Apple’s biggest and most powerful tablet, the iPad Pro, is set to go on sale as early as next week. The Cupertino company had unveiled the 12.9-inch tablet on Sept.9 along with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. At the time, the company said it would start selling the device in November in select regions. Now Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac has learned from inside sources that the iPad Pro could hit the store shelves on Wednesday, Nov.11.
iPad Pro to be available both online and offline next week
The report adds that it will be available both online and offline next week. The tablet’s accessories, the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, will be released on the same day. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is aimed at power users, unlike previous generations that were media-entertainment centered. The tablet costs $799 for 32GB version, while the most expensive 128GB WiFi + Cellular version sets you back by $1,049.
The new Pencil has been priced at $99. Apple claims the pressure-sensitive stylus offers low latency and high accuracy. It measures both pressure and tilt for a smooth drawing experience. Apple Pencil charges via a Lightning connector and promises 12 hours of battery life. The Smart Keyboard is just 4mm thick and costs $169. The keyboard also acts as a protective case for the tablet.
Apple anticipates lukewarm demand for the iPad Pro
The iPad Pro boasts of a 12.9-inch display with 2732 x 2048p resolution. It features the A9X processor and 4GB RAM. It is 1.8 times faster than iPad Air 2. The Cupertino-based tech giant claims that the iPad Pro is faster than 80% of PCs shipped last year. The jumbo iPad offers 4K video, 3D images, and RAW photo editing. The tablet is easy to carry, weighing just 1.57 pounds.
However, Apple doesn’t expect the iPad Pro to sell in large numbers. The tech giant has placed orders for only 2.5 million iPad Pro units for 2015. Asian supply chain sources told Digitimes that Apple had taken a “rather conservative approach” with the new iPad for the crucial holiday shopping season. The January-March 2016 orders could be even lower than 2.5 million units, said sources.
