If you think that the only Apple-related gossip going around is iPhone 8- and iPhone 7s-related, you’re wrong! Apple does have other rumored products in the pipeline, such as the iPad Pro 2. In this article, we’re going to gather all the latest rumors and build a picture for you in a bid to see what its specs and features will be, along with a possible release date.
iPad Pro 2 release date
This year Apple launched the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in March, and as such, the rumor mill has decided on a consensus of March 2017 as the launch month. However, some rumors go even further, suggesting the tech giant will initially produce 2 million units, with a further 5 million to 6 million on order, should they sell like hot cakes. As you would expect though, there’s been no confirmation on either of these points from Apple.
Three different variants
One rumor points to the success of the first iPad Pro. Apparently, Apple is considering moving away from the iPad Air and Mini for the iPad Pro 2. This could mean the three new variants are 9.7 inches, 12.9 inches, and 10.9 inches.
Processor and RAM
As for hardware rumors, the iPad Pro 2 will get an all-new processor, presumably called the A10X Fusion, which would fit with previous naming conventions. Also it will reportedly be a huge upgrade compared to the A9X currently being used on the first iPad Pro.
The current tablet has 4GB of RAM, which is more than enough by current standards. However, some social media sources have suggested that 6GB of RAM could be possible. According to those sources, this could help users see the iPad Pro 2 as a more powerful option to replace a laptop. Right now the current generation has the Smart Keyboard accessory. However, it has failed to make a dent in competitors’ laptop sales, and this would enable Apple to encroach upon the territory of the latest Microsoft Surface Pro, which has sold well.
OLED display
MacRumors recently reported that the iPad Pro 2 could get an OLED display. Right now the rumor mill is touting this for the iPhone 8. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if Apple is lining it up for its tablets too, and if this turns out to be true, it would be a significant upgrade beyond the regular IPS LCD Apple uses.
The OLED display is supposed to emit its own light, thanks to the inclusion of ambient light sensors. This in turn, will help improve power efficiency and battery life.
Design
Could Apple be moving towards removing the Home button on all future devices? We’ve all seen rumors about the next iPhone, but now the iPad Pro 2 may lack a Home button too.
According to the Japanese site Macotakara, the iPad Pro 2 will be almost bezel-less. This means that it could have the same overall size as the 9.7-inch Pro and still have a larger screen. The site mentioned that the top bezel would remain to house the FaceTime camera, but the rest would be gone.
Camera
According to the TechTimes, the cameras on the iPad Pro 2 will consist of a 12-megapixel rear sensor and a smaller 5-megapixel front sensor, which will also have TrueTone Flash and 4K video recording functionality. We believe that the addition of these features will enable it to capture Live Photos.
Price
No consensus on the price has been reached by the rumor mill. However, as this is still a guessing game, we’d side with TechRadar, which suggests that the second-generation Pro could fall in line with the pricing of the original. That’s $599 (£499, AU$899) for the 9.7-inch model and $799 (£679, AU$1,249) for the 12.9-inch one. So with pricing likely to be similar for the iPad Pro 2, it won’t be a low-cost product.
What do you want to see Apple bring to the table with the next Pro? We know what we’d like to see: a bigger battery, a lighter build, better cameras, a top-end storage option of 500GB, a much-improved display, maybe something like Quad HD, and finally, how about a top spec of 6GB of RAM?
