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iPad Pro Are we really getting two different iPad Pros this year?

Y

Yourbigpalal83

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 22, 2015
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Im royally confused now!

Most rumors say we might get new Ipad Pro's at the end of March with a better camera system, Others are saying WWDC or the fall, with MicroLED Screens....

Apple wouldn't put out both this year would they? I mean, honestly lets say both rumors are true...Would they really put out a minor upgrade in April, then put out a better screen and camera one In June-October timeline?

Didn't they do that in the past with one of the ipads where 6 months down the road a far better one came out?

Thoughts?
 
My guess is we're getting the 18 month release cycle with an A13X chip - and when 5G chips are available in the new iPhones (around September/October), the cellular iPads will follow suit with 5G cellular connection.
 
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Probably fall only from now on every two years along with iPados. For the same reason new flagship iPhones are launched with new iOS versions.
 
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Its interesting to see how people/media latch onto the “tradition” of an “18-month cycle”. But this isn’t the iPhone with a decade of annual Fall releases to back it up. This is only the 4th gen Pro and there is no established pattern at all.

Gen 1
12.9 - Nov 2015
9.7 - March 2016

Gen 2
10.5/12.9 - Jun 2017

Gen 3
11/12.9 - Nov 2018


I’m not saying they wont release a March Pro (I’m ready to buy now), but i just don’t see what gap a new iPad Pro is supposed to be filling. Especially when the very few compelling features are half a year away.
 
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MandiMac said:
MacRumors' Buyer's Guide would like to have a word with you: https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
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Perhaps you should read the disclaimer.

The intent is to provide our best recommendations regarding current product cycles, and to provide a summary of currently available rumors for each model.

This page is based on rumors and speculation and we provide no guarantee to its accuracy./QUOTE]
Click to expand...
 
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It sounds like it's possible there will be a refresh of some sort in the next few weeks, plus a 12.9" mini LED model released towards the end of the year. It's impossible to know the details, though. Also worth pointing out Kuo's original prediction was for mini LED between late 2020 and mid 2021, it's only recently started crystallising around the end of this year - and as far as I'm aware Kuo himself hasn't weighed in again on that yet(?) so the rumours saying this year are from more dubious sources.

If Apple want mini LED models launched this year, though, they probably want them ready for the end of year shopping season, if the tech isn't ready now but will be by then I don't think they will necessarily want to wait just because they've refreshed models earlier in the year. Similarly they've been criticised for leaving products on sale unchanged for extended periods so they will probably want to avoid too much of that with their flagship iPads. Sounds like it's just unfortunate timing on the tech actually being ready and getting the devices built and shipped not quite meeting up with their usual iPad refresh cycle.
 
well it would make sense as they say 5G will come end of the year so same time as the mini LED....question is will you buy the new pros in march when you know this is coming?
 
Very surprising, but does look like an iPad Pro refresh in March, and then 5G and Mini LED iPad this fall. I guess I will be waiting for this fall.
 
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Lobwedgephil said:
Very surprising, but does look like an iPad Pro refresh in March, and then 5G and Mini LED iPad this fall. I guess I will be waiting for this fall.
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this is the thing in two minds to wait but what if come October no news? then waiting til 2021 like we are now...who knows..

I will get on in march as I currently don't have an iPad....hopefully the new keyboards will still work fine if they do release two models at different times
 
The Game 161 said:
this is the thing in two minds to wait but what if come October no news? then waiting til 2021 like we are now...who knows..

I will get on in march as I currently don't have an iPad....hopefully the new keyboards will still work fine if they do release two models at different times
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Yeah that is the problem with waiting for sure.
 
The Game 161 said:
this is the thing in two minds to wait but what if come October no news? then waiting til 2021 like we are now...who knows..

I will get on in march as I currently don't have an iPad....hopefully the new keyboards will still work fine if they do release two models at different times
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Yeah, that's the issue with waiting.

Personally, I've got a 512GB LTE 2017 Pro 12.9, 512GB LTE 2017 Pro 10.5 and 256GB LTE Air 3 so I can afford to wait until Apple releases something I like in terms of both hardware and budget.

I was originally planning on getting a 1TB Pro 11 (as upgrade to a Pro 9.7). However, now that I have a 512GB 10.5, I think a 1TB Pro 12.9 will be a better fit considering USB-C will be more useful to me on a "desk" iPad.
 
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rui no onna said:
Perhaps you should read the disclaimer.
Click to expand...

I don't think that user was claiming that MR has identified a confirmed release date/interval (we're all aware this is a rumor site, after all). Merely that one user said that no pattern has been established, when in reality, over the last 3 generations, there has been a pretty clear pattern of 18 months.
 
Dwalls90 said:
I don't think that user was claiming that MR has identified a confirmed release date/interval (we're all aware this is a rumor site, after all). Merely that one user said that no pattern has been established, when in reality, over the last 3 generations, there has been a pretty clear pattern of 18 months.
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It's not a *clear* pattern though.

There has only been two upgrade cycles thus far. The last upgrade cycle was ~16 months. Before that was ~14 and ~19 months.

All it does is average the time between releases to make recommendations.

I certainly wouldn't follow that page with regards to the iPad mini 5.
 
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rui no onna said:
It's not a *clear* pattern though.

There has only been two upgrade cycles thus far. The last upgrade cycle was ~16 months. Before that was ~14 and ~19 months.
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Also the 12.9/9.7 was 4months apart (I don’t remember why the time gap but I did end up with both)

Anyway, the timing does work out if there’s an event since things have been slow lately. But then again my point in dismissing “Time” as a release date indicator is based on the fact that Apple cares about “Time” just as much as they care about “Addressing structural flaws” or “User Demand”. The ONLY product Apple has on a timer is the iPhone. Everything else seems to be based more on factors like sales, hardware revisions and available technology. And in the case of “The all new 2019 2020 iPad Pro” then a product released now would seem a bit early considering this is aimed at a niche/luxury market and much rumored tech is still not yet available.

Again, I’m not saying it wont come out. AirPod2, AirPod Pro, Macbook16 and iMac5k all got released out of nowhere so it could happen. I’m just not sure that “18 months” is on Tim Cook’s release calendar.

rui no onna said:
All it does is average the time between releases to make recommendations.

I certainly wouldn't follow that page with regards to the iPad mini 5.
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Wow. They marked Mini 5 as a “Approaching End of cycle”? I guess that’s the problem with averages.
4 Annual Upgrades + 3year gap = A12 is old tech.
 
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I bought the early 2009 Macbook 13" for its aluminum unibody and upgraded it to get a backlit keyboard, more RAM, etc. In mid 2009, Apple re-leased the same configuration as the 2009 Macbook Pro 13" for slightly less cost.

I bought the "new iPad" aka iPad 3 in March 2012. In October, Apple released the iPad 4 with Retina Display, Lightning connector, etc. for the same price.

So, if they release an iPad Pro in March, and I buy it, I'll post and let everyone know so they can wait for the fall release of a new new iPad Pro. 😂
 
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ericwn said:
This happened with the iPad 3/4 launches.

It’s doubtful that it would happen again though. The iPad Pro has been on a roughly 18 months release cycle so far.
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Apple launched the 4 so close to The 3 because the 3 had charging battery issues. That’s the only time, to my knowledge, that Apple has done that. I wouldn’t expect them to do this with pro models unless there’s issues.

i expect them to stay on the fall release schedule for the pro iPads. Unless they do a simple spec bump in March.
 
urkel said:
Also the 12.9/9.7 was 4months apart (I don’t remember why the time gap but I did end up with both)
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The 12.9 and 9.7 were considered same generation, though. I didn't have a use for 12.9 back then and 128GB top storage was too small for me so I ended up waiting. :)

The 9.7 only had 2GB RAM vs 4GB on the 1st gen 12.9 but it did get extra features such as TrueTone, P3 color display and upgraded cameras that the 12.9 didn't have. I think it might also be the first iPad to have the Apple Embedded SIM. Also, 256GB top storage (a 256GB model of the 1st gen 12.9 was released at the same time).

I waited for 2nd gen before getting a 12.9. I'm glad I did since I got an unexpected bump to 512GB for the same price as 1st gen 256GB. :D

urkel said:
Again, I’m not saying it wont come out. AirPod2, AirPod Pro, Macbook16 and iMac5k all got released out of nowhere so it could happen. I’m just not sure that “18 months” is on Tim Cook’s release calendar.
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Agreed. An iPad Pro may or may not come out March. We'll just have to wait and see. If I were in absolutely dire need of the iPad, I'd be fine getting a 2018 Pro as long as it's on sale. That or a $230-250 10.2" or $400 Air 3 to hold me over.
 
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RevTEG said:
Apple launched the 4 so close to The 3 because the 3 had charging battery issues. That’s the only time, to my knowledge, that Apple has done that. I wouldn’t expect them to do this with pro models unless there’s issues.

i expect them to stay on the fall release schedule for the pro iPads. Unless they do a simple spec bump in March.
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I thought it was because they really wanted to get a retina iPad out, but the A6X wouldn't be ready until late in the year... which sort of mirrors the current situation if they really want to get a mini LED iPad out this year, but the tech isn't going to be ready until later in the year.
 
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Any examples of what these mini (and micro) LED screens are going to offer?

And what are the downsides, if any?
 
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