The long wait for new iPads may finally be coming to an end.
Apple is supposedly set to unveil a second-generation 9.7-inch iPad Pro next week, according to the latest rumor out of Asia.
Analysts in Japan are basing the claim off of supply chain sources. Even though the update will be the first new iPad in over a year, Japanese blog Macotakara reports that Apple won’t host an event next week to unveil the iPad Pro.
New iPads on the way
Rumors have circulated in recent months that Apple plans to come out with at least three new tablets: updated versions of the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, and a new 10.5-inch form factor with slimmer bezels, 3D Touch and Touch ID embedded into the display.
The second generation 9.7-inch iPad Pro update doesn’t sound like a news worthy affair. Macotakara claims the new iPad Pro will basically have all the same specs as the old one only with a A10X processor.
An event to unveil the redesigned iPad Pros could still be hosted in April. Apple’s new spaceship campus has been cited as one possible location for the iPad event, but recent drone footage shows there’s still much work to be done on the landscaping.
Quietly launching the second-generation iPad Pro will give Apple a new cheaper tablet to appeal to customers. Its premium tablet lineup could then come out a few weeks later. It’s still unclear whether we’ll see a new iPad mini. Server logs revealed that Apple is currently testing four new iPads, suggesting a launch could be coming soon.
