Yesterday, a handful of blogs ran with a rumor speculating that Apple could host an event on April 4 given that was the date Apple's online store listed for in-store availability of 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in the United States at the time. The rumor is likely false, however, and here's why.
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The problem is that Apple's in-store Personal Pickup tool is generally not a reliable indicator of a specific launch date or Apple event. The in-store pickup date for 12.9-inch iPad Pro models is a rolling target, as evidenced by the April 5 date now shown just one day later. Tomorrow, it will likely show April 6.
The date shown is most likely just a rough approximation of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's current 2-3 week shipping estimate, plus a few extra days to reach the store. On February 9, for example, we reported that most 12.9-inch iPad Pro models were available for in-store pickup on March 3 at the time.
Apple could still hold an event on April 4, especially considering many of its past events have been on a Tuesday, but it would be purely coincidental.
Personal Pickup does confirm the 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains in tight supply, which can sometimes foreshadow an upcoming product launch. In January, however, Apple said it had an issue with one of its iPad suppliers that was not expected to be fully resolved this quarter, which could reasonably explain the shortage.
Apple is expected to launch at least a trio of new iPad Pro models in the near future, though, so an event might be announced soon enough. Japanese website Mac Otakara said Apple is planning a March event where it will unveil those new iPads alongside a 128GB iPhone SE, red iPhone 7, and new Apple Watch bands.
An all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro with an edge-to-edge display and updates to the current 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch models are rumored. A new 7.9-inch model is a wildcard, as reports are conflicting about whether the iPad mini 4 will live on or be replaced by a lower-cost 9.7-inch model as predicted by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)So no. I don't expect the new iPads, well at least not a "homeless" iPad until after iOS 11.
I don't expect an iPhone 8 this year either.
I do expect a homeless 7s and 7s plus this year, as well as a homeless iPad though. And all of them after iOS 11 is released.
When are the invites getting sent out for March event? Soon right?
Last year, invites went out on March 10 for the March 21 "Let Us Loop You In" Event. So, I would expect invites to go out in the next two weeks for a late March/early April event.Apple is bad because they want to clear stock prior to the new announcement,
From what I understand of how Apple manages its supply chain, they really need not worry about clearing stock for the new model. One of Tim Cook's big innovations at Apple was reducing their surplus inventory from months to days. I recall reading somewhere that Apple's inventory turnover is five days, which is 3x more efficient than other companies in the tech industry. By quarter, Apple's supply chain is so well managed, they basically make just enough product to meet demand.Tomorrow, it will likely show April 6.
What does it say today?