Want another huge tablet? Apple is heavily rumored to be launching the iPad Pro 2 in the coming months.
Apple launched its largest ever tablet in September 2015. The iPad Pro 12.9 came with a huge 12.9-inch screen, supported the Apple Pencil stylus and packed a powerful processor – it was a big change to the iPad game.
We were big fans, giving it 4.5-stars in our full TechRadar review, praising the slate for its impressive front-facing speakers and great display among other things.
Then there was the iPad Pro 9.7, an iPad Air 2 replacement which came with a smaller screen, new True Tone technology and all of the features we’d already seen on the original iPad Pro.
But with 2017 now in full swing we need a new large-screen iPad, and the good news is it’s possible we’ll get one soon: the rumored device is likely to replace both Pro models and may come in a third size too. Here’s everything we know so far about the iPad Pro 2.
The original iPad Pro is well over a year old, but considering the iPad Pro 9.7 came out earlier in 2016 and demand for new tablets isn’t high at the moment, it’s no surprise we’re going to be waiting longer for an iPad Pro 2.
Based on previous releases an early 2017 launch around March was rumored, but as we now know, the Apple announcement in March was for a new iPad, that’s essentially an iPad Air 2 replacement.
There’s evidence that the iPad Pro 2 was originally heading for a March launch but that the slate was delayed, as TSMC – which is making the chips for it – has apparently seen lower than expected yields.
So where does that leave us? Well, according to an analyst speaking to Forbes a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model has entered limited production, which could mean it’s coming soon, with a supply chain source claiming to MacRumors that it could arrive as soon as April.
That, of course, didn’t happen, but we might not be waiting much longer, especially as a leaked screenshot from an authorized Apple reseller shows a case for a 10.5-inch iPad as launching in June.
In which case we might see it at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) , which takes place on June 5-9.
That rumor has been backed up by certain analysts, claiming that Apple will indeed unveil the new slate at WWDC, traditionally an event for software announcements rather than new hardware.
On the other hand, it would seem odd to launch new iPads so close together, so it’s just as likely that we’ll be waiting a little longer, and some analysts don’t expect to see it until October.
There’s no news on pricing yet, so we only have the original iPad Pro’s pricing to go from. That starts at $599 (£499, AU$899) for the 9.7-inch model and $799 (£679, AU$1249) for the 12.9-inch one, so with pricing likely to be similar for the Pro 2 it certainly won’t be easy on the wallet.
Not much is known about the iPad Pro 2 just yet – but leaked photos of a new Apple tablet have shown off what some believe to be the iPad Pro 2.
They came from a source working on the Chinese supply line – according to Apple Insider – and show off the tablet’s screen with a model number of MH1Z2CD/F.
That number’s not attached to any existing product, so it’d make sense for this to be the iPad Pro 2. The photos don’t show off any specific changes though, so it may look just like the original iPad Pro tablet.
That wouldn’t be a surprise, especially as Apple only just reinvented the iPad to some extent with the launch of the Pro range.
That said, there’s a fair chance the company will try to make the new slates slimmer and lighter, as this is something Apple often does with new models and it could really benefit the larger model, as the iPad Pro 12.9 weighs a hefty 713g.
On the other hand, they could get thicker, albeit with a smaller overall footprint, as one leak claims a new 10.9-inch model will have the same length and width as the iPad Pro 9.7 but will be 7.5mm thick (where Apple’s current flagship is just 6.1mm) .
The same source says the iPad Pro 2 12.9-inch variant will get 3mm thicker, making it 9.9mm thick.
Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone 7, so this may be a change Apple brings over to the iPad range.
Apple may also make the iPad Pro 2 water and dust resistant, like the iPhone 7. While a tablet – which is typically used indoors – is arguably less in need of that protection it would still help defend it against spilled drinks.
If the smallest iPad Pro gets a reboot, expect the same shape with just an internal spec boost.
According to a research note from a respected analyst, the iPad Pro 2 will come in three different sizes. There’ll be 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch models, just like with the original range, but there’ll also apparently be a 10.5-inch version.
There was some consternation that we wouldn’t be getting new iPad Pro models this year at all when the rumored launch date only spat out a few alterations to current models.
But analysts still believe that the new Pro models, including the new 10.5-inch option, are still on their way, so don’t worry that they’ll never appear. Apparently the production is just about to start, although its hard to know the validity of such a claim.
Recently we’ve heard additional details about that new size, including the fact that it will apparently be 2,224 x 1,668 in order to retain the same pixel density of 264 pixels per inch as the 9.7-inch model, and that despite having a larger screen it would have the same overall dimensions by reducing the bezel.
However, a supply chain source has claimed that there’ll be a 10.9-inch model (presumably instead of the rumored 10.5-inch one) .
The source believes the home button would be built into the screen – along with TouchID fingerprint scanning – to allow for smaller bezels, but we’ve heard this rumor for a long while with the iPhone and it’s impossible to see it coming this year, as it’s just too early.
These leaks don’t mention the resolution or any other details, but we can predict that all models of the iPad Pro 2 will come with a True Tone display, which debuted on the iPad Pro 9.7.
True Tone allows your tablet to alter the screen’s color temperature depending on the ambient lighting of where you use it, so you can see the image properly no matter what conditions you’re in.
Apple rarely changes the resolution of its device’s screens; in fact, it hasn’t upped the 9.7-inch iPad’s resolution since the iPad 3 in 2012. You could argue that it’s due a jump by this point, but the 1536 x 2048 display doesn’t feel lacking, so we expect the iPad Pro 2 9.7 will keep that sharpness.
Similarly, the iPad Pro 2 12.9 will probably stay at 2048 x 2732 and the iPad Pro 2 10.5 or 10.9 – if it exists, which feels unlikely given it would be far too close to the 9.7-inch model in screen size – will presumably slot somewhere in the middle.
We’d expect to see some improvements to the display, but like the addition of True Tone on the iPad Pro 9.7 these are likely to be software tweaks or technology improvements, rather than an increased resolution.
One such improvement could be 3D Touch, which debuted on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. This essentially makes the screen pressure-sensitive, so a hard press on something will yield different results to a light one.
Bigger changes could come with the iPad Pro 3, likely in 2018, with talk of a curved AMOLED display.
The iPad Pro 9.7 has a 12MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing one, so we’d expect at least that from the iPad Pro 2.
Chances are Apple won’t change the megapixel count, as both cameras on the iPad Pro 9.
