Apple Launching 12.9-Inch iPad Pro In 2015

Apple is reportedly working on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with stylus support, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo new report, citing industry sources.

The larger iPad Pro will fit into Apple’s growing range of tablets, currently including the 10-inch iPad Air and smaller 7.9-inch iPad Mini. Apple is working on “professional” features for the new tablet.

The various patents applied by Apple in 2013 and 2014 for stylus technologies is enough for Kuo to confidently say a stylus is coming to the iPad Pro, despite Apple’s past hatred of the stylus.

Apple will ship the stylus alongside the iPad Pro, rather than as an accessory, pushing the first iteration to all buyers. Kuo projects around 2 to 2.5 million stylus sales by 2015, and other analysts project 10 million iPad Pro sales in this year.

The iPad Pro looks to be the indication Apple is serious about iOS as a business platform, and will most likely be the flagship product for Apple’s new partnership with IBM, building 20 apps for all types of businesses.

Apple will price this above the iPad Mini and iPad Air, possibly $200 more expensive. Internally, the iPad Pro will feature the A8+ chip, featuring higher-spec components for more graphical horsepower.

Developers will be pushed to make new apps to accommodate the new 2.9-inches of screen space. Apple will need to compete with several Windows 8.1 and Samsung tablets, already utilizing the 12.9-inch display size.

The iPad Pro also sticks with Apple’s new motto “bigger is better”, another rather odd slogan considering Steve Jobs said the optimal screen size for an iPhone is 4-inches and the optimal screen size for an iPad is 10-inches.