I think they are using Kuo's forecasts selectively, like myself. In any case, Kuo didn't actually say the early 2020 iPad Pros aren't coming. With his later forecast, he just ignored that, and suggested a specific higher end model would come later in 2020. He didn't say ALL of the models are coming later 2020. I don't quite know how to piece all those bits of information together, and for the time being my favoured prediction is that there will be something coming in a couple of months.
It actually seems the Macworld article was written prior to (or without knowledge of) Kuo’s December predictions. They are ignored completely, for no apparent reason.
re: his previous forecast of 1H2020, that could have meant as late as June, and his new estimate of Q3 could be as early as July. Kuo often updates his forecasts with superseding information, and rarely if ever retracts previous research notes; he just ignores them. So if you’re trying to derive meaning from his failure to address his previous 1H2020 schedule forecast, I think you’re barking up the wrong tree.
What happens is that as the projected date draws nearer, his excellent supply chain sources allow him to refine his estimate of Apple’s release schedule, based on the supplier’s known shipping schedule.
In any case, Kuo never said Q1, and we (via Kuo) would already know if there was something in the next couple months. The likelihood of an 11” iPad Pro with an A13X in 1H2020 followed by the 3Q2020 12.9” iPad Pro with A14X (Kuo’s current forecast) is zero. If he’s right about an A14X release in Q3, then there is no A13X.
Link? A bunch of different products from multiple different companies were already announced at CES last week, for release in a couple of months, which sport 2nd generation low power 5G in the form of the 7 nm Qualcomm X55 chipset. (Qualcomm 5G already was available last year, but in a higher power form that Apple didn't want.)
Those announced products will be using Qualcomm’s RF front end solution, but Apple uses another supplier. Here’s what the President of Qualcomm said last month:
“We re-engaged probably later than both of us would like, and I think we've been working together to try to get as much as possible done, and take as much possible advantage of what they've done before so that we can actually launch a phone on schedule with 5G," Amon said.”
Apple and Qualcomm are working to launch a new 5G iPhone as fast as possible, Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon said at Qualcomm's Snapdragon...
www.macrumors.com
Agreed Apple was never interested in the first gen discrete 5G battery-burner chip, or else they would have done the Qualcomm deal a year earlier than they did. Apple always had their eye on the integrated 4G/5G part.
Well, as mentioned, I'm guessing mini-LED for 2021. I'm thinking perhaps a mini-LED iPad Pro could begin production at the end of 2020 though.
Ok but Kuo updated his timeline to 3Q2020 for at least the 12.9” Pro with the mini-LED backlit display; he hasn’t mentioned the 11” wrt mini-LED iirc so maybe the 11” Pro doesn’t get it. Kuo’s predictions are more reliable than guessing—usually 🤣
It depends on the pricing. If the 64 GB / 4 GB 2018 model is only US$200 less than than a 128 GB / 6 GB 2020 model, there is no chance in hell I'd buy the 2018 model, esp. since I wouldn't buy another 64 GB model anyway. I'd have to get the 256 GB model, and if the 256 GB 2018 model were similarly priced or even $100 cheaper than the 128 GB 2020 model, I'd buy the latter in a heartbeat given the choice between the two.
There are all kinds of permutations with varying values that can be contemplated, but I hold on to my devices for quite awhile and I’m not willing to take an A13X device into 2024/2025. If they do release an A13X this year, that will imply an approximate 18 month iPad cycle. In that case I’ll wait until fall 2021 for an A15X, which should be fine until 2026/2027.
That said, if none are 5G, I may reconsider. Not that I really need 5G but I can wait even longer if necessary since I have a 2017 iPad Pro. It's just I have a whole bunch of money in my Apple Store account waiting to be spent.
Based on what Amon said, I can’t imagine 5G coming to iPad before iPhone; iPhone is a higher priority by an order of magnitude, and that means fall. Possibly even slipping into November like the iPhone X, from what’s been said.
It’s tough to wait, especially when you’ve got the money earmarked and just sitting there
But the iPad Pro Kuo predicts for fall is a much more attractive product than one that could be released before then. For that reason, I hope it is a fall product. Selfishly, it would be better for me, and I’m okay with your having to wait 😂 😬 😇
www.pcmag.com
