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iPad Pro release date, specs rumor round-up

• Egon Kilin
• December 19th, 2014

The iPad Pro release date is supposedly around the corner, and we can’t help but wonder what Apple is planning for the upcoming massive tablet. According to most iPad Pro release date and specs rumors, the new Apple slate is promising enough to knock the iPad Air 2 out of the limelight, seeing as tech consumers are gravitating from compact tablets towards more massive ones with big displays to use as entertainment centers.

The Nexus 9 was launched recently and it has created enough hype to overpower the iPad Air 2 release and launch, even though reviews about the two slates are pretty even, saying that both the iPad Air 2 and Nexus 9 are great examples of powerful next-gen tablets. The iPad Pro on the other hand, based on rumors, speculations and leaks is shaping up to quite the upgrade to the average Apple slate and we are getting more and more curious each day.

iPad Pro Release Date Rumors

The iPad Pro release date is currently unofficial, but sources say that Apple might be ready with the slate by April or June 2015. We had first seen rumors about the iPad Pro release date in August in a Bloomberg report stating that the iPad Pro would be launched early in 2015. Those rumors were debunked soon after, even though we were fairly sure that we would see the slate surface in December 2015, even. The reason for the new delay of the iPad Pro release date is supposedly the huge iPhone 6 Plus demand, which forced Apple to focus more on current manufacturing issues rather than try and start the manufacture of the iPad Pro.

The current rumor about the iPad Pro release date is fairly sure about the slate being introduced and announced between April and June 2015. Reportedly, Apple will start mass-producing the iPad Pro early in 2015, which would correlate the late Spring-early Summer release date. The mass production of the slate being delayed to early next year is due in part to the high iPhone 6 Plus demands as well as the difficulty of getting all the display components in stock and place.

iPad Pro specs and features

Even though the iPad Pro release date isn’t even confirmed, there are still tons of rumors flying around, fueled by a handful of photo and video leaks showing off the massive Apple tablet in detail. A video showing a 12.2 inch iPad Pro mockup demonstrated the slate compared to the MacBook and various iPhone and iPad units. We had previously though that the iPad Pro display would end up being 12.9 inches in size, but the video leak from earlier this month tried to debunk that belief.

Another iPad Pro leak shows a prototype device or a dummy that is reportedly being used by case manufacturers to get an idea of how to design their iPad Pro cases to fit the upcoming Apple slate. Based on that leak, the iPad Pro could indeed feature a 12.9 inch display, but seeing as both the video and picture sources are fairly reliable, we are not sure what to believe at the moment. Even though the iPad Pro release date is uncertain, at least we know that Apple is definitely working on the slate and we should definitely expect to see it being released this year.

With either a 12.2 or 12.9 inch display the iPad Pro would become the largest Apple tablet ever made, being bigger than the iPad Air 2 and all the iPad Mini iterations so far. Since we’re so into the iPad Pro, we have to mention that we’re not even sure that would be the moniker Apple would choose for the slate. We could see the new slate being named the iPad Air Plus, as there are some suggestions flying around about that name.

The iPad Pro design shouldn’t differ to much from what Apple got us used to so far, so we’re probably going to be looking at a thin and light device, with slim bezels and a metal chassis, naturally. Other iPad Pro rumors include an ultra high definition display, but we don’t know whether we’re talking 2K or 4K. Nonetheless, we should be getting more info and more leaks about that pretty soon. Stereos speakers and high quality microphones should be included in the device, improving sound quality. Touch ID and Wi-Fi are for sure features we should see in the iPad Pro.

What’s more interesting about iPad Pro specs is the rumor that Apple would be using the new Apple A9 chip in the manufacturing of the brand new slate. Nonetheless, we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw the Apple A8X CPU instead. Both these processors should offer great performance, so we wouldn’t be disappointed no matter which Apple chose to put into the iPad Pro. The iPad Pro release date corroborates the introduction of the Apple A9 chip in the slate, since rumors have it that Samsung has already begun manufacturing the chip. 2 GB RAM are expected to be backing up whichever processor Apple chose, alongside a few internal storage variations, including a 128 GB one.

Rumors say that the iPad Pro specs should include Wi-Fi 802.11ac Wi-Fi which should be faster than 802.11n Wi-Fi. A motion coprocessor and a front-facing FaceTime HD camera should also be included in the build, although there are doubts about Apple putting a rear camera on such a big device. iOS8 should be running the show, but we should find out more when Apple announces the iPad Pro release date, even though we’re pretty sure iOS 8 won’t be getting a new version until Fall next year at least. Still, an updated version of iOS 8 could be on-board, so we’re crossing fingers to see that happen. Other rumors actually suggest that the iPad Pro might come with a hybrid OS, combining iOS with OS X, which would be a very interesting development.

Remember that the iPad Pro release date and specs are still just rumors, so take all this information with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, the iPad Pro is shaping up to be a great device and we hope Apple gets everything right with the upcoming slate. We are hoping for great battery life and a high resolution display, as that would fit a device intended for entertainment and home use, but we would also like to see a revamped OS and design, maybe even some new multitasking features and a split-screen multitasking mode. We will try and keep you up to date with fresh iPad Pro release date and specs rumors, so keep in touch.