The iPad Pro simply won't go away.
Contradicting a recent rumor that the rumored 12.9-inch tablet had been delayed until next year, Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News has reported this week that the Cupertino-based tech giant is readying three iPads for a 2014 launch: the 9.7-inch Air 2, 7.9-inch iPad Mini 3 with Retina display and the Pro.
EDN adds that each of the iPads, along with the iWatch, will receive next-gen touch sensor from TPK,BGR reports.
Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, believes Apple will only release the Air 2 and new Mini in 2014, with the work-tablet "Pro" set for next year.
Kuo previously stated that Apple is working on the iPad Pro tablet for 2015 with an eye on a "richer entertainment and productivity experience," AppleInsider reports. He added that it will pack new usability features.
"With the 12.9" iPad, we think Apple will come up with a new user interface that's more innovative and intuitive, so that input will be as efficient as a device with keyboard," Kuo said.
The Pro has also been rumored for 2K/4K display options with with 2560 x 1600 and 4096 x 3072 pixel counts, respectively, an A8 chip and an eye-tracking sensor. Digitimes reports that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, or possibly "Max," would target "North America's educational market [and]... be manufactured by Quanta Computer." The tablet would arrive as a competitor to Samsung's work tablet and feature new cases with integrated keyboards and batteries, according to the report.
According to an earlier report, the Air 2 will feature the same design as its predecessor, but will come equipped with a new Apple A8 chip (compared to the A7 in the Air) and a better 8MP camera. ETNews claims production of the tablet's display will enter production in the middle of June, while other major parts, including the camera module, will be ready for production next month. The Mini 3 is also believed to be getting Touch ID and an Apple A8.
