Looks like those who have been clamoring for new iPads will soon have something to shout about. Rectifying a previous prediction, IHS Markit on Wednesday, May 24 told that Apple will be launching a 10.5-inch Ipad Pro, and an updated 12.9-inch Pro alongside new MacBooks.
When is it coming?
Undergoing a radical overhaul, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, as well as an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro may make an appearance alongside MacBooks, IHS Markit's Rhoda Alexander said on Wednesday through an email, reversing her earlier guess. Apple is likely to take the wraps off updated Macbook Pros and revamped 12-inch MacBook at its developer's conference, which kicks off June 5.
Alexander confirmed that the 10.5-inch model is already in production, while a new 12.9-inch variant is also around the corner. This does not align with a revelation she made earlier this week. In her previous statement, Alexander had indicated that IHS Markit expected the iPads will be announced later this year.
However, after acquiring updated data from unnamed IHS analysts, she revised her projection stating that both the iPads are likely to be showcased along with the MacBooks. Aside from that, she noted that the looming 12.9-inch iPad Pro will pack a relatively faster A10 processor. Lining with this, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities indicated that there is a more than 70 percent possibility that the new iPad Pro will be unveiled at Apple's June event.
What's to expect in terms of design?
Design-wise, the new iPad Pro 10.5 is expected to bear a striking resemblance to the 9.7-inch model; however, it will sport a larger 10.5-inch display by lessening the bezels surrounding the display. As a result, iPad fanatics will get a device that's actually the same physical size as the 9.7- inch unit, Alexander told Forbes contributor Brooke Crothers earlier this year.
In other words, accessories such as the Smart Keyboard will be compatible with the 10.5-inch model.
A recently surfaced render from iDropNews suggests the iPad Pro 10.5 will feature meager 7mm bezels on its sides. Dubbed as slim or edge-to-edge bezels, the only way to integrate the larger display is by finding a way to minimize the gap between the edge of the screen and at the rim of the device.
Another render shows front mounted Touch ID and home button. However, the bezels are comparatively slimmer than the existing 9.7in iPad Pro. If Apple resorts to boosting the screen size without completely changing the chassis dimensions, the company will have to embed the Touch ID sensor and the home button under the display, and there's word floating around that such a mechanism is already in the works.
