of another. Granted, I'm sure they did not follow one of the golden builds. So I have my doubts, at this point. But Apple is leaving little to no choices these days, unfortunately.

 

[thealkimist]

Ok that's enough shenanigans there... What he attempted to say (in a very poor manner) is what a lot of us have been thinking all along: If the iPad is to replace the laptop for the masses, it needs to have the same functionality as one. Not "slap MacOS onto an iPad" all Surface style, rather a far more robust version of iOS is needed. Touch interface combined with the feature set you'd find in MacOS. Simple.

As for the product lineup, this "low-priced" model stuff needs to stop. There's nothing low priced about it, it's just a clever way for Apple to raise product prices on its newest models while claiming the cost to enter the product line is the same. We've seen it now on the iPad, iPhone and MacBook Pro product lines. Stop it Apple, you're not fooling anyone here.

Which features sets are you speaking of?
[doublepost=1483913720][/doublepost]

This is a big issue for many use. Like the Mac I have to wonder if staying with Apple is the smart move anymore. Frankly I'm really seeing an Apple that is regressing towards the crap hardware they had before Steve came back. It is a shame really as there is much potential for Apple IOS hardware. I understand that the Mac hardware is a different story due to Intel slacking off but there is no excuse for the backwards state of the iPad lineup.

Wait, what? They're going to put an A10 variant in the new iPads. Most tech reviewers believe it to be one of the best chips to exist on mobile devices.

 

[sledgehammer89]

You (and apparently many other people) think you want it because you haven't tried it. A full desktop OS works poorly on a tablet, it requires a whole tablet OS to live inside it and tablet apps. It's a hybrid solution that just doesn't work. Buy a Mac, if you need a Mac.

If you remove the display from a MacBook you have an iPad with iOS user interface. Plug it again to keyboard/tracpad body, you have the macOS version of your apps.

We have for years iPhone/iPad Universal apps. It's possible to add also a desktop interface and apps become completely universal.

Apple is lazy but more greedy since Steve pass away. Of course Apple can have high prices, but must move forward and finish Steves dream.

Having 3 devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook) is 1 to much. For a lot of computer power you can still buy and start your desktop-only Intel-based Mac...

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Three people I've known, in real life, that have tried building one, have always had issues of some kind of another. Granted, I'm sure they did not follow one of the golden builds. So I have my doubts, at this point. But Apple is leaving little to no choices these days, unfortunately.

Yeah, I'd start with one of the Golden Builds, and then you have a tested configuration. Then, I'd start on upgrading graphics cards (make sure they have a return policy)... The good thing about macOS is that that is the only thing that requires a re-boot. Not like Windows that has you rebooting for every little thing.

Note: I haven't built a Hackintosh yet, and it may be one of those things I do when I'm not out flying or whatever, but investing this kind of money and time is now behind me, unless the payoff is worth it.

 

[Mark Holmes]

IMHO until the iPad can also emulate macOS on it with the use of peripherals such as a mouse or track pad keyboard it will remain just a consumption item.

Yep.

 

[Virinprew]

iPad mini is the superior size for a tablet. I won't be buying any larger iPads because they're a pain to hold while lying in bed, and they're not as portable.

So, iPad mini Pro, or no more iPads for me.

Do you really want the Pro name? You will have to pay $100 more, you know?

 

[MH01]

You do realize the whole purpose of iOS is to get away from peripherals, right? It's a touch based operating system. macOS is not. It never was intended to be and it never will be. When are people going to understand macOS will NEVER be emulated or ported to an iOS device? If you want a portable device that gives you trackpad capabilities, Apple has a whole line available. It's called their MacBook. It's a lot easier to take iOS functionality and bring it to macOS. You can't do it the other way around. Notifications, handoff, apps, etc; those all started from iOS and went to macOS. Not the other way around.

You are correct, and if Steve was still here there would be no iPad with pencil and KB support. Apple is getting desperate for profits so they are prepared to copy anyone, or add as many variations of products ....apple 1997 all over again , let's see how many more iPad pros they can add, while completely missing the point that Microsoft is out innovative them with the surface line up, the surface improves by leaps each generation, we can slightly different sizes and cpu bumps while ignoring the usability issues.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

If you remove the display from a MacBook you have an iPad with iOS user interface. Plug it again to keyboard/tracpad body, you have the macOS version of your apps.

We have for years iPhone/iPad Universal apps. It's possible to add also a desktop interface and apps become completely universal.

Apple is lazy but more greedy since Steve pass away. Of course Apple can have high prices, but must move forward and finish Steves dream.

Having 3 devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook) is 1 to much. For a lot of computer power you can still buy and start your desktop-only Intel-based Mac...

steve jobs was the one who wanted 3 devices in your home...

 

[HarryDevlin]

Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report underlining his expectations for the future of Apple's iPad line-up, with slightly revised predictions for a new "high-end" middle-size tablet to be released later this year.

According to Kuo, Apple is planning to introduce three iPads in 2017: a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 and a "low-cost" 9.7-inch iPad, along with a new bezel-free, mid-size model in the range of between 10 and 10.5 inches.

Last August, Kuo's expectation for Apple's mid-size model was a more definite 10.5 inches. His latest revised prediction of 10-10.5 inches suggests Apple is still testing multiple tablets and has yet to settle on a final size. Interestingly, Japanese site Mac Otakara released two separate reports last year stating that the tablet will be 10.1 inches and 10.9 inches, so while the former size falls into the lower end of Kuo's revised range, the exact dimensions remain unclear.

Market-wise, Kuo believes "the worst has passed" for Apple's iPad as he predicts a narrower year-on-year shipment decline in 2017. The analyst puts this down to an improved product mix, decreasing exposure to the iPad mini, and an improved cost structure due to an increasing number of suppliers of touch-module lamination and display panels, with Samsung being "the biggest winner" in joining previous monopoly-holder Silicon Works to supply the latter.

Mac Otakara and Barclays Research have both predicted an early 2017 launch for the new iPads, perhaps in March or April. However, if a radical bezel-free redesign is planned, it is unlikely that Apple will upstage the 2017 iPhone 8 that's expected in September with an edge-to-edge iPad launching earlier in the year.

Article Link: Size of Apple's New 'High End' iPad Pro Model Said to be Between 10 and 10.5-Inches

We all know that the real reason that Apple has adamantly refused to do a touch screen Macbook is because they are worried about cannibalizing iPad sales.

We all know that the real reason that Apple has adamantly refused to do an iPad with mouse support is because they are worried about cannibalizing Macbook sales.

That marketing philosophy worked well for a long time, but now it's time to move forward because of a) the capabilities of Android tablets, and b) the capabilities of Windows 2 in 1 laptops.

The Fanbois go on and on about how it makes no sense to use an iPad for productivity applications because it's designed as a content consumption device, and how it makes no sense to put a touch screen on a Macbook because it's designed as a computing device. The fact is that the divide between the two types of devices has been breached, and Apple can't continue to ignore this.

I see a lot of people using iPads with keyboard cases like the QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2

 

[dumastudetto]

These new ultra-thin bezel iPads sound incredible. I cannot wait to get my hands on them. I predict unbelievable demand exceeding supply for many months once they launch. In other words, get your orders in as soon as they arrive on the store!!!