Apple’s iPad Pro is one hell of a machine. It performs great and is easily one of my all time favourite tablets (even though it borrowed most of its features from Samsung and Microsoft).
The tablet space is in terrible shape, though: no one is buying tablets anymore. Global shipments are down year on year, and fewer and fewer new models are released by Google’s partners.
Apple is pressing on, however, with its iPad line. The company pretty much started the entire tablet segment back in 2010 and has dominated it ever since. I do find tablets incredibly boring, though – gimme a big phone any day of the week. At least, I did until the iPad Pro came along.
The iPad Pro made me like tablets again. Given the choice between an iPad Pro and a Surface Pro 4 I’d obviously take the Surface, but that’s besides the point – Apple’s iPad Pro is still a very, very impressive piece of kit.
And we will apparently see a new iPad Pro model released in June, according to BGR.
Not only that... new MacBooks are expected to launch alongside these new iPads at Apple's WWDC 2017 event.
“In a new research note to customers,” notes BGR, “TrendForce said that notebooks are having a little moment, again. Shipments for the first quarter of the year grew by 6.1% compared to last year, totaling around 37.81 million. That’s a 15.6% decline from the Christmas quarter, but still an impressive result for the period.”
It added: “Apple placed fifth in TrendForce’s top, with 3.4 million MacBook laptops shipped during the period — that marks a 15.8% decline compared to the December quarter, but a 15.4% increase compared to last year. TrendForce quotes the MacBook Pro with TouchBar as the device that contributed significantly to the overall shipments. Similarly, the researchers believe the 12-inch MacBook will help Apple ship 10% more laptops in the second quarter of this year than last year.”
There will be NO iPad Mini update, however, as sources close to Apple claim the company is now officially done with the smaller iPad tablet. To be honest, this does not surprise me one bit; small tablets – and tablets in general – have become less and less popular during the past three years. This is why Apple did the iPad Pro – it needed something new and fresh.
Plus, Apple now makes BIG iPhones and this kind of negates the need for an iPad Mini, as it is only marginally bigger than the iPhone Plus models. The new lineup, therefore, will be iPad and iPad Pro. This keeps things nice and simple and ensures parity across the line.
The iPad Mini has always felt like an outsider in Apple’s iPad lineup, so it comes as no surprise to see it nixed for 2017/18’s campaign. BGR spoke with sources close to Apple that said the iPad mini has been ‘sized out of its own category’ – as many users opt for the larger handsets instead of a small iPad.
“The new iPad Pro rumoured to be debuting sometime this year is expected to feature a fresh new design that will serve as something of a preview for Apple’s iPhone 8 design.,” said the report.
“The tablet is expected to be about the same size as Apple’s current 97.-inch iPad Pro, but it will feature a 10.5-inch display. How will Apple fit a larger display into a tablet that’s the same size as its current iPad Pro model? You guessed it… by shrinking the bezels.”
The iPad Pro 2, or whatever it is eventually called, will apparently be ALL SCREEN, just like the iPhone 8. This will make the iPad Pro 2 look completely different to what came before, though it will be interesting to see how a tablet without bezels actually functions in practice – what are you meant to hold on to?
9to5Mac also spotted a listing for an “iPad 10.5” inside a case maker’s inventory display. The report reckons this could be Apple’s new-look iPad Pro.
Beyond this, leaks suggest Apple is planning on removing the home key aboard this new iPad Pro model. Like the iPhone 8 it will apparently be built into the display.
Personally, I do not buy this. Apple is having plenty of issues finding these new and tricky-to-make panels for its iPhone 8. We know this. So how in the hell is it able to find 10.5in versions of these panels so easily?
It makes no sense.
To be honest, I don't really think the iPad needs much of a facelift. Granted, it’s pretty dull to look at. But who cares? It’s a tablet; that’s what tablets look like… Personally, I’d much rather see them investing in the actual software that runs aboard these more expensive iPad models.
If you want people to view the iPad Pro in the same light as the Surface Pro 4 you NEED to make the software comparable. At present, it simply isn’t – one’s a fully fledged desktop OS, the other’s a phone OS running on a big display.
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FYI: You Can Save $200 on Select Surface Pro 4 Laptops Right Now
Microsoft is currently running a pretty decent deal on select Surface Pro 4 models inside its store. The deal will net you $200 off the price of select Surface Pro 4 models.
That’s a pretty hefty slice off the RRP for a very potent hybrid machine. I’m a huge fan of Microsoft’s line of Surface Pro hybrids, as they can replace your desktop, tablet and laptop in one foul swoop.
I’d always go for the higher-specced models as well, because if you use it as a desktop computer, you will want that extra grunt for gaming and things like Photoshop.
