Apple’s iPad Pro expected to debut next week ahead of November release
Sounds like the original tablet sensation is about to get extra serious about productivity
Next week’s Apple event on 9 September is sure to be huge: we’ve already heard loads about the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and also the new Apple TV, but the prospect of new iPads has been a murkier subject.
The long-rumoured iPad Pro – reportedly with a 12.9in display and support for a Force Touch stylus – was rumoured to sit out this autumn and instead appear later this year, or early next. Well, the latest report from reliable Apple leaker 9to5Mac says the iPad Pro is actually on track to debut in a matter of days.
That’s right: the site’s sources claim that Apple plans to debut the iPad Pro, which will reportedly be its actual name, on 9 September at the gargantuan Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, which seats 7,000 people and is much larger than Apple’s usual event spaces. The size of the venue was apparently picked to match the extent of the company’s new offerings.
According to the report, the iPad Pro will ship in November, with pre-orders beginning in late October. One reason for the later release this autumn is iOS 9.1, which is said to bring about iPad Pro-specific enhancements, as it won’t be available until a little while after iOS 9.0 launches (likely two weeks from now, given Apple’s usual timeline).
9to5Mac’s report has a rather large caveat, however: Apple could still decide to pull the iPad Pro from next week’s well-stocked presentation and put on a second autumn event in October, keeping the release timeline but giving the larger tablet its own stage to shine on. However, if Apple does indeed show the tablet next week, there won’t likely be another autumn event.
An iPad Mini 4 is also expected to appear next week, bringing an A8 processor with split-screen support, as well as upgraded cameras. But a new iPad Air apparently isn’t part of Apple’s 2015 plans, as we’ve heard before, and will apparently sit out until next year. If the report pans out, next week ought to bring us a rather significant show, and we’ll have all the news as it hits.
[Source: 9to5Mac]
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
