Will the rumored larger Apple tablet finally show up?
Speculations about the release date of the rumored iPad Pro continue to gain momentum, following leaked case photos for the device. The latest of which comes from Sonny Dickson.
"We've heard many rumors about Apple planning to add one more model to its current iPad lineup. This new iPad is being referred to as the 'iPad Pro'. It's expected to measure somewhere in between 12.2 to 12.9 inches, meaning it will be larger than the currently available iPads. We've been able to get our hands on some cases that claim to be for Apple's new tablet. The iPad Pro seems to resemble the current iPads with the addition of stereo speakers that are located on the top and bottom of the device. None of its other components such as the iSight camera and Touch ID button seem to have move position," to quote Sonny Dickson's April 16 report.
Here are some of the photos of the alleged iPad Pro cases courtesy of Sonny Dickson: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Mac Rumors noted that the new leaked case photos are more detailed than previous ones and the "first to feature a tri-fold design with a fabric cover." The news outlet also said that the complexity of the design could mean that manufacturers are "confident" of the rumored specs that they are willing to spend more on more expensive case designs.
Sonny Dickson said that it looks like that the new iPad Pro would be inheriting most of the design of the iPad Air. However, it noted that the former would likely be thicker than the latter one. It estimates that the iPad Pro would measure 7 mm. For comparison, the iPad Air 2 is 6.1 mm thick; the iPhone 6 is 6.9 mm thin while the iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1 mm thin.
Based on leaked case photos, Sonny Dickson said it looks like that the new iPad would have two ports -- one at the bottom and another on the side, though it is unclear whether these would be Lightning or USB-C.
It is expected that the new tablet would have a triple-core A8X processor, 2 GB of RAM, and Touch ID. Mac Rumors said in a separate report that it would also likely have iOS 8. It is also said to be available in silver, gold, and space gray color options. Business Insider meanwhile reported that the new iPad Pro, also known as iPad Air Plus, would get at least "four integrated speakers" to boost sound and volume.