Not content with the powerful new iPad Air 2, which Apple showcased during last month’s big media event, the rumor mill still has its sights on the elusive iPad Pro, and whilst it has long since been reckoned that the larger slate would be arriving at some point in the near future, we now have some new details and revelations as to what said device will entail. As well as a 12.2-inch display – a change in direction from the long-rumored 12.9-inch setup – the slab might also include extra speakers, and with a thin profile set to give even the iPhone 6 a run for its money in terms of slickness, there are plenty of reasons to be getting excited.
While the new iPad mini 3 has been touted by many as an overpriced, underpowered disappointment, the iPad Air 2 has been the subject of rave reviews. With NFC (which Apple didn’t even talk about), a three-core processor and 2GB of RAM, it’s considerably more powerful than any Apple tablet we’ve seen in the past, but despite its might, the notion of an iPad Pro remains.
The reason, perhaps, for Apple’s effort add a larger, “Pro” model to its ranks is because of competing offerings like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy TabPro, which have sought to offer a notebook level of power and performance on a tablet. As we’ve heard on a number of occasions, the plan will be for the iPad Pro to focus on the education sector, something that Apple has always associated itself with, and Japanese blog Macotakara has some interesting tidbits including vague dimensions.
The 12.2-inch display will be bundled into a profile of similar thickness to the iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, which are 6.9 and 7.1 mm respectively. The iPad Air 2, at 6.1mm, is exceptionally slender, and the iPad Pro will not be quite as slim, but with many Apple fans having grown tired of smaller designs at the expense of battery life and other such features, let’s hope that Apple recognizes the basic needs of a Pro device rather than merely trying to woo us with another design marvel.
Meanwhile, there’ll apparently be two extra speakers for enhanced audio, and the device is rumored to be arriving early on next year.
(Source: Macotakara [Google Translate])
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
