Rumor: 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models might not arrive until May

A questionable report out of East Asia on Friday claims Apple is taking longer than expected to bring two large format iPads to market — a 12.9-inch iPad Pro revamp and a new 10.5-inch version — with both models now said to launch in May at the earliest.

Citing supply chain sources, DigiTimes reports Apple's 10.5- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models will likely ship out to customers in May or June, and not during the first quarter as initially expected. The same publication first warned of potential iPad launch delays in January

Earlier this week, however, Japanese blog Mac Otakara, citing unnamed sources, said Apple plans to unveil a trio of new iPad models at a special event in March.

Specifically, the company is rumored to announce a second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a new 10.5-inch model, a cheaper 9.7-inch variant expected to replace iPad Air 2 and, curiously, a refreshed 7.9-inch iPad mini. Sources claimed the new iPad models would ship shortly after the March event save for the 10.5-inch iteration, which might be delayed until May.

Rumblings of a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro first surfaced in August when KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the device would replace the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro as Apple's flagship tablet. More recent rumors suggest the 10.5-inch tablet might arrive without side bezels, a design choice that could allow Apple to squeeze a larger display into a device with dimensions similar to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

While reports disagree on a launch timeline for the supposed 10.5-inch iPad Pro, Apple and its reseller network are experiencing stockouts of the largest 12.9-inch model. The tablet, unveiled in September 2015, is long overdue for a refresh.