Apple’s larger-sized iPad is again rumored for launch in October 2014

[RaduTyrsina]

A week ago, we were sharing with you a new rumor, according to which, two different models of the 12.9-inch ‘iPad Pro’ could be launched in 2014. Now, yet another rumor is surfacing the web, this time from DigiTimes, saying that a larger-sized iPad could be launched in the month of October, 2014.

Apple is rumored to release a 12.9-inch tablet in October 2014, targeting North America's educational market, according to sources from the upstream supply chain. Apple's large-size tablet will be manufactured by Quanta Computer, and was originally expected to adopt either 12.9- or 13.3-inch panels, with recent rumors indicating that 12.9-inch has a better chance to be picked, the sources noted.

Just like the previous report, this new one from DigiTimes also suggests that the educational market could be targeted with a bigger iPad. The new information that the report brings is related to the manufacturer, as Quanta Computer is expected to produce the new iPads. The larger-sized iPad could adopt either a 12.9- or a 13.3-inch size. According to the same publication, Samsung Electronics is also planning to release 12- to 13-inch tablets. Also, Apple is rumored to be planning a larger sized iPhone for May 2014, using a 20nm processor manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Source: DigiTimes

 

[s2mikey]

Very anxious to see how this is received. I'm also curious if it cuts into sales of the MacBook Air laptops since this new tablet size is directly comparable with them. If it was me, I can't see spending $1000 bucks on a tablet when I could have a real computer for the same amount. And, the MacBook Air is a very light and portable laptop with great battery life so the iPad can't claim any of those being better.

Very interesting product offering from apple. It seems to compete with some of there own stuff.....?

 

[AQ_OC]

Very anxious to see how this is received. I'm also curious if it cuts into sales of the MacBook Air laptops since this new tablet size is directly comparable with them. If it was me, I can't see spending $1000 bucks on a tablet when I could have a real computer for the same amount. And, the MacBook Air is a very light and portable laptop with great battery life so the iPad can't claim any of those being better. Very interesting product offering from apple. It seems to compete with some of there own stuff.....?

Do the new MBAs have an IPS screen? If not, then this is a real advantage for a larger iPad to a MBA for those needs to work in images.

I was on holiday travel recently....took a lot of bird photos and tried to edit them in Lightroom. My 2012 MBA screen is a TN panel. I found it very off putting to have to be at the exact right angle to get the image to show correctly. I had to transfer them over to the iPad to be sure I knew what I actually had. Some of my cardinal images just didn't slow right no matter what angle I used.

I know the new MBAs have better battery life and are faster, but I think they still have those TN panels. So, I will either have to get a MBP or a windows lappy for my travel editing needs (sorry, but iPad just won't hold its own for editing many GB of images). For a few images one might work.

Apple really needs to up their game in the MBAs screen, both in terms of quality and resolution.

 

[s2mikey]

Do the new MBAs have an IPS screen? If not, then this is a real advantage for a larger iPad to a MBA for those needs to work in images. I was on holiday travel recently....took a lot of bird photos and tried to edit them in Lightroom. My 2012 MBA screen is a TN panel. I found it very off putting to have to be at the exact right angle to get the image to show correctly. I had to transfer them over to the iPad to be sure I knew what I actually had. Some of my cardinal images just didn't slow right no matter what angle I used. I know the new MBAs have better battery life and are faster, but I think they still have those TN panels. So, I will either have to get a MBP or a windows lappy for my travel editing needs (sorry, but iPad just won't hold its own for editing many GB of images). For a few images one might work. Apple really needs to up their game in the MBAs screen, both in terms of quality and resolution.

Yeah, I can agree with the fact that the MBA needs a screen update. But, they do that and suddenly the MBP isn't as attractive. It's rough having several product lines that seem to blur at certain price levels or whatever. I still think that could happen here but perhaps apple is planning on redoing the MBA line? Maybe going to a 12" model to replace the current two? We shall see....

 

[macmini706]

Thanks very much

 

[Kaykaykay]

Very anxious to see how this is received. I'm also curious if it cuts into sales of the MacBook Air laptops since this new tablet size is directly comparable with them. If it was me, I can't see spending $1000 bucks on a tablet when I could have a real computer for the same amount. And, the MacBook Air is a very light and portable laptop with great battery life so the iPad can't claim any of those being better.

Very interesting product offering from apple. It seems to compete with some of there own stuff.....?

From what I've read, Apple would rather risk cannibalizing its own sales, instead of having some other companies do it. Besides, there might be overlap, but tablets offer different functionality than laptops. There are many work or commercial uses that would benefit from a bigger tablet screen, which laptops just wouldn't be as useful for, because of form factor.

Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bigger screen iPad. And if I liked it enough, I might eventually skip the current full-size one and go with a large screen, plus a mini, for instance. For my uses, form factor is the main thing over a laptop. I have my own Windows laptop, which I use for more intensive computing, and I have a MacBook Pro with extra RAM from work. The possible overlaps aren't a consideration at all.

 

[s2mikey]

From what I've read, Apple would rather risk cannibalizing its own sales, instead of having some other companies do it. Besides, there might be overlap, but tablets offer different functionality than laptops. There are many work or commercial uses that would benefit from a bigger tablet screen, which laptops just wouldn't be as useful for, because of form factor. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bigger screen iPad. And if I liked it enough, I might eventually skip the current full-size one and go with a large screen, plus a mini, for instance. For my uses, form factor is the main thing over a laptop. I have my own Windows laptop, which I use for more intensive computing, and I have a MacBook Pro with extra RAM from work. The possible overlaps aren't a consideration at all.

I guess I don't get the form factor argument though. A tablet that size loses some of its portability and for serious work a regular keyboard becomes important which you'd get with a MacBook Air. I dunno, I still think that if the prices are close and you had them both in front of you it would be hard to not choose the MBA but that's me. This will be very interesting indeed though! Who knows, maybe I'll end up with one after shooting off my big mouth?

 

[Kaykaykay]

I guess I don't get the form factor argument though. A tablet that size loses some of its portability and for serious work a regular keyboard becomes important which you'd get with a MacBook Air. I dunno, I still think that if the prices are close and you had them both in front of you it would be hard to not choose the MBA but that's me. This will be very interesting indeed though! Who knows, maybe I'll end up with one after shooting off my big mouth?

There are plenty of people who do business with a tablet that could use a bigger one -- architects, designers, contractors, etc., for instance. You don't conveniently walk around a job site with a laptop, for instance, or dragging a keyboard with you. Yesterday, I was at two businesses where sales people walked around with iPads -- AT&T and a coffee soho where the waiters had iPads, walking around. The AT&T person could've definitely used a bigger screen -- she was trying to show me something on her iPad. My optometrist uses an iPad to show some records, too. Bigger screen would help as well. None of those people would walk around with a laptop, haha. Imagine an educational environment -- bigger tablets would help in many uses.

You don't have to get it, though. If you don't you're not the customer for it, that's all. I've bought seven iPads over the years for personal use; most of those would've been larger screens if that had been available.

 

[AQ_OC]

I guess I don't get the form factor argument though.

That just means it's not a product that you need.

 

[Kaykaykay]

That just means it's not a product that you need.

Exactly.


The thing with products and markets is constant: Don't imagine yourself as the customer and dismiss stuff just because of your budget or your needs. There are plenty of people with differing budgets and needs.

One day, bigger and bigger screen tablets will be common. In many retail settings, for instance, they will become standard. I guarantee it.

I'm glad there are people with vision innovating products.

I'd been wanting a tablet for years before iPad made them useful and easy for consumers like me. When Apple announced iPad, there was no question that I was getting one. I remember lots of naysayers saying, who needs a bigger iPhone, etc. I remember saying that Apple should make a mini iPad years before they made them. I remember lots of naysayers saying, who needs one of those. Basically, there are a lot of people with limited imagination. If you've been one of those naysayers previously, the lesson probably not savvy enough to imagine the future and how our lifestyles will evolve.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Added dropped words in post:

Exactly.


The thing with products and markets is constant: Don't imagine yourself as the customer and dismiss stuff just because of your budget or your needs. There are plenty of people with differing budgets and needs.

One day, bigger and bigger screen tablets will be common. In many retail settings, for instance, they will become standard. I guarantee it.

I'm glad there are people with vision innovating products.

I'd been wanting a tablet for years before iPad made them useful and easy for consumers like me. When Apple announced iPad, there was no question that I was getting one. I remember lots of naysayers saying, who needs a bigger iPhone, etc. I remember saying that Apple should make a mini iPad years before they made them. I remember lots of naysayers saying, who needs one of those. Basically, there are a lot of people with limited imagination. If you've been one of those naysayers previously, the lesson IS, YOU'RE probably not savvy enough to imagine the future and how our lifestyles will evolve.

 

[s2mikey]

There are plenty of people who do business with a tablet that could use a bigger one -- architects, designers, contractors, etc., for instance. You don't conveniently walk around a job site with a laptop, for instance, or dragging a keyboard with you. Yesterday, I was at two businesses where sales people walked around with iPads -- AT&T and a coffee soho where the waiters had iPads, walking around. The AT&T person could've definitely used a bigger screen -- she was trying to show me something on her iPad. My optometrist uses an iPad to show some records, too. Bigger screen would help as well. None of those people would walk around with a laptop, haha. Imagine an educational environment -- bigger tablets would help in many uses. You don't have to get it, though. If you don't you're not the customer for it, that's all. I've bought seven iPads over the years for personal use; most of those would've been larger screens if that had been available.

I hear ya. In this case though there is another product that's likely very close in price and every bit as portable with arguably more power & features. That was really my gist. I am probably not a customer for this device so y'all are right about that.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I hear ya. In this case though there is another product that's likely very close in price and every bit as portable with arguably more power & features. That was really my gist. I am probably not a customer for this device so y'all are right about that.

You keep talking about portability being the same, which makes no sense. If that were the case, why would any of us have bought iPads when we could've bought netbooks, notebooks and laptops for similar prices or less?

 

[s2mikey]

You keep talking about portability being the same, which makes no sense. If that were the case, why would any of us have bought iPads when we could've bought netbooks, notebooks and laptops for similar prices or less?

The current full sized iPad is only a 9.7 inch screen and this new larger one is almost 13 inches. The smallest MBA is 11 inches which is still appreciably larger than the standard iPad. So, this new iPad and an 11 inch MBA are going to be dimensionally similar and probably weight wise too. When I was shopping for a tablet, there were no laptops anywhere close to the iPad in overall size and weight.

Nevermind, I'm failing to state my case and it doesn't matter anyways. Like I said, well see how this goes and if it does hurt MBA sales. Unless apple has different plans for the MBA which we don't know about.

It's all good.

 

[Kaykaykay]

The current full sized iPad is only a 9.7 inch screen and this new larger one is almost 13 inches. The smallest MBA is 11 inches which is still appreciably larger than the standard iPad. So, this new iPad and an 11 inch MBA are going to be dimensionally similar and probably weight wise too. When I was shopping for a tablet, there were no laptops anywhere close to the iPad in overall size and weight.

Nevermind, I'm failing to state my case and it doesn't matter anyways. Like I said, well see how this goes and if it does hurt MBA sales. Unless apple has different plans for the MBA which we don't know about.

It's all good.

I'm surprised and amused that you think form factor is just about inches, rather than the fact that a tablet is a flat surface vs. a laptop with keyboard, etc., that's not instantly on or usually lacking in touch screen. The whole point of a bigger screen tablet is to give someone a bigger display while maintaining the flat surface touch screen. The reason people use the term "form factor" is clearly because it describes more than size -- otherwise, we'd all just be referring to screen size, lol.

If you try carrying any open laptop, netbook or notebook and walking around (no matter the size) and try to work with it and think that's more convenient than a tablet, even a bigger size one, you'd be one of very few people. It's simply awkward to walk around with any open laptop and try to work, and the additional advantage for many retail settings (once prices come down) is that customers will just be able to walk up to a big flat screen and interact with their fingers to buy stuff, look up stuff, page through products and sevices, etc., versus trying to do that on any laptop. With a tablet, you can easily install in a streamlined way at eye level without the awkwardness of having a laptop installed.

As long as iPads have been made, there have been plenty of cheap netbooks and notebooks available for less, with more pure computing power, and in similar sizes. If people used your criteria and ignored form factor, they would've bought those instead of iPads by the millions.