12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro' Rumored to Launch After Mid-November as Foxconn Prepares Components

Monday July 13, 2015 4:52 AM PDT by Joe Rossignol
The oft-rumored 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" is expected to launch after mid-November as overseas manufacturer Foxconn prepares to start supplying components for the large-sized tablet in late September, according to the sometimes-reliable Taiwanese blog DigiTimes. Apple reportedly remains cautious about placing orders for the "iPad Pro" from suppliers due to declining iPad sales and weakening demand in the overall tablet market.

ipadprodummy1
12.9-inch "iPad Pro" dummy model originally shared in February 2015

DigiTimes has a hit-and-miss track record reporting on Apple's upcoming product plans, so this latest rumor should be treated with a proverbial grain of salt. Nevertheless, the rumor is consistent with previous reports that widely expect the "iPad Pro" to launch in the second half of this year. Apple has also historically announced new iPad models in October, which could line up with a launch around mid-November.

Last month, Taiwanese iOS developer Hiraku Wang shared iOS 9 beta code that suggests the 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" could have a 2,732×2,048 display at 264 PPI, the same pixel density as the third-generation iPad through iPad Air 2. iPhone developer Steven Troughton-Smith also discovered that the new iPad keyboard on iOS 9 beta is capable of scaling to a larger size with rearranged keys, providing further evidence that Apple could be planning to release a larger-sized tablet in the near future.

iOS 9 UIKeyboard iPad
UIKeyboard view on iOS 9 scales to a larger iPad size (Image: Twitter/Steve T-S)

The pro-level tablet is also rumored to feature a 12.9-inch flexible display with increased pressure sensitivity, built-in NFC chip, Force Touch, USB-C port and possibly a pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus. The tablet would also likely have an A9 processor with 2GB of RAM and Touch ID.

A related DigiTimes report claims that China-based white-box tablet makers are preparing to capitalize on the "iPad Pro" launch and seasonal shopping trends by releasing tablets in the 10-inch to 15-inch range throughout the second half of 2015. The tablet makers are said to be sourcing components from Taiwan-based touch controller IC makers including ITE Tech, Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) and ILi Technology (Ilitek).

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: Foxconn, digitimes.com
Buyer's Guide: 12.9" iPad Pro (Neutral)
64 comments


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coltman75
36 months ago

What's the point if it doesn't run OS X?

I'm on the flip side. What's the point if it does run OS X? OS X would be awful on a touch interface, whereas iOS has some really great professional-level tools that take full advantage of what the iPad has to offer.
Rating: 11 Votes
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Alex Moran
36 months ago
All I really want is a stylus that is integrated with the OS
Rating: 9 Votes
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Pakaku
36 months ago

You have 5 stylus' at the end of each arm. Very convenient.

That's really funny. Finger-painting is a horrendous way to draw. There is a very good reason why Wacom's Cintiq lineup still ships with pens.
Rating: 6 Votes
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Rocketman
36 months ago

What's the point if it doesn't run OS X?

Kiosk, corporate control systems overviews, CNC mill, accounting departments. Generally businesses not gamers, which is probably the best consumer level use case.

Rocketman
Rating: 4 Votes
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mgipe
36 months ago

You have 5 stylus' at the end of each arm. Very convenient.

I guess I need to figure out how to put one of these stylii in the pencil sharpener, because as it is now, it's too blunt to use for precision drawing.
Rating: 4 Votes
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martygras9
36 months ago

You have 5 stylus' at the end of each arm. Very convenient.

Have you ever used a Wacom Cintiq? Use one once and you'll see why using an iPad for design is like finger painting. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPad in its current form, but I'm very intrigued about this.
Rating: 4 Votes
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arbogast777
36 months ago
You have 5 stylus' at the end of each arm. Very convenient.
Rating: 3 Votes
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teslo
36 months ago

That's really funny. Finger-painting is a horrendous way to draw. There is a very good reason why Wacom's Cintiq lineup still ships with pens.


i'd go a step further and say the cintiq is objectively useless without its stylus (even if they'd made it finger-touch sensitive). yet it's a multi-million dollar company. hmmm... could it be that many apple users and MR commenters know absolutely bupkis about what demographic this iPad pro would be courting?

we get it. you love jailbreaking. you love poring over the minute details of computers and devices. but you're in no way a person who would EVER need to draw or draft or animate something at a professional level. among all the other activities a stylus would lend itself nicely to. in fact, a stylus is what WOULD make OS X a viable touch0screen os. if it's roughly the size of a 13" macbook, how could you NOT imagine the joy of being able to click something on the screen?

hmmm. ipad. 'pro'. ipad. 'pro'.... "are you getting it yet?"
Rating: 3 Votes
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jlc1978
36 months ago

doesn't need to be 'optimized' for touch in the sense that iOS is. you just need to be ABLE to touch things. and according to the wacom community, Yosemite is far more touch capacitive than any previous iterations - check youtube, they've hacked a cintiq companion to run yosemite and it's not 'terrible'

I disagree. There are some fundamental differences between a touch enabled device and a mouse GUI; starting with the angle of use (vertical vs. horizontal), how you interact with on screen objects and even the use of screen space, for example how a keyboard takes up half of the screen. What is needed, IMHO, is a tight integration of OSX and iOS so a drawing app could be open on each and exchange info and allow the iPad to act as a tablet or ancillary tool. In addition, add the ability to use the iPad as a second monitor natively when connected via the thunderbolt port.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Pakaku
36 months ago

The Adonit Jot Touch Is a lot better in my opinion. The best stylus to use with Procreate. However, it is still not perfect and I suspect any pressure sensitivity released within conformity of these rumours would blow all these styli out of the water. I only tend to use mine for quick sketches and such, but if i get onto anything, I just end up working on my intuos on my mac.

heres the link to the adonit if you are interested

http://www.adonit.net/jot/touch/

It's not perfect because it's essentially still emulating a finger, with extra functions to tell the iPad "I'm pressing harder". A lower-level pressure-sensitive pen shipped with the iPad would be perfect.
Rating: 3 Votes
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