Apple was said to be improving the specs and features of the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro, such as its touch latency, pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus, support for NFC, and a 2560 x 1920 screen resolution. The device is set to be part of the iPad refresh by October. Apple's roll out of the large iPad Pro is not a response to Microsoft's Surface Pro 3.
Latest rumors about Apple's new iPad Pro recently surfaced, and it said that the company is not only developing a 12.9-inch iPad Pro but is also improving of its touch latency, pairing it with pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus. It is expected that the screen will have some pressure sensitivity, which would eventually lead it to support the Force Touch technology introduced with Apple Watch and latest MacBook models.
The tablet is also expected to feature a USB-C port, but the certainty whether it will replace Lightning or serve as a secondary input/output option is not yet confirmed. It could also come out possibly with NFC support. However, the reason about its inclusion is still unknown as tap-to-pay would be inconvenient on the size of a table. Perhaps its purpose is due to easier pairing with accessories such as the stylus.
The stylus was first hinted by KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo who said that they found "numerous stylus-related patents" filed by Apple. This led the analyst to believe that it will be included in the rumored iPad.
Kuo said, "Given that it's more precise than a person's fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases. Therefore, we believe Apple's stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad."
In terms of its release date, Rhoda Alexander reportedly revealed a "huge hint" as to the launch date of the new iPad including its resolution.
Alexendar said, "We expect it to be a part of the iPad refresh in October. Our sources are still indicating this is a 2015 product, slated to go into production mid-to-late third quarter. Sources indicate the panel will be 12.9-inches, with a resolution of 2560 x 1920."
She also debunked other reports saying that the large iPad is a response to the 12-inch Surface Pro 3 tablet. When talking about the processor of the 12.9-inch iPad, it is said to be highly possible that the tablet would use powerful "A" series processor, where the iPad Air 2 sports the A8X CPU.
Apple has yet to make official statements.
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