Rumour Mill: Apple Inc. iPad Pro To Feature Intel Corporation Processor, OS X Hybrid
Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad Pro might be a different upgrade compared to previous expectations. According to some sources it might be closer to a MacBook Air than the iPad Air 2.
The company has been trying to stop the decline in iPad sales but without much success. Sales missed relatively conservative estimates in 2015, and the market has been opening up to more competition with cheaper tablets powered by Google Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Android OS.
One attempt to revive flagging sales was the introduction of the iPad Air, as well as the launch of the Mini 3. It slapped on a TouchID sensor in the iPad Air 2, which received mixed reactions.
Part of Apple's issues lie with the fact that the tablet market's upgrade cycle might very well have been underestimated in terms of length. Unlike phones, most tablet users do not upgrade their devices as frequently. The increasing popularity of phablets - including the iPhone 6 Plus - has also led to decreased sales.
Apple is also facing competition in the high-end market from Microsoft Corp's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface Pro 3's lineup, which threatens Apple's attempts to enter the corporate market. Apple's recent deal with IBM (NYSE:IBM) is an attempt to get a foothold in the corporate sector. Apple has also been working on a media campaign to build the iPad lineup's corporate appeal. This can be seen in its recent "iPads For Productivity" ad.
Based on rumors, the Apple iPad Pro is expected to be around 12.2 inches, coupled with a "better processor, more RAM, more powerful graphics". Other features include stereo speakers and custom stylus. It is also expected to come with more built in storage and a 4k display. There is also speculation that the iPad Pro could have a different architecture and software base marking a shift from ARM-based processors to the Intel Core i-series.
The upcoming iPad Pro is also rumored to have an operating system that will be closer to Mac OS X and not the traditional iOS. This translates into increased OS X market share in terms of devices. It could help bolster iPad sales, and help remove the perception that the iPad is an "overpriced toy" with limited business viability. The Surface Pro 3, on the other hand is considered to be the leading tablet in the sub-$1,000 range.
The expected hybrid OS will give the device a strong position as an entry level Mac and a high-end tablet at the same time.
On the hardware side, it is expected that the processor will be equivalent to a Broadwell-U Core i5/i7 dual core CPU chip coupled with Intel's Iris graphics backed by at least 4gb of LPDDR3 RAM. It is also expected to come with the motion co-processors normally found on iOS devices. The processing power is expected to be comparable to the MacBook Air and its power consumption will be lower.
This would make sense for Apple in many ways; a bridge between its mobile and PC line could essentially allow Apple to do away with separate operating systems on its devices. It will also bring Apple closer to its goal of unifying it's ecosystem as well as its codebase into a complete software structure for use across all it's devices. An example of this is that of its recent Photos application, which provides a more iOS-like experience for Mac users in basic to moderate photo editing.
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Posted by: Kris Murray <krismurray@gmail.com>
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