The Air 3 is actually the iPad Pro / iPad Pro in two sizes?

[littelsquidge]

I've been pondering this for a while. The air 2 was arguably ahead of its time, so there is no pressing need to update the hardware with an 'Air 3'. However, Apple need to reinvigorate the iPad line somehow. So what about this line-up?

2015 iPad Air:

The current iPad Air 2, perhaps with one minor feature upgrade like when the mini 3 simply gained Touch ID (maybe Force Touch). Also available as iPad Air Mini, with same specs.

iPad Pro:

Force Touch, A9 CPU, Advanced Stylus support, Multiple speakers, 3Gb RAM [insert your wish list here] etc etc etc
Available with either 9.7 or 12.9 inch screen.
Much like the the iPhone 6, the larger 'Plus' could sport a couple of enhanced features and UI tweaks.

Apple could discontinue the Air 1 and Mini 2/3, really streamline the range. The 2015 Air could be priced in the 'last year's model' bracket and the Pro in the higher price bracket.

And yes, I realise that (in the UK at least) iPad Pro Plus may sound a little too much like a caffeine enhanced version of the iPad.

 

[gppittjk]

This is what I'm hoping for. I'd love to see a 9.7" iPad Pro. As long as it has smart stylus support, I'm happy. Add a file system and I'm ecstatic. The 12.9" version can even have some other features.

I think we could see something like the iPad Air getting an A9 and the Pro getting an A9X processor. That creates three separate lines with different processors and justifies what I believe will be a fairly hefty (at least $200) premium for the Pro model. If they were to go this route, I'd expect:

iPad Mini 4 - 7.9" - A8X Processor - Force Touch - $399 base
iPad Air 3 - 9.7" - A9 Processor - Force Touch - $499 base
iPad Pro - 9.7" - A9X Processor - Pro Features - $699 base
iPad Pro - 12.9" - A9X Processor - Pro Features + - $799 base

 

[Newtons Apple]

The iPad Pro MUST have a proper file system and SD card support or it will be Surface Pro 4 for me. I am betting on the Surface Pro 4 as Apple is known for shackling it devices and keeping them closed and tied to iTunes.

 

[bufffilm]

There's an earlier thread if you want to discuss what the Pro should or shouldn't have. I will say that if Apple announces it, it would probably cost a minimum of $1000-$1100 for the cheapest configuration.

I don't see Apple lowering the price of the current 9,7 ipad model ever. Well at least not this year or next.

 

[sracer]

The iPad Pro MUST have a proper file system and SD card support or it will be Surface Pro 4 for me. I am betting on the Surface Pro 4 as Apple is known for shackling it devices and keeping them closed and tied to iTunes.

That's a safe bet.

The question I have for you is, "why buy a Surface Pro 4 rather than an ultrabook like the Dell XPS 13?" Your "must-haves" for the iPad Pro didn't include support for an active stylus so that wouldn't be a reason. As a tablet, the Surface line continues to be sub-par due to the lack of a quantity of quality touch-optimized Modern UI apps.

It would be cheaper to own 2 devices (ultrabook and tablet) rather than a Surface Pro 4. Each device would offer a superior experience for the respective form factors than the SP4.

 

[Newtons Apple]

That's a safe bet.

The question I have for you is, "why buy a Surface Pro 4 rather than an ultrabook like the Dell XPS 13?" Your "must-haves" for the iPad Pro didn't include support for an active stylus so that wouldn't be a reason. As a tablet, the Surface line continues to be sub-par due to the lack of a quantity of quality touch-optimized Modern UI apps.

It would be cheaper to own 2 devices (ultrabook and tablet) rather than a Surface Pro 4. Each device would offer a superior experience for the respective form factors than the SP4.

I am thinking the MS Surface Pro 4 will change that. We shall see as they will both be introduced this fall. I need a device for filed work and prefer a tablet format.

 

[s2mikey]

The iPad Pro MUST have a proper file system and SD card support or it will be Surface Pro 4 for me. I am betting on the Surface Pro 4 as Apple is known for shackling it devices and keeping them closed and tied to iTunes.

That's very possible. I think it will hurt Apple as far as tablets go if the Pro is just a slightly larger regular iPad that's all locked down with zero connectivity. That's not what "pro level" users want.

The surface keeps getting better and better too.

The other pesky issue Apple has to worry about is that a decked out iPad might cannabalize sales of their lower end laptops/MacBooks.

 

[sracer]

That's very possible. I think it will hurt Apple as far as tablets go if the Pro is just a slightly larger regular iPad that's all locked down with zero connectivity. That's not what "pro level" users want.

The surface keeps getting better and better too.

The other pesky issue Apple has to worry about is that a decked out iPad might cannabalize sales of their lower end laptops/MacBooks.

File system access is going to be a "no". That would require a fundamental change to iOS that I highly doubt that Apple would entertain.

But there is still quite a bit that Apple could to do help out "pro" users:

1. Additional Bluetooth profiles to support mice, trackpads, and other pointing devices
2. USB support for USB peripherals including external storage. (no, the Camera kit is NOT it)
3. Support for 2 USB devices simultaneously (via a dongle)
4. System-level support for Bluetooth-enabled active stylus. (similar to what's available now but making it at the system level means that all apps could take advantage of it... not simply those that are specifically coded to support them) It also means it doesn't require a special active digitizer layer in the screen.

This is all doable without compromising the differentiation between iOS and OSX. Couple these modest changes with the new Logitech keyboard cover (that looks like the Surface, THE BLOK) and I'd be able to ditch my stack of tablets and hybrids.

 

[Centris 650]

System-level support for Bluetooth-enabled active stylus. (similar to what's available now but making it at the system level means that all apps could take advantage of it... not simply those that are specifically coded to support them) It also means it doesn't require a special active digitizer layer in the screen.

Yes. YES! A million times YES!
Though I would like a more active digitizer in the screen for pressure sensitivity for drawing.

 

[Dave245]

After thinking about it and reading some of the rumours, I personally don't expect the iPad Pro to run OSX or be a hybrid of both iOS and OSX, Apple have said a few times that they are against that idea. if the iPad Pro is real I think it could be a bigger iPad with IOS 9 split screen and multitasking features.

From using the public beta of iOS 9 on my iPad Air 2 I have found the split screen and multitasking features to be VERY helpful, in fact I've found I'm using my iPad more because of it. What if this what Apple wants but for a bigger iPad Pro? Multitasking on a bigger iPad would be even better due to the bigger screen.

 

[nia820]

Doesn't matter what size the iPad pro is if the OS is still useless. A stylus and 3gb ram isn't going to be enough for people to buy. Apple seriously needs to think about tweaking OSX for tablets like windows did for windows 8.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I have little faith that Apple will open up the iPad Pro but you never know. Plenty of devices to choose from by this fall and everyone can pick what they want.

 

[sracer]

Doesn't matter what size the iPad pro is if the OS is still useless. A stylus and 3gb ram isn't going to be enough for people to buy. Apple seriously needs to think about tweaking OSX for tablets like windows did for windows 8.

How much firsthand experience do you have with Windows-based 2-in-1 hybrid devices? Not notebooks with a touchscreen, but tablets that combine with a keyboard/trackpad to work as a notebook as well?

Windows 8 sounded good in theory but in practical use on hybrid devices... not so much. There is more to retrofitting a desktop OS for touch than simply magnifying the UI elements.

I have little faith that Apple will open up the iPad Pro but you never know. Plenty of devices to choose from by this fall and everyone can pick what they want.

One word for reason to have a bit more faith in that: phablets

Apple relented from their position on the smaller sized iphones. The market spoke with large sales of gargantuan phones and Apple had no choice but to respond.

With the release of Windows 10 and a growing sales of hybrid devices by more and more manufacturers, Apple will respond. Not with some dopey "touch-enabled version of OSX" but with something that will actually work well in both tablet and notebook form.

In an odd way, the best thing that someone (who wants Apple to produce a hybrid device) can do is to buy a Windows-based hybrid product. That sends a message that Apple listens to.

 

[nia820]

How much firsthand experience do you have with Windows-based 2-in-1 hybrid devices? Not notebooks with a touchscreen, but tablets that combine with a keyboard/trackpad to work as a notebook as well?

Windows 8 sounded good in theory but in practical use on hybrid devices... not so much. There is more to retrofitting a desktop OS for touch than simply magnifying the UI elements.

I own a surface pro 3 and i find myself using it more than my mbp sometimes. my only complaint about the surface pro 3 is that the keyboard should be bundled instead of buying it separately. If windows managed to make pull off laptop/ tablet hybrid I'm sure apple can do it and probably better.

 

[sracer]

I own a surface pro 3 and i find myself using it more than my mbp sometimes. my only complaint about the surface pro 3 is that the keyboard should be bundled instead of buying it separately. If windows managed to make pull off laptop/ tablet hybrid I'm sure apple can do it and probably better.

I have absolutely no complaints about the SP3 when using it as a notebook/ultrabook. The hardware of the entire Surface line is stellar. Where things seem to unravel is when using the SP3 (actually ANY Windows-based tablet) as a tablet.

I've been constantly frustrated by the lack of quality touch-optimized Modern UI apps. I'm not talking about app-ified frontends to websites but legitimately standalone apps. Relatively speaking, the situation is better now than it was a year ago, but the chronic lack continues to push me toward using Android and iOS equipped tablets.

This is why I don't quite agree that Microsoft was able to "pull off" a notebook/tablet hybrid. Most of the blame rests on their shoulders since the consequences of their their botched introduction of the Surface and Win 8 continue to be experienced.

 

[Dave245]

I own a surface pro 3 and i find myself using it more than my mbp sometimes. my only complaint about the surface pro 3 is that the keyboard should be bundled instead of buying it separately. If windows managed to make pull off laptop/ tablet hybrid I'm sure apple can do it and probably better.

Apple expressed that they have no interest In doing a iOS and OSX hybrid, Tim Cook himself commented on it a while ago. I think the iPad Pro is going to be a bigger iPad just like the iPad mini was a smaller version.

 

[Beachguy]

Apple seriously needs to think about tweaking OSX for tablets like windows did for windows 8.

Dear me, NO. Microsoft almost killed the franchise with Windows 8.x and OS X doesn't need that. It would be a long time before we see enough touch capable applications anyway. They do take time.

 

[nia820]

Apple expressed that they have no interest In doing a iOS and OSX hybrid, Tim Cook himself commented on it a while ago. I think the iPad Pro is going to be a bigger iPad just like the iPad mini was a smaller version.

They also said they have no interest in 7 inch tablet and anything over 4 inches. Hopefully they come to their senses.

 

[Dave245]

They also said they have no interest in 7 inch tablet and anything over 4 inches. Hopefully they come to their senses.

Fair point but I still don't see them doing a IOS and OS X hybrid, I think the multitasking feature in iOS 9 adds more functionality and on a bigger screen it will be great. If the iPad Pro is real I would be happy with a bigger iPad.