Two new Enterprise and Education Apple iPad models could launch in 2017
Say what you will about tablets, but granted that it is true about a declining market share, the Apple iPad keeps setting sales records compared to its competitors, particularly Samsung, with whom Apple has always had a love-hate relationship.
Apple’s commitment to the iPad is not limited to the models we already know, but also, and perhaps especially, to those that are yet to come to light. Apple is rumored to be working on two brand new iPad models, designed for enterprise and education, with the former most likely falling into iPad Pro territory.
What we know so far comes largely from predictions made by KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most reliable sources for plausible predictions on Apple products, with an insider knowledge of the company and its trends, and the one who successfully predicted the 12 inch Apple MacBook Retina, the iPad Pro (including its name), as well as the Apple Pencil.
The two new iPads are said to belong in two completely different product lines than any existing iPad, and sized appropriately for their respective markets. So far, only one size iPad has been made known, 10.5 inches, which sits right between the two current iPad Pro models.
The new size makes sense in a business context, as it seems specific to scenarios in which a 12.9 inch iPad would be simply too big, and a 9.7 inch iPad would be too minute for tasks like note taking, editing documents, and showcasing multimedia items within a corporate setting.
While it is still unclear what size will the other iPad rumored to begin production next month, word has it that the new tablet will be catering to students, and will feature specs suitable to a smaller budget.
It’s also plausible that both new devices will be powered by an A10X processor, through with substantially different specs in regard to memory, storage and graphic capabilities.
With that said, Apple Pencil support is something that Apple is committed to extending to as many devices as possible, including Macs, which means that the both new iPads, rumored to launch sometime in 2017, will be compatible with Apple’s brand new stylus.
A bit less likely is the rumor of at least one upcoming iPad model to feature an OLED touchscreen. Apple’s obsession with high-definition and ensuring that the iPad offers the best possible color range and brightness, would be in contrast with OLED technology, which is focused on energy efficiency at the cost of color quality and resolution.
With that said, there is an even less likely scenario that has been thrown around a lot, which predicts the end of the Home button in the iPad, as the company is allegedly focusing on integrating Touch-ID, and a virtual home button, directly into the touch screen.
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