Mikey Campbell
Rumors out of the Far East on Monday claim Apple is preparing to start sales of its massive 12.9-inch iPad Pro in the first week of November, a date thought to coincide with the debut of device-specific accessories like the pressure sensitive Apple Pencil stylus.
The report from Japanese blog Mac Otakara is light on details, but does cite reliable sources with knowledge of Apple's Chinese supply chain as conveying an expected November launch window.
When Apple announced iPad Pro in September, the company did not specify an exact sales date, instead saying the large slate would ship sometime in "November." Apple's official webpages for iPad Pro and its accompanying accessory lineup are still showing "Available November," no change from last month.
With the debut of its largest tablet to date, Apple is introducing an advanced stylus called Apple Pencil that works in conjunction with specialized iPad hardware to determine tilt and pressure. The system allows users to employ natural drawing motions to achieve lifelike onscreen renditions of brush, pen and pencil strokes.
Apple is also marketing a keyboard/cover accessory called Smart Keyboard that attaches to iPad Pro via the new Smart Connector port. The keyboard supports iOS 9 shortcuts for app switching, text entry, app control and more.
Apple's iPad Pro starts at $799 for a 32GB Wi-Fi model, while a $949 version comes packed with 128GB of storage. A top-end 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model is priced at $1079. Apple Pencil will carry a retail price of $99, and the addition of a Smart Keyboard will set customers back another $169.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
27 Comments
Take my money already!
I'm curious as to what will be happening to the iPad Air this year. It'd look real cool with one of those Apple Pencils...
I'm curious as to what will be happening to the iPad Air this year.
It'd look real cool with one of those Apple Pencils...
My guess is nothing. And I agree with the Apple Pencil potentially working with the iPad Air but probably not till next Fall.
[quote name="CanukStorm" url="/t/188693/rumor-apple-to-launch-ipad-pro-apple-pencil-smart-keyboard-in-first-week-of-november#post_2786142"] My guess is nothing. And I agree with the Apple Pencil potentially working with the iPad Air but probably not till next Fall. [/quote] Because iPad Air wasn't updated this fall I'm kind of hoping we get a new model next spring. I have a feeling Apple's event in March signaled they're going back to having a spring event instead of two events in the fall I already know what the Apple is Doomed™ crowd will say about the iPad Pro. They'll complain that the keyboard doesn't have a trackpad and isn't backlit (and is too expensive); they'll complain that the screen only has one position unlike the Surface Pro hinge. And they'll complain that there's no place to store the Pencil even though both it and the keyboard are optional accessories (and if you notice on Apple's website the only time they show the iPad with the keyboard is when they're specifically talking about the keyboard, which is the exact opposite of the Surface that is never shown without the keyboard attached). Oh and I'm sure someone will complain that they can't hook up a mouse and run OS X on it. To which I would say get a damn laptop then.
[quote name="GTR" url="/t/188693/rumor-apple-to-launch-ipad-pro-apple-pencil-smart-keyboard-in-first-week-of-november#post_2786139"]I'm curious as to what will be happening to the iPad Air this year. It'd look real cool with one of those Apple Pencils...[/quote] [quote name="CanukStorm" url="/t/188693/rumor-apple-to-launch-ipad-pro-apple-pencil-smart-keyboard-in-first-week-of-november#post_2786142"] My guess is nothing. And I agree with the Apple Pencil potentially working with the iPad Air but probably not till next Fall. [/quote]Apparently the rumor of iPad Air/ iPad Air 2 getting updates switching each year is true, where the iPad Air 3 will gain pro 1 capability, and maybe a pro 2 update, with the air permanently trailing updating every other year(like the iPod to the iPhone), a terrible thought, but the yearly iPad normal size update is imeduateky dead ended.