Apple's iPad Pro: everything we know

Rumours Apple is developing a 12.9-inch iPad known as the iPad Pro are gathering weight. Read on for all its reported specs and features so far

Could the next iPad be optimised for business?
Could the next iPad be optimised for business? Credit: Photo: Getty

Apple is believed to have been developing a business-focused iPad for some time, with new details, alleged specs and features emerging online every few weeks. Here is everything we know so far:

A new, bigger screen

The new iPad, dubbed the iPad Pro, is rumoured to be Apple's largest yet. The iPad Air 2, released in October last year, measures 9.7-inches diagonally, while the mini 3 clocks in at 7.9-inches. Leaks suggest the latest model will measure between 12.2 - 12.9-inches, with dimensions of 305.3 x 220.8 x 7mm.

A display that size would be bigger than the most recently announced 12-inch MacBook, and would suggest a move away from casual web browsing and gaming and into more business-facing ventures. A larger display could also mean the long-awaited introduction of multi-tasking for iOS, allowing users to run multiple apps on-screen simultaneously. Should reports prove correct, we could see this feature introduced with iOS 8.4 or iOS 9 during Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June.

The screen is also alleged to sport improved touch latency for using Apple Watch feature Force Touch - which makes it possible to perform a variety of different actions in different apps using the same surface - and use with a Bluetooth-enabled stylus.

Wait, a stylus?

Apple could be poised to reverse its long-standing aversion to styli. Former chief executive Steve Jobs was vocal in his dislike of the accessory, saying in 2007: “Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, you lose them, yuck! Nobody wants a stylus.”

A report from respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in January claimed the Californian company intends to produce an accompanying stylus based on a number of stylus themed patents Apple has filed and his own research, AppleInsider has reported.

Apple has filed numerous patents around stylus use with iPads in the past, but no official Apple product has made it to market as of yet. Styli manufactured by third parties have been on sale since the introduction of the very first iPad in 2010.

The pressure-sensitive stylus could be developed to support 3D handwriting and wireless charging in the future, he said, but it's unlikely these features would be included in any product released in 2015.

A stylus is another indication the product is destined for an enterprise / student market given the handwriting recognition and precision it affords. Last year, the company teamed up with IBM to create mobile apps for businesses and for IBM to help sell iPads to corporate customers.

What will it look like?

in January, a user on China's Weibo microblogging site posted a photo of what appeared to be a mould for the rear shell of the tablet, with an estimated display size of 12-13 inches. The photo was simply labeled "iPad Pro".

The picture of the reported mould was uploaded to Weibo

The photo was reportedly taken at Apple manufacturer Foxconn's factory in China. Although the image is blurred, it does appear to show a faint impression of an Apple logo in the centre and perhaps a rear camera feature in a corner.

Apple Pay comes to iPad?

A source told AppleInsider the new iPad is likely to include an near field communication (NFC) radio, allowing it to act as a payment-receiving terminal for Apple Pay.

When will it be available?

Production has been rumoured to be delayed until September over issues with the display panels, people familiar with the matters told Bloomberg. Apple's display suppliers include Sharp, Japan Display and LG Display, according to the company’s supplier list. Share prices at all three companies fell in March following the news.

The time frame suggests the iPad Pro could be announced alongside the next cycle of iPhones, believed to be called the iPhone 6s, in September, or at a separate event in October like the iPad Air 2 and mini 3's launch event, should Apple choose to stick to the launch cycle of recent years.