Apple Said to Be Targeting Fall 2014 Launch for 12-Inch iPad Focused on Enterprise

Amid rumors of a larger "iPad Pro" perhaps arriving in 2014 with a larger display in the range of 12-13 inches, Evercore analyst Patrick Wang yesterday released a research report indicating that supply chain sources are indeed supporting the circulating claims.

According to Wang's sources, Apple is looking to launch a 12-inch iPad in the fall of this year, targeting enterprise with a new "hybrid" device intended to bridge the gap between tablets and notebooks. Wang believes that the larger iPad will unsurprisingly also include a new A8 processor from Apple that may be a quad-core chip, as well as increased storage.

Arriving in fall ‘14, Apple goes Enterprise with an 12” iPad. Powered by the A8 chip (perhaps 4C), this expands ARM’s reach and, once again, transforms the traditional notebook market as we know it.

- Expect a 2-1 hybrid – think iPad + MBA – similar to how most iPads are used in the workplace and in the same spirit of MSFT’s Surface.

Wang points out that bill-of-materials estimates peg the cost of the Intel processors used in the MacBook Air in excess of 20% of the machine's cost, while the ARM processors used in Apple's iPad represent only about 5% of total cost for high storage capacity models. The much lower pricing for Apple's A-series chips could allow the company to pose a serious threat to the business notebook market for those applications where a new and larger iPad would be appropriate.

evercore_mba_ipad_bom
In his note, Wang points out that Apple faces two primary challenges in penetrating the enterprise notebook market with a larger iPad. The first is storage capacity, with the current iPad maxing out at 128 GB, while the second is support for the full Microsoft Office suite that is entrenched in the enterprise market. Microsoft has been reported for some time to be working on a version of Office for iPad, and the most recent reports have indicated that it could arrive in fall of 2014 following completion of the "Touch First" interface for Windows earlier in the year.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

Popular Stories

2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:04 am PST by
Apple today released watchOS 11.3.1, a minor update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.3.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.3.1 can be downloaded by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to...
sequoia

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.3.1

Monday February 10, 2025 10:11 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that came out last September. macOS 15.3.1 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. Apple has also released macOS 13.7.4 and macOS 14.7.4 for those who are...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Orange

Powerbeats Pro 2 Given to Customer Early, Expected to Debut Tomorrow

Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend. A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange "My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.3.1 With Bug Fixes

Monday February 10, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.1 comes two weeks after Apple released iOS 18.3. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iPadOS 17.7.5 for those still running...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple Increases Mac Trade-In Values for a Limited Time

Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below. Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2. The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50. Model New Value Old Value MacBook Pro Up to $925 ...

Top Rated Comments

JackieTreehorn Avatar
145 months ago
i can't take any source seriously whose name is wang.

I just start laughing.

Or this.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
145 months ago
What do Klingons and Apple have in common?

They're both targeting launches that focus on Enterprise.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snowboarder Avatar
145 months ago
If this doesn't run full Mac OS, it's useless as every other iPad.
Try to copy an image from your Mac to your iPad (using the moronic iTunes)
and do something with your image on your iPad.

Hardware is amazing, but their iOS is just purely unbelievably bad.
How can you not include any file system? How am I supposed to deal with my
files? Save a copy under each student written application?

Apple, please stop thinking all the users are stupid and bring back
full functionality to your great devices! So sick of your limitations.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abowlby Avatar
145 months ago
I thought that Tim Cook made it abundantly clear that Apple wouldn't be heading in the "Surface direction" with their product line, because it ends up compromising both tablets and laptops when you do so. I swear he said that during the Mavericks unveil back in June or July.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wiz329 Avatar
145 months ago
I can't take any source seriously whose name is Wang.

I just start laughing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Swazaloo Avatar
145 months ago

Try to copy an image from your Mac to your iPad (using the moronic iTunes)
and do something with your image on your iPad.

This is very easy to do, just toss the image into your Photo Stream and it will appear on all of your devices.


Hardware is amazing, but their iOS is just purely unbelievably bad.
How can you not include any file system? How am I supposed to deal with my
files? Save a copy under each student written application?

I used to feel the same way you do. I have come to realized that it just requires a different way of thinking. Create a document in Pages and it is automatically saved in the cloud, easily accessible on all of your devices. A file system is no longer needed. I understand more advanced users may still require a file system for certain activities. (I am a web developer and couldn't dream of working in an environment without one.) But iPads are not meant to be used for those kinds of activities.


Apple, please stop thinking all the users are stupid and bring back
full functionality to your great devices! So sick of your limitations.

Again, if you asked me a few years ago I would be fighting the good fight with you. I am getting older now, and I want things to just work. My time is valuable and I don't want to waste it configuring options and setting things up. I have to applaud Apple, it is challenging to create programs that are easy to use yet very powerful.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)