Apple has reportedly commenced mass production of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the device release date likely to happen before the end of 2015. Although the biggest of the iPads remains unconfirmed, the device is touted to slay its rivals, chiefly the Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and Windows 10-powered notebooks.
It is highly likely too that with the new design and functions that Apple will unpack with the iPad Pro, the device could eventually develop as an iPad and MacBook killer. In a new note, KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo shared some of the things that could make the iPad Pro as another game-changer from Apple.
Retina display with 2732 x 2048 screen resolution
The iPad Pro is expected to flex both muscle and speed with its high-end inside components, encased in a solid and beautiful shell but according to 9to5Mac, the display spec is among the headline features that will prompt consumers to look beyond laptops, even the MacBook.
Baked in with the giant iPad is Retina display technology that fires up its 2732 x 2048 screen pixels that easily will overwhelm ultra-portable notebooks, the MacBook Air including, 9to5Mac added on its report.
Built-in iPad stylus with Force Touch
Kuo, per a report by MacRumors, revealed that the iPad Pro unboxing will include a productivity tool that the late Steve Jobs once dismissed - the stylus. For users to easily navigate on the near 13-inch iPad Pro display, Apple thought it wise to include a stylus that is specifically designed for the huge tablet, which is also anticipated to offer hybrid - tablet and laptop - capabilities.
And Force Touch is part of the iPad Pro stylus package, purportedly to add more dimensions on the tablet's menu of features, Kuo said.
Cross platform apps usability
While the rumored merging of OS X and iOS will not happen just for the iPad Pro's sake, BGR is saying in a report that Apple has made preparations for OS X applications to function the same optimal way on iOS in order to bump up productivity. The ability to access a number of Mac-designed apps may just convince consumers that the iPad Pro is not only a complementing business tool in the Apple ecosystem but also a solid alternative.
It is understood that the cross-platform app usability will function two-way, making it easier for user to switch on their work tasks between the iPad Pro and a Mac and vice versa, the report added.
Lower sticker price
And what could prove as the deal-sealer in favor of the iPad Pro is a solid sticker that is relatively lower than MacBook units and Windows 10 laptops. Pricing, apart from the make and killer features, is crucial in luring away notebook users from the traditional devices and try out the iPad Pro and Apple may just oblige. However, no exact figures or price mark has been suggested so far.
Launch time
Kuo has projected that the newest of the iPads will sell more than five million units by the end of 2015, suggesting that the iPad Pro running on iOS 9 release date will happen between October and November.